LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- The Bard Capital Challenge, a new PGA Tour Challenge Season event to be held Dec. 1-4 in Las Vegas, announced its slate of sponsors for the inaugural 2005 event.
Sponsors for the 2005 event include Polo Chaps Golf (Official Clothing), JetBlue Airways (Official Airline), Omega Watches (Official Timekeeper), Level One Vodka (Official Vodka), Etonic (Official Golf Shoe and Glove), Tiffany and Company (Official Jeweler) Marquis Jet (Official Private Jet Provider), Dream Catcher Retreats (Official Destination Club), Siteline Productions, Inc. (Official Corporate Partner/Tent Supplier) and Green Valley Ranch and Resort (Official Resort).
“We are excited to welcome our new sponsors to this truly unique and exciting PGA Tour Challenge Season event,” said Bill Papariella, Co-Managing Director of the Bard Capital Challenge. “As a new PGA Tour Challenge Season event, the Bard Capital Challenge is a tremendous marketing, branding and hospitality platform and provides an exclusive, high-end and unforgettable golf experience.”
PGA TOUR players John Daly, Mark Calcavecchia, Fred Funk, Tim Herron, Zach Johnson, Nick Price, Rory Sabbatini and Scott Verplank are confirmed for the Bard Capital Challenge, an officially-sanctioned event on the PGA TOUR Challenge Season. The event will be taped for telecast Dec. 15 on The Golf Channel and re-airs on Christmas Day.
“Our investment goals are straight forward, offer a world class experience to our sponsors, players and partners.” Said Noel Allen, Co-Managing Director of the Bard Capital Challenge. “Looking forward, we see tremendous opportunity in this property that the marketplace will reward on multiple capacities.”
The Bard Capital Challenge offers amateurs from throughout the country the opportunity to experience what it is like to be a pro for a day and compete with top TOUR stars. The finals of the Bard Capital Challenge features a championship purse of $750,000, with $600,000 going to the professionals and $150,000 donated to the American Cancer Society.
A very unique pro/amateur event, the Bard Capital Challenge enables amateurs to compete in the national tournament in Las Vegas, with the eight winning two-player teams partnering with eight PGA TOUR stars in the finals.
To sign up for the Bard Capital Challenge, visit www.bardcapitalchallenge.com or call 1-866-977-3224.
To be eligible for the Bard Capital Challenge, amateurs must have an official USGA handicap index between 3.0-27.0. All events and entry instructions are listed on the tournament section page of the Web site (www.bardcapitalchallenge.com). The national finals will be an exclusive two-player team, 54-hole competition (low net/best ball). Following the three rounds of competition, the eight lowest scoring amateur teams will each be partnered with a PGA TOUR professional on national television as they compete in an 18-hole main event for $750,000: a $600,000 professional purse, $150,000 in donations to local American Cancer Society chapters of amateur winners, plus amateur prizes. Scoring in the main event will be better ball net of the amateur team, plus the PGA TOUR pro score per hole. PGA TOUR player eligibility for the Bard Capital Challenge is based on: The top two players available on the 2005 money list through the NEC Invitational; the top available finisher from the 2005 PLAYERS Championship; one member of the 2005 Presidents Cup team (U.S. or International), and four sponsor exemptions.
About Bard Capital Partners LLC, Richard Bard, and the Bard Center
Bard Capital Partners LLC is a private equity investment group with headquarters in Golden, Colo., and New York City. Bard Capital's strategy is to invest in businesses that will benefit from the operating experience and active involvement of Mr. Bard and the Bard Capital team. The present portfolio includes two global manufacturing companies as well as sports properties The Bard Capital Challenge, The Duff Challenge and The Chairman's Cup.
Mr. Bard has formed, founded or acquired and then operated numerous investor-led businesses bringing them to successful conclusions, including FoxMeyer Corporation, Coast-to-Coast Hardware (CoastAmerica Corporation), ComputerLand Corporation, and Optical Security Group, Inc. Since 1989, through Bard & Co. and IdeaSpring, LLC, Bard has managed a diversified portfolio of corporate and real estate investments, including banking, manufacturing, security products and services, gaming, web-enabled new ventures, office buildings, residential homebuilding, affordable housing, and RV parks. Bard served as chairman of the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. He is one of Denver's best-known entrepreneurs, is a highly-respected voice in the business and financial communities, and has ties to business leaders both in the U.S. and abroad.
The Richard H. and Pamela S. Bard Center for Entrepreneurship Development at the University of Colorado at Denver was established in 1996 to be a vehicle to help foster and promote economic opportunity in Denver and the surrounding community. In addition to the 400+ students annually enrolled in the program, the Center houses up to 12 emerging companies at its in-house incubator, offers start-up capital venture funds to qualified new businesses, and annually awards the best student business plans in a highly-publicized ceremony in Denver. With the support of a continuing endowment from the Bard Family Foundation, the Center is totally self-supporting and operates in an off-campus facility including the third floor of the historic Masonic Building in downtown Denver.
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from the disease. With more than two million volunteers nationwide and 90 years experience, the American Cancer Society is one of the oldest and largest voluntary health agencies in the world. Offices in 3,400 communities across the country uniquely position the American Cancer Society to meet the needs of all cancer patients and their loved ones - when they need help and where they need help. Only the American Cancer Society fights all cancers on all fronts: research, education, advocacy, and patient services. And only the American Cancer Society has the organizational breadth, the grassroots volunteer capacity, and the wealth of public health experience necessary to dramatically improve the lives of millions of Americans facing cancer. For more information about the American Cancer Society 24 hours a day, seven days a week call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.
About the PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers. Its primary purpose is to provide significant competitive earnings opportunities for past, current and future members of the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour; to protect the integrity of the game; and to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world. More than 100 events will be contested on the three Tours in 2005, for nearly $320 million in prize money. PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour events have donated more than $950 million to charity since 1938 and will surpass $1 billion this year. The PGA TOUR's Web site address is www.pgatour.com.
