Extreme Athletes
to Take on a New Challenge at the 2002 FORD U.X. Open
at Wildcat Mountain Ski Area on Aug. 24
PINKHAM NOTCH, NH., AUG. 12, 2002 - Four
well known "adventurous athletes" from four
different sports will scale new heights when the 2002
FORD U.X. Open Tour comes to Wildcat Mountain Ski
Area in Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire on Aug. 24.
Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Bill "Spaceman"
Lee; World Class Adventurer Eric Alexander;
Olympic Skeleton Athlete Chris Soule; and Olympic
Freestyle Halfpipe Snowboarder Tricia Byrnes, have
signed-up for the rugged round of golf. The field will
also include local players from throughout New England.
The top two competitors from the 72-player field will
advance to the 2002 FORD U.X. Open Championship on Sept.
28 at 49º North in Chewelah, WA.
"Eric, Chris and Tricia are used to extreme conditions
in their respective sports, so it should be interesting
to see how they fare against the rigors of FORD U.X. Open
golf," said Dolores Kelly, Executive Director of
the UXGA. "Since Bill Lee, was always know to do
things a bit differently, we knew he would appreciate
our brand of golf."
Bill "Spaceman" Lee -- Over 14 MLB seasons,
he compiled a 119-90 record with the Red Sox ('69-78)
and Expos ('79-82). From '73-75 he recorded three consecutive
17-win seasons and was a key member of the 1975 Red Sox
World Series team. One of the most colorful and quotable
players in baseball history, his words often overshadowed
his great performances on the field.
Eric Alexander: a world-class skier, climber, and
mountaineer who recently defied the odds and scaled Mt.
Everest as a guide for his blind friend, Erik Weihenmayer.
He and Erik then climbed and skiid down Russia's Mt. Elbrus
- one of the seven summits -- it was the first-ever blind
ski descent of the mountain.
Chris Soule: A member of the 2003 U.S. Olympic
skeleton team. A two-time U.S. National Champion and 2000
Goodwill Games silver medalist. He is a native of Trumbull,
CT.
Tricia Byrnes - Olympic snowboarder who placed
6th at the 2002 Games. The 1999 World Champion and 2002
Goodwill Games gold medalist. A resident of New Canaan,
CT.
To register or get more information interested players
should call 877-583-9924 or visit www.uxopen.com.
For the $60 entry fee players receive entry into the 10-hole
tourney, a FORD U.X. Open golf shirt, visor and sleeve
of golf balls, lunch, plus an invitation to the Wildcat
AdventureFest being held that weekend at Wildcat Mountain.
The U.X. Open is golf with no boundaries. It leaves the
manicured fairways, rigid dress codes, extensive rules
and high costs at the country club. The U.X. Open offers
golfers a whole new challenge … up, down, and across
a 10-hole mountain course, with 10 simplified rules catering
to the rocky terrain. Instead of putting, participants
must pitch the ball onto a painted circle 20-30 feet in
diameter; a four-club limit; less severe penalties for
lost balls and unplayable lies; and no dress code …
although hiking boots are strongly recommended. And you
can forget about yardage markers and golf carts - laser
rangefinder binoculars and ski lifts are preferred.
"Any golfer looking for a new challenge needs to
take on the rigors of U.X. Open golf. You'll hit shots
you never even imagined but we guarantee you'll have a
blast," said Dolores Kelly, Executive Director of
the U.X. Open.
The 2002 FORD U.X. Open Tour includes three qualifying
events on: Aug. 3 -- Mammoth Mountain (California);
Aug. 10 -- 49º North (Washington); and Aug.
24 -- Wildcat Mountain Ski Area (New Hampshire). The
2002 FORD U.X. Open Championship is Sept. 28, at 49º
North with the top two players from each qualifying event,
plus defending champion Peter "Mongo" Schory.
The Championship will feature a unique survivor-style
shootout with one player eliminated on each hole until
a champion is left standing. A one-hour highlight show
of the 2002 FORD U.X. Open Championship will be televised
on Oct. 21 on The Golf Channel.
The U.X. Open is owned and operated by UXGA Tour Properties,
LLC. Fairfield, CT and sponsored by the FORD Motor Company.
FAIRFIELD, CT,
Aug. 12, 2002 - In an effort to continually take U.X.
Open golf to "new heights", the 2002 Ford U.X.
Open Tour has retained respected golf course architectural
firm of Richard M. Phelps LTD Golf Course Architects
of Evergreen CO to design the three courses for the 2002
tour.
The 2002 Ford U.X. Open® Tour is golf with
no boundaries. It leaves the manicured fairways, rigid
dress codes, extensive rules and high costs at the country
club. The U.X. Open offers golfers a whole new challenge
… up, down, and across a 10-hole mountain course,
with 10 simplified rules catering to the rocky terrain.
Instead of putting, participants must pitch the ball
onto a painted circle 20-30 feet in diameter; a four-club
limit; less severe penalties for lost balls and unplayable
lies; and no dress code … although hiking boots
are strongly recommended. And you can forget about yardage
markers and golf carts - laser rangefinder binoculars
and ski lifts are preferred.
"The nice part about designing U.X. Open courses
is that the are no boundaries. The only direction we
had was, anything goes," said Kevin Atkinson, who
took on the challenge for Phelps Design. "Our creative
inspiration was derived from the origins of golf when
holes were found not constructed. We definitely let
the elements dictate the holes."
The 2002 Ford U.X. Open Tour includes three
qualifying events and a nationally televised Championship.
The 72-player qualifying events are scheduled for: Aug.
3 -- Mammoth Mountain (California); Aug. 10
-- 49º North (Washington); and Aug. 24 --
Wildcat Ski Resport (New Hampshire). Golfers can register
at www.uxopen.com
or by calling 877-583-9924
The 2002 Ford U.X. Open Championship will be
held on Sept. 28, 2002 at 49º North in Chewelah,
WA. The top two players from each of the four qualifying
events, plus defending champion Peter "Mongo"
Schory -- an avalanche forecaster from Chewelah, WA.
-- will compete in a unique survivor-style shootout
whereby one player is eliminated on each hole until
a champion is left standing. On Oct. 21, The Golf Channel
will present a one-hour highlight show of the 2002 Ford
U.X. Open Championship.
With over 85 new courses in play and more than 400
consulting projects, there are very few golf course
design firms in the world that have more experience
among their current staff than Richard M. Phelps LTD,
Golf Course Architects.
"Golf has become a very cool sport among the younger
generation, thanks to Hollywood, popular music/fashion
influences…and Tiger Woods," said U.X. Open
Executive Director Dolores Kelly. "The U.X. Open
has provided an alternative for golfers and is well
on its way to becoming to traditional golf what snowboarding
is to downhill skiing."
U.X. Open Champions:
1999: Kevin Cahill of Berwyn, PA at Mountain Creek (Vernon,
NJ)
2000: Jim Ryan of Rochester, NY at Snowshoe Mountain
(Snowshoe, WV)
2001: Peter "Mongo" Schory of Chewelah, WA
at Holiday Valley (Ellicottville, NY)
The U.X. Open Tour is sponsored by Ford. "U.X.
Open" and "X" and "mountain"
designs are service marks of UXGA Tour Properties, LLC.,
Fairfield, CT.
The inaugural U.X. Open was staged on Aug. 27, 1999
at Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon, NJ. In 2000, the
tour included four qualifying events (Northstar at Tahoe,
Mountain Creek, Jiminy Peak and Snowshoe Mountain) and
the Championship televised on espn2. Last year the tour
featured three* qualifying events (Skyline Ski Area,
49º North, and Holiday Valley) and the Championship
at Holiday Valley televised on The Golf Channel. (*two
Sept. events were cancelled.).
Adventurous
Golfers Climb New Heights at 2002 FORD U.X. Open at 49
Degrees North Golf Tour Challenges Players on Rugged Mountain
Terrain
CHEWELAH, WA., AUG. 11 ,2002 - Adventurous
golfers scaled new heights on Saturday, Aug. 10 at 49
Degrees North as the 2002 FORD U.X. Open Tour returned
to the home course of the defending champion, and the
site for the Tour's 2002 Championship.
In one of the most competitive fields in FORD U.X. Open
history, five players finished within one shot of the
lead. But since only the top two players get to make the
next step, it will be Bill Davis of Chewelah, WA and Jason
Pitt of Spokane, WA advancing to the 2002 FORD U.X.
Open Championship on Sept. 28 right back at 49 Degrees
North.
After completing the 10-hole par 39 course in 42 (+3),
the two men competed in a chip-off to determine the winner
and runner-up. Davis earned the victory but both men earned
a trip to the Championship tourney. They join 2001 defending
champion Peter "Mongo" Schory (Chewelah,
WA) -- who received an automatic bid into the championship
-- as well as Ric Moore (Bakersfield, CA) and Dennis
Hurlburt (Mammoth Lakes, CA) --the top two finihers
at last week's qualifying event at Mammoth Mountain. The
winner and runner-up from the Aug. 24 event at New Hampshire's
Wildcat Mountain Ski Area round out the championship field.
The U.X. Open is golf with no boundaries. It leaves the
manicured fairways, rigid dress codes, extensive rules
and high costs at the country club. The U.X. Open offers
golfers a whole new challenge … up, down, and across
a 10-hole mountain course, with 10 simplified rules catering
to the rocky terrain. Instead of putting, participants
must pitch the ball onto a painted circle 20-30 feet in
diameter; a four-club limit; less severe penalties for
lost balls and unplayable lies; and no dress code …
although hiking boots are strongly recommended. And you
can forget about yardage markers and golf carts - laser
rangefinder binoculars and ski lifts are preferred.
"Any golfer looking for a new challenge needs to
take on the rigors of U.X. Open golf. You'll hit shots
you never even imagined but we guarantee you'll have a
blast," said Dolores Kelly, Executive Director of
the U.X. Open.
The 2002 FORD U.X. Open Tour includes qualifying
events on: Aug. 3 -- Mammoth Mountain (California);
Aug. 10 -- 49º North (Washington); and Aug.
24 -- Wildcat Mountain Ski Area (New Hampshire). The
2002 FORD U.X. Open Championship will feature a unique
survivor-style shootout with one of the seven players
eliminated on each hole until a champion is left standing.
A one-hour highlight show of the 2002 FORD U.X. Open Championship
will be televised on Oct. 21 on The Golf Channel.
The U.X. Open is owned and operated by UXGA Tour Properties,
LLC. Fairfield, CT and sponsored by FORD. The U.X. Open
is a service mark of UXGA Tour Properties, LLC.
Adventurous
Golfers Climb New Heights at 2002 FORD U.X. Open at Mammoth
Mountain Golf Tour Challenges Players on Rugged Mountain
Terrain
MAMMOTH LAKES, CA., AUG. 5, 2002 - Adventurous
golfers scaled new heights at Mammoth Mountain this weekend
in the first event of the 2002 FORD U.X. Open Tour.
Just like at Bethpage, only one golfer was able to break
par.
Bakersfield's Eric Moore (41) scored a 34 (-2)
on the par 36 10-hole course to best a field of competitive
players. Dennis Hurlburt of Mammoth Lakes (age
51) finished 7-shots back at 41 (+5). Both players advance
to the 2002 FORD U.X. Open Championship at 49º
North in Chewelah, WA on Sept. 28.
The U.X. Open is golf with no boundaries. It leaves the
manicured fairways, rigid dress codes, extensive rules
and high costs at the country club. The U.X. Open offers
golfers a whole new challenge … up, down, and across
a 10-hole mountain course, with 10 simplified rules catering
to the rocky terrain. Instead of putting, participants
must pitch the ball onto a painted circle 20-30 feet in
diameter; a four-club limit; less severe penalties for
lost balls and unplayable lies; and no dress code …
although hiking boots are strongly recommended. And you
can forget about yardage markers and golf carts - laser
rangefinder binoculars and ski lifts are preferred.
During the past three years the U.X. Open has been covered
by USA Today, Time, Newsweek, Los Angeles Times, Good
Morning America and hundreds of other national media
outlets. Many have likened the sport to becoming to traditional
golf what snowboarding is to downhill skiing.
"Any golfer looking for a new challenge needs to
take on the rigors of U.X. Open golf. You'll hit shots
you never even imagined but we guarantee you'll have a
blast," said Dolores Kelly, Executive Director of
the U.X. Open.
The 2002 FORD U.X. Open Tour includes qualifying
events on: Aug. 3 -- Mammoth Mountain (California);
Aug. 10 -- 49º North (Washington); and Aug.
24 -- Wildcat Mountain Ski Area (New Hampshire). The
2002 FORD U.X. Open Championship is Sept. 28, at 49º
North with the top two players from each qualifying event,
plus defending champion Peter "Mongo" Schory.
The Championship will feature a unique survivor-style
shootout with one player eliminated on each hole until
a champion is left standing. A one-hour highlight show
of the 2002 FORD U.X. Open Championship will be televised
on Oct. 21 on The Golf Channel.
The U.X. Open is owned and operated by UXGA Tour Properties,
LLC. Fairfield, CT and sponsored by FORD. The U.X. Open
is a service mark of UXGA Tour Properties, LLC. Last year
Peter "Mongo" Schory captured the title at Holiday
Valley against qualifiers from Skyline Ski Area, 49º
North, and Holiday Valley.
2002 FORD U.X. Open Tour
Climbs to New Heights
NEW YORK, NY, JULY 1, 2002 - Adventurous
golfers will scale new heights this summer on four rugged
mountain courses from New England to California in the
2002 FORD U.X. Open Tour.
The U.X. Open is golf with no boundaries. It leaves
the manicured fairways, rigid dress codes, extensive
rules and high costs at the country club. The U.X. Open
offers golfers a whole new challenge … up, down,
and across a 10-hole mountain course, with 10 simplified
rules catering to the rocky terrain. Instead of putting,
participants must pitch the ball onto a painted circle
20-30 feet in diameter; a four-club limit; less severe
penalties for lost balls and unplayable lies; and no
dress code … although hiking boots are strongly
recommended. And you can forget about yardage markers
and golf carts - laser rangefinder binoculars and ski
lifts are preferred.
"Golf has become a very cool sport among the younger
generation, thanks to Hollywood, popular music/fashion
influences…and Tiger Woods," said U.X. Open
Executive Director Dolores Kelly. "The U.X. Open
has provided an alternative for golfers and is well
on its way to becoming to traditional golf what snowboarding
is to downhill skiing."
The 2002 FORD U.X. Open Tour includes four qualifying
events and a nationally televised Championship. The
72-player qualifying events are scheduled for: Aug.
3 -- Mammoth Mountain (California); Aug. 10
-- 49º North (Washington); Aug. 24 -- Wildcat
Ski Resport (New Hampshire). Golfers can register at
www.uxopen.com
or by calling 877-583-9924
The 2002 FORD U.X. Open Championship will be
held on Sept. 28, 2002 at 49º North in Chewelah,
WA. The top two players from each of the four qualifying
events, plus defending champion Peter "Mongo"
Schory -- an avalanche forecaster from Chewelah, WA.
-- will compete in a unique survivor-style shootout
whereby one player is eliminated on each hole until
a champion is left standing. On Oct. 21, The Golf Channel
will present a one-hour highlight show of the 2002 FORD
U.X. Open Championship.
The 2002 FORD U.X. Open Tour will be promoted through
an extensive advertising campaign in Golf Digest
beginning in the Aug. '02 issue with a four-page special
section. In the subsequent three issues of Golf Digest,
FORD will run two-page spreads promoting both the 2002
U.X. Open and the 2003 FORD Expedition.
U.X. Open Champions:
1999: Kevin Cahill of Berwyn, PA at Mountain Creek (Vernon,
NJ)
2000: Jim Ryan of Rochester, NY at Snowshoe Mountain
(Snowshoe, WV)
2001: Peter "Mongo" Schory of Chewelah, WA
at Holiday Valley (Ellicottville, NY)
The U.X. Open is owned and operated by UXGA Tour Properties,
LLC, Fairfield, CT. It's founder and managing member,
Rick Ryan, a 20-year sports marketing professional,
created and developed the property. The inaugural U.X.
Open was staged on Aug. 27, 1999 at Mountain Creek Resort
in Vernon, NJ. In 2000, the tour included four qualifying
events (Northstar at Tahoe, Mountain Creek, Jiminy Peak
and Snowshoe Mountain) and the Championship televised
on espn2. Last year the tour featured three* qualifying
events (Skyline Ski Area, 49º North, and Holiday
Valley) and the Championship at Holiday Valley televised
on The Golf Channel. (*two Sept. events were cancelled.).
