SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The PGA TOUR's inaugural Puerto Rico Open presented by Banco Popular will be held the week of March 17th ­ 23rd in partnership with the Puerto Rico Golf Association and the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC). The tournament will be played at the Tom Kite-designed golf course at the newly opened Trump International Golf Club in the northeast region of the island in Rio Grande. This is the first year of a five-year agreement to hold the Puerto Rico Open as part of the PGA TOUR schedule and dates for the 2009 tournament have already been slated for March 3rd ­ 9th , 2009.

"We are delighted to bring the PGA TOUR to Puerto Rico and I know our players are excited about the opportunity to play there," said Henry Hughes, Chief of Operations for the PGA TOUR. "Judging from the cooperation and enthusiasm we have experienced in working with Banco Popular, the Puerto Rico Golf Association and the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, we look forward to an outstanding tournament and experience in the coming years."

Puerto Rico is truly a golfer's paradise, offering 23 golf courses, 17 of which are championship level courses designed by some of the top names in the industry, including Greg Norman, Gary Player, Robert Trent Jones Sr., Tom and George Fazio, Rees Jones and Arthur Hills. "To have a world-class organization such as the PGA TOUR appreciate the championship golf courses we have on our island and select Puerto Rico as a stop for the tournament is an honor," said Terestella Gonzalez-Denton, Executive Director of PRTC.

"A golfer's delight, our island offers some of the world's best golf courses, only steps away from the beach and surrounded by deep history and authentic Latin culture. Even better is that no passport is required to visit Puerto Rico when traveling from the U.S. so your golf vacation is only a few hours away," Mrs. Gonzalez-Denton added.

Vacationers and golf pros agree that Puerto Rico has some of the finest golf courses in the Caribbean and Latin America, offering a wide variety of golfing experiences. Golfers can enjoy tee time in the morning at one of the island's many golf courses and then take advantage of additional tourism offerings such as the well-known historic Old San Juan with its quaint cobblestone streets; the El Yunque Rainforest, the largest tropical rainforest in the U.S. national rainforest system; and one of three of the island's bioluminescent bays that offer a one of a kind kayak adventure.

For travel between Puerto Rico and the United States, No Passport Is Required. As a further convenience, the Puerto Rico Tourism Company offers an online reservation system for a variety of accommodations, including Paradores. For additional information about Puerto Rico, call (800) 866-7827 or visit www.GoToPuertoRico.com.

About the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC)
The Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC), founded in 1970, is a public corporation responsible for stimulating, promoting and regulating the development of the tourism industry. It markets Puerto Rico as a tourism destination through advertising, public relations and promotional activities; promotes tourism among local residents; provides visitor orientation and technical assistance to investors; evaluates tourism facilities and establishes standards of quality; and regulates and oversees gaming operations. PRTC has offices and representatives in the U.S. mainland, Canada, Europe and Latin America.

Contact:
Matthew P. Frappier
Edelman
212-819-4802
Matthew.Frappier@edelman.com