DUNLOP RENEWS COMMITMENT TO AJGA EVENT IN GREENVILLE
Contract extends support to the American Junior Golf Association until 2006

Local golf charities have long benefited from the Dunlop Carolina Junior Championship.

The American Junior Golf Association announced Tuesday that South Carolina-based golf equipment manufacturer Dunlop has renewed its contract to sponsor an AJGA event in Greenville, S.C., for the next two years. The Dunlop Carolina Junior Championship is set to take place at Green Valley Country Club June 20-23, 2005. The dates for the 2006 event have not been confirmed.

“On behalf of the entire Dunlop team, we are honored to continue our relationship with the AJGA Dunlop Carolina Junior Championship,” said David Leverant, chief operating officer of Dunlop’s parent company, Focus Golf Systems, Inc. “Junior Golf serves as a foundation of the game that we all love by teaching and inculcating values that truly shape and serve lives. Our commitment to the future is no where better exemplified than by the fine young people that participate in not only our Dunlop event, but throughout all AJGA tournaments around the country."    

The tournament, a 54-hole stroke play event, will feature 99 of the nation’s top junior golfers.  The field at the Dunlop Carolina Junior Championship is consistently among the strongest on the AJGA schedule.  Last year, eight participants went on to be named Rolex Junior All-Americans, including three who were named to the first-team.  Paul Haley of Dallas, a first-team Rolex All-America selection, claimed the Boys Division title after scorching the course with rounds of 68-68-69—202. In the Girls Division, Catherina Wang of Orlando, Fla., picked up one of her two wins before being named a second-team Rolex Junior All-American.

Local youth attend this year's event, getting the chance to see some of junior golf's best.

“Dunlop lends a tremendous community spirit to the event and being a national company helps give us the opportunity to provide a first-class event,” said Marshall Bettendorf, volunteer tournament chairman. “In a short period of time, we have been able to provide substantial support to local grassroots organizations thanks to Dunlop and other local donors."

Through the diligent support of tournament title sponsor Dunlop and individual private donors, the tournament donated more than $20,000 to junior golf charities in 2004, with $12,000 staying locally. Over the past three years, the event has raised more than $42,000 for local junior golf. In addition to financial assistance, Dunlop provides golf products and a volunteer staff for the event.

Always a popular community event, the Dunlop Carolina Junior Championship received support from more than 60 Greenville-area businesses in 2004.  Spearheaded by Dunlop, the Junior-Am fundraising tournament for the Dunlop Carolina Junior Championship will again feature sundry local businesses and community members.  The junior-am fundraising tournament pairs an AJGA junior with four amateur sponsors in an effort to raise money for local grassroots junior golf organizations.