MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- Paula Morton of Greenbrier, Tenn., a 20.6 handicap golfer from Greenbrier, Tenn., shot a net 67 Friday to win the 2008 PGA Tour Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship at The Dunes Golf & Beach Club in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The 2004 Centex Villa Quest winner entered the 18th hole tied with Percy Hayes of Granbury, Texas at four-under-par. After her third shot on hole No. 18 found the lake guarding the front of the green, Morton took a drop and a penalty stroke and chipped in from 75 yards out to win the title of "World's Amateur Champion. Morton is the fourth woman champion in the 25-year history of the World Am and follows 2007 World Am champion June Wang as back-to-back female champions.

In 2004, the World Am partnered with Centex Homes' Myrtle Beach Division to create the "Centex Homes Villa Quest. Morton sank a 20-foot putt in the semi-finals and followed with a 10-foot putt in the finals to win a Myrtle Beach golf villa valued at $125,000.

"I am very excited to win the 2008 PGA Tour Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship," said Morton. "I had a great week in Myrtle Beach and I would like to thank the World Am staff and The Dunes Club for running a wonderful golf tournament. Going into the 18th hole I had no idea where I was in the standings. I just focused on my game and didn't worry about where I stood. I won a condo in the 2004 Centex Villa Quest and winning the 2008 world championship is just as rewarding. I am excited to be the world's amateur champion."

David Lamont of Annandale, Va., and Christopher Clarke of Springhill, Va., captured the 2008 International Pairs Championship by shooting a net 55 in Friday's championship round. Lamont and Clarke won an all-expense paid trip to St. Andrews to represent the United States in the 2009 International Pairs World Finals. Clarke also captured his flight and competed in the championship round where he finished in a tie for 37th place after shooting an 82 on the day.

"The World Am is a great tournament that both of our families have been coming to since 2000," said Lamont. "I have known Chris for 30 years and was even his little league football coach; it was great to win the International Pairs competition with such a good friend."

"We congratulate Paula for capturing the 2008 World Am Championship and the team of Lamont and Clarke for winning the International Pairs Championship," said Dave Macpherson, Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday tournament director. "The 25th anniversary of the World Am was a special celebration and it was exciting to have the 2004 Villa Quest winner return to the tournament and add the 2008 World Am title to her trophy collection. David and Chris will be great representatives of the World Am in St. Andrews next year and we wish them the best of luck."

Hosted by Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday, the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship is a 72-hole tournament played on more than 50 Myrtle Beach area golf courses each August. Participants compete for the right to be crowned "World Amateur Golf Champion" and to win a share of the $250,000 in prizes given away at the tournament.

Players are flighted according to their handicap and at the conclusion of the 72-holes, flight winners advanced to the 18-hole world championship playoff at the renowned Dunes Golf and Beach Club. The 41 finalists represented 21 states and three countries. Texas placed the most championship round finalists with six, followed by Pennsylvania with three.

Each evening after tournament play, participants and their guests attended the "World's Largest 19th Hole" at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center which includes an extensive golf exposition, equipment demos, entertainment, open bars, prize drawings and food from Myrtle Beach's best restaurants.

The PGA TOUR Superstore World Am website (WorldAmGolf.com) offers a daily glimpse at the World Am with updated standings, news releases and photographs from the 25th annual tournament. For more information on the 2008 PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship, visit WorldAmGolf.com or visit the World Am Virtual Newsroom, brandonadvertising.com/WorldAm.

Always scheduled the week before Labor Day, the 26th annual PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship will be held August 24 – 28, 2009.

ABOUT PGA TOUR SUPERSTORES
PGA TOUR Superstores are owned and operated by Golf & Tennis Pro Shop, Inc. (GTPS), headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. Each Superstore is dedicated to providing consumers with exceptional selection, services and prices within an entertaining, interactive store environment. GTPS is the PGA TOUR's exclusive PGA TOUR partner for off-course/off-airport golf retailing.

Two Superstores operate as Martin's PGA TOUR Superstore in Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach, S.C. Other Superstores operate in the Atlanta area (Roswell, Kennesaw, Duluth, Buckhead), two stores operate in the Dallas, Texas area and two stores operate in Chandler and Scottsdale, Ariz. All Superstores are focused on game improvement in golf and tennis, as well as growing the games. Each store offers swing analysis, golf instruction by professional instructors, club fittings, indoor practice greens, and hitting nets, as well as golf and tennis apparel, golf-themed home furnishings, and a vast selection of golf and tennis equipment. The PGA TOUR Superstore's Web site address is www.pgatoursuperstore.com.

About Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday
Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday is a non-profit trade association of 78 championship golf courses, 87 golf package providers and five golf schools in the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina area. Founded in 1967, the organization has been and continues to be the driving force behind the growth of the Myrtle Beach area golf market. The originator of the "Golf Package," Golf Holiday provides non-partisan information about the area accommodations and golf courses to assist golfers in making the most informed decisions when planning for their next vacation. Golf Holiday also hosts seven events and tournaments annually to help grow the game of golf and attract golfers to the Grand Strand during slower times of year. In addition to hosting the PGA TOUR Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship, Golf Holiday also manages the Hootie and the Blowfish Monday After The Masters Celebrity Pro-Am Golf Tournament each spring, the Summer Family Golf Tournaments, the Spring and Fall Palmetto High School Golf Championships, the Veterans Golf Classic and the FDNY 9-11 Memorial Golf Outing. For more information, call Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday at 1-800-833-8798, or visit GolfHoliday.com.