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Colonial program raises $3.7 million for local charities, tops on PGA Tour

Officials at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial raised $3.7 million for local charities through their Birdies for Charity program at May’s PGA Tour stop in Fort Worth.

The figure, announced today, marked the largest total raised through a Birdies for Charity initiative at any of 25 tour events that participate in the program.

Most of the funds were raised from businesses and individuals who pledged a certain amount per birdie during the tournament. The touring pros combined to bag 1,412 birdies at the 2009 Colonial.

Colonial officials will announce their total charitable donations generated from the 2009 event next month. The Birdies for Charity initiative will make up a large percentage of that total.

In a statement, Colonial tournament chairman Chuck Scherer said: “It’s incredibly gratifying to see the community support of our Birdies campaign to this extent in a difficult economy.”

_ Jimmy Burch

Colonial dates will be May 24-30 on 2010 PGA Tour

PGA Tour officials announced their 2010 schedule today, which includes consecutive dates for the Dallas-Fort Worth tournaments as part of 37 weekly events that precede the FedEx Cup playoffs.

For the second consecutive season, Fort Worth’s Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial will be the final event of a three-week Texas Swing, preceded by stops in San Antonio and Irving.

Colonial’s competition dates will be May 24-30, 2010. Competitors will head to Fort Worth after the HP Byron Nelson Championship, May 17-23 at the Four Seasons Resort in Irving.

The Valero Texas Open, May 10-16 in San Antonio, will be the first of three consecutive May events in the Lone Star State. Texas’ fourth PGA Tour stop, the Shell Houston Open (March 29-April 4), will be played the week before the Masters.

Notable changes to the 2010 schedule include the debut of the Greenbriar Classic in White Sulphur Springs, WV (July 26-Aug. 1) and a new date for the Turning Stone Resort Champonship (Aug. 2-8), which moves to the FedEx Cup stretch of the schedule after being part of the 2009 Fall Series.

Dates and venues for the four majors include: The Masters (April 5-11, Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.); U.S. Open (June 14-20, Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif.); British Open (July 12-18, The Old Course in St. Andrews, Scotland) and the PGA Championship (Aug. 9-15, Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis.).

The 2010 season begins with the SBS Championship (Jan. 4-10) in Kapalua, Hawaii. The FedEx Cup playoffs conclude with the Tour Championship, Sept. 20-26 at Eastlake Golf Club in Atlanta.

  
TEXAS SWING

A look at the 2010 PGA Tour’s three-week stretch of events in Texas:
Dates=Tournament (City)
May 10-16=Valero Texas Open (San Antonio)
May 17-23=HP Byron Nelson Championship (Irving)
May 24-30=Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial (Fort Worth)

_ Jimmy Burch

Colonial receives award for clean air initiative at tournament

Officials at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial received  recognition today from the North Texas Clean Air Coalition for being a local business attuned to environmental issues. The NTCAC awarded tournament officials with a Clean Air Partner Award for having a wind- and solar-powered skybox, run by TCU’s Institute for Environmental Studies, at Fort Worth’s PGA Tour stop in May. It marked the first skybox run by “green” energy at a PGA Tour event.
 _ Jimmy Burch