Building on their sizable overnight lead of six shots, the PGA in Ireland Team made up of Simon Thornton, David Higgins and Mark Staunton, quickly pulled further clear of the rest of the field.

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Delgany Golf Club’s Staunton certainly saved the best till last with a sublime final round 64 (-7), which ensured that the PGA in Ireland would be taking the ITC home for the third time in the Championship’s history.

Simon Thornton provided the other score after signing for a final round 70 (-1), cementing their position at the top of the leaderboard at 19-under par.

Team Captain, David Higgins, said “We’re delighted – it’s fantastic to represent our own PGA and win this prestigious event – we are over the moon. There have been 5-600 guys back home rooting for us and we’ve done the job – we came all the way over here, played great and we’re going home with the trophy so it’s fantastic.”

“A place like this then you’d want to come back week after week,” Thornton added. “Especially in the middle of November, playing in the sun and the golf course being in the condition it is then why would you not want to come back.”

With the winners seemingly untouchable it was between the PGA of Holland, PGA in Scotland, PGA of Italy, PGA in Wales and the PGA of Greece to battle it out for the podium.

The PGA in Wales team moved into the top three midway through the final round however it was the PGA of Holland and PGA in Scotland who eventually shared the honours in tied second position.

The International Team Shield event once again gave those representing a PGA with 100 members or fewer the chance to compete alongside the larger PGAs in the ITC, whilst also enjoying their own competition and prize fund.

The PGA of Greece were able to come out on top having held the lead in the Shield event for the opening three rounds, closing with 72s (1 over par) from Chryssanthos Diakou and Themis Ginis.

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The Greek team secured a record sixth place finish in the overall ITC event and their first win in the Shield event:

“I feel very proud to be part of this team – we have accomplished something that has never happened before in Greece,” said Team Captain, Christos Nikopoulos. “We have beaten many PGAs that have a lot of members, so we believe it is very important for the next generation too and we have set the level a bit higher.”

For Full Final Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017ITC

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The ITC is partnered by Costa Navarino, BMW and Aegean Airlines, and is supported by The Botanist, The Blue Beetle, Bulldog, G’Vine gins, Marendry apperitivo, and Fever-Tree Premium Natural Mixers.

For more information on the 2017 International Team Championship, visit the ITC Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017ITC).

The Irish Team ended the day with a six shot cushion over their nearest challengers the PGA in Scotland, with Waterville Golf Links’ ever-consistent David Higgins shooting his third consecutive under par round.

In cooler conditions, scoring across the field was tough, however after an early bogey, Higgins rallied to fire three birdies in his inward nine holes to sign off for a 69 (-2). This was matched by compatriot Mark Staunton and put the PGA in Ireland in touching distance of another International Team Championship Title.

With Scotland signing for a level par 142 to remain in second place, the PGA of Holland Team closed the gap at third place to just one shot after signing for a third round 141 (-1). Aside from Ireland’s Higgins, Holland’s Ralph Miller is the only other player to shoot three rounds of par or better.

The PGA of Greece matched the excellent scoring of the ITC leaders to jump up the leaderboard and into T4th position, whilst furthering their lead in the International Team Shield to a 16-shot buffer.

With Themis Ginis and Chryssanthos Diakou – both of whom are based at Costa Navarino – their local knowledge and experience paid dividends as they climbed four places and into a share of tied fourth alongside the PGA in Wales.

Ginis carded a superb three under par 68, whist compatriot, Diakou, contributed with an exciting one under par 70. Diakou was five under par through nine holes, however a couple of bogeys and a double bogey saw him settle for a 70 (-1) and pushed the home nation into touching distance of securing their first international Team Shield title.

For Full Round 03 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017ITC

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The ITC is partnered by Costa Navarino, BMW and Aegean Airlines, and is supported by The Botanist, The Blue Beetle, Bulldog, G’Vine gins, Marendry apperitivo, and Fever-Tree Premium Natural Mixers.

For more information on the 2017 International Team Championship, visit the ITC Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017ITC).

Thornton got his team off to a fast start – starting on the 10^th hole of The Dunes Course, he produced a flawless three-under par outward nine, setting him up nicely for the inward nine. A further three birdies with just the one solitary blemish on the par-three fifth hole resulted in an excellent 66 (-5).

Contributing to the second round score for the PGA in Ireland was another member of the victorious PGA Cup team – David Higgins. With his second under par round of the tournament with a one-under 70, Higgins was able to move Ireland to the top of the leaderboard with a two-shot cushion over fellow home nation members, Scotland.

A reversal of fortune saw the PGA in Scotland trio drop back into the chasing pack after a combined score of 143 (+1) dropped them back onto a five-under par total of 279 at the halfway point.

The PGA of Italy team made the second biggest move of the day – an excellent inward six-under par 30 by Zeke Martinez contributed to a three-under total for the day and a move into T3 alongside the PGA of Holland; just four off the lead.

The PGA of Greece further cemented their claim in securing their first International Team Shield after a steady level par 71 from Chyssanthos Diakou combined with a 74 by Themis Ginis resulted in their lead being extended to eight shots over nearest challengers, Poland.

For Full Round 02 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017ITC

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The ITC is partnered by Costa Navarino, BMW and Aegean Airlines, and is supported by The Botanist, The Blue Beetle, Bulldog, G’Vine gins, Marendry apperitivo, and Fever-Tree Premium Natural Mixers.

For more information on the 2017 International Team Championship, visit the ITC Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017ITC).

A strong Scottish team consisting of two members of the victorious 2017 PGA Cup Team linked up perfectly to sit in pole position heading into Round 02 of the Championship.

Matching 68’s by Greig Hutcheon and Paul McKechnie combined to give the leading score (-6, 136), however they were achieved in very different ways.

McKechnie’s four birdies were blotted by one solitary bogey on his way to a 68, however Hutcheon had more of an up-and-down round with his seven birdies being cancelled out by four bogeys.

Holding Tied Second position are the PGA of Ireland and the PGA of Holland whose teams signed for a 141 total (-1) just ahead of the Finnish, English and Italian teams who are tied fourth after opening level par (142) totals.

With the International Team Championship being played in Greece for the first time it is fitting that the host country have got off to a quick start in the International Team Shield.

The PGA of Greece team, consisting of Professionals Themis Ginis, Christos Nikopoulos and Costa Navarino’s very own Chrysanthos Diakou, matched the leading margin of Scotland easing to a five shot lead over the chasing nations with Slovenia currently in second place.

For Full Round 01 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017ITC

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The ITC is partnered by Costa Navarino, BMW and Aegean Airlines, and is supported by The Botanist, The Blue Beetle, Bulldog, G’Vine gins, Marendry apperitivo, and Fever-Tree Premium Natural Mixers.

For more information on the 2017 International Team Championship, visit the ITC Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017ITC).

The Annual Congress is the yearly opportunity for PGA representatives, as well as leaders from various golfing organisations from across the continent, to meet and discuss the state of play within their respective territories, as well as learn, share and discuss ideas with each other alongside fantastic speakers from not only the world of golf but wider industries as well.

Delegates will take part in a variety of sessions, across the week including focus areas such as golf development and various initiatives, female participation, local and international collaboration between golfing bodies, along with health and wellbeing and business and personal performance to continually improve the delegates and the PGAs they oversee.

ITC Competitors will join together with Delegates for a special Q&A session with PGA of South Africa Professional, Jamie Gough; the world-renowned coach to players such as Hao Tong Li, Andy Sullivan, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Thomas Bjorn, and Alex Noren.

Running at the same time as the Congress, the ITC pits PGA Professionals from 21 countries against each other on The Dunes Course at Costa Navarino.

The Professionals will compete over 72-holes in teams of three with the best two scores counting towards their total for the ITC honours.  The PGA of Germany will be looking to repeat their 2016 Championship win, but a wide variety of countries with strong teams will be vying for the top spot and Championship title.

Those Teams representing a PGA with 100 members or fewer will also be in the running for the International Team Shield that ensures the small and emerging Member PGAs of the Association can compete alongside the larger PGAs in the ITC, whilst also enjoying their own competition and prize fund.

The week culminates with the 2017 Annual Gala Awards Dinner Supported by Rolex that sees the presentation of various awards to outstanding individuals and organisations, throwing a spotlight on their efforts and work that have benefitted the sport.

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The Annual Congress & ITC are partnered by Costa Navarino, the Ryder Cup European Development Trust, BMW and Aegean Airlines, and are supported by The Botanist, The Blue Beetle, Bulldog, G’Vine gins, Marendry apperitivo, and Fever-Tree Premium Natural Mixers.

For updates, information and news visit the Annual Congress Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017AnnualCongress), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#AnnualCongress’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

For more information on the 2017 International Team Championship, visit the ITC Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017ITC).

The flagship week will be hosted by IAGTO’s ‘European Golf Resort of the Year 2017’, Costa Navarino, in the Messinia region of Greece and will see representatives from across the Confederation of Professional Golf Member Countries join together alongside ITC PGA Professional competitors.

The week’s continued success could not be achieved without the support of all of the Association’s Partners, and in particular, those that directly support the Annual Congress and ITC.

Much of the development of golf in Greece can be attributed to the 2017 Skytrax World Airline Awards ‘Best Regional Airline in Europe’, Aegean Airlines, who are the Official Airline Partner of the Annual Congress & ITC.

The Star Alliance Member airline have continued to promote the benefits of golf across the Aegean region for both tourism and the wellbeing of its people in general, creating the hugely popular Aegean Airlines Pro-Am, supporting the local PGA of Greece, and encouraging golf travel with free of charge carriage of golf bags and equipment.

“The time has come to host in Greece and in the splendid golf resort of Costa Navarino, the Annual Congress and the ITC of the Confederation of Professional Golf,” said Chairman of Aegean Airlines, Mr. Theodore Vassilakis. “Since 2010, the role of Aegean Airlines has been to bring together our two strategic and significant partners in the golf market in the shape of Costa Navarino and the Confederation of Professional Golf, and we are so proud that we have contributed with our means.”

Mobility throughout the week for delegates and competitors will be provided by Corporate Partner and Official Vehicle, BMW.

The German automobile manufacturer recently extended their Corporate Partnership with the Confederation of Professional Golf that includes their supporting of the Congress and ITC week with transfer services to and from the venue and test drives in top of the range BMW models such as the innovative, all-electric BMW i3 and the future of the sports vehicle, the BMW i8.

The Ryder Cup European Development Trust have continued to support the Annual Congress since 2003, aiding the facilitation of the week and ensuring the Association’s Member Countries can share knowledge, resources, and experience within the network.

The week culminates with the Annual Gala Awards that see key individuals, organisations and PGA Professionals recognised for their achievements and efforts in golf, and will once again be supported by Swiss watch brand, Rolex.

The Awards will also be assisted by Supporting Partners, Marendry apperitivo, who will facilitate the pre-dinner cocktail reception, whilst The Botanist, The Blue Beetle, Bulldog, and G’Vine gins, together with Fever-Tree Premium Natural Mixers, will support the Welcome Reception that gets the week’s events underway in style.

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The Annual Congress & ITC are partnered by Costa Navarino, the Ryder Cup European Development Trust, BMW and Aegean Airlines, and are supported by The Botanist, The Blue Beetle, Bulldog, G’Vine gins, Marendry apperitivo, and Fever-Tree Premium Natural Mixers.

For updates, information and news visit the Annual Congress Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017AnnualCongress), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#AnnualCongress’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

For more information on the 2017 International Team Championship, visit the ITC Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017ITC).

Thomas Lyte are world-renowned for their bespoke gold and silverware, leather accessories and corporate gifting, but in particular for having designed, crafted and restored many of the world’s most iconic trophies in sport.

The Association will work together with the team at Thomas Lyte to introduce their corporate gifting service, as well as their expertise in creating stunning trophies and awards, to the network of 35 Member Country PGAs and the 21,000 PGA Professionals within the Confederation of Professional Golf.

The Confederation of Professional Golf will continue to access Thomas Lyte products including the Association’s annual awards that are given to individuals and organisations at the Annual Congress Gala Awards Dinner.

As Official Suppliers, Thomas Lyte will extend a discount off their products online to PGAs and their Member Professionals.

“We are delighted that Thomas Lyte have become an official supplier to the Association,” said Confederation of Professional Golf Chief Executive, Ian Randell.  “We have enjoyed an unofficial relationship for a number of years but now the formalisation of the partnership means that we can work closely with each other for mutual benefit of both our businesses.”

Tim Munton, Commercial Director of Thomas Lyte, said “We greatly value the relationship we have had for many years with the Confederation of Professional Golf and it is great to formalise it by becoming Official Suppliers. We very much look forward to working more closely with the PGAs and their members, providing them with a range of options for their trophies, awards and gifts.”

Royal Warrant holders as Goldsmiths and Silversmiths to Her Majesty The Queen, the expert trophy silversmiths are renowned for crafting many of the world’s most iconic sporting trophies, including; football’s Emirates FA Cup, the men’s and women’s Rugby Union Natwest 6 Nations trophies, and sailing’s Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenger Playoff trophy.

Their golf credentials include making the European Senior Masters trophy recently won by Stephen Dodd, The Harry Vardon Trophy awarded to the leading European Tour golfer each year, and the European Tour Player’s Player Award.

For more information visit www.ThomasLyte.com

The hosting of the Association’s flagship event continues the successful relationship between the Confederation of Professional Golf and the prime sustainable destination in the Mediterranean that currently includes sanctioning of their Messinia Pro-Am and regularly hosting the Aegean Airlines Pro-Am.

“We are extremely excited to be able to take two of our key events to Costa Navarino and bring them fully into our Corporate Partner family,” said Confederation of Professional Golf Chief Executive, Ian Randell.

“We have been visiting them since their formation and it is a stunning venue with two first class golf courses. Costa Navarino has quickly become established as one of Europe’s, if not the world’s, leading golf destinations. We are proud to be showcasing this superb destination and its facilities to leaders of our National PGAs and the competitors who have qualified to represent their PGAs in the ITC.”

“We are honoured that Costa Navarino has been chosen to host the Confederation of Professional Golf’s flagship event and we look forward to welcoming the Association in the region of Messinia,” said Stephanos Theodorides, Managing Director and Vice Chairman of TEMES S.A. – Developers of Costa Navarino.

“A combination of perfect weather year-round, two award-winning golf courses by the sea, high-quality facilities and authentic experiences, Costa Navarino, chosen by IAGTO as “European Golf Resort of the Year 2017”, is fast becoming a leading golf destination to enjoy in every season.”

The Annual Congress is the Association’s yearly opportunity to bring representatives from its 35 Member Country PGAs together under one roof, facilitating meetings, discussions and workshops to share ideas, progress and various ways they can advance their organisations and golf in their respective territories.

The ITC then runs alongside the Congress in which teams from across the Association’s Member Countries compete over 72 holes on The Dunes Course, designed by Bernhard Langer. The best two individual scores each day from the team of three will count towards the overall team score, and a secondary event sees small and emerging Member PGAs compete for the ITC Shield.

The Westin Resort Costa Navarino will act as the base for both events, concluding with the Gala Awards Dinner supported by Rolex, bringing Congress delegates and ITC competitors together in celebration of the annual award winners and the ITC Champions.

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The Annual Congress & ITC are partnered by Costa Navarino, the Ryder Cup European Development Trust, BMW and Aegean Airlines, and are supported by The Botanist, The Blue Beetle, Bulldog, G’Vine gins, Marendry apperitivo, and Fever-Tree Premium Natural Mixers.

For updates, information and news visit the Annual Congress Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017AnnualCongress), follow @PGAsofEurope on Twitter and search the hashtag ‘#AnnualCongress’ or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

For more information on the 2017 International Team Championship, visit the ITC Tournament Hub Page (http://eur.pe/2017ITC).

Cort held the lead in all three rounds of the event and closed with another two-under par 70 on the South Course at Quinta do Lago finishing two shots ahead of second place at -10 (206).

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“I am thrilled to win…we’ve played three great courses this week and we’ve been so well looked after,” said the member of the victorious PGA of GB&I PGA Cup team. “I’ve been busy playing throughout the summer and the PGA Cup was unbelievable…I was settling down for a bit of a winter break, but coming out here and keeping the game together was good, so I’m really pleased to win this week.”

Rising seven places up the leaderboard into second position was the PGA of France’s Julien Gressier after a four-under 68 consisting of seven birdies and three bogeys for his eight-under total (208).

Just one shot back was PGA EuroPro Tour Professional, John Henry, who closed his consistent week with a level par 72 and a total of seven-under (209) for sole third place.

The Team Pro-Am was won by the PGA of Italy’s Emanuele Canonica and his partner, Allegra Mangifesta. A closing 59 (-13), the low round of the day, gave Canonica and Mangifesta a significant boost to -35 (181), five shots ahead of second place.

Robbie Busher (PGA EuroPro Tour) and Dale Brennan had led overnight and were able to make a final 66 (-6). Whilst it wasn’t enough to catch the ultimate winners, they were able to finish on a hugely respectable -30 (186).

Third position went to the pairs of PGA of Spain Professional, Peter Gustafsson, and Gordana Solak, and former Walker Cup player, Owen Edwards, and Paul Faithfull both with 193 points (-23).

For Full Final Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017Invitational

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For more information about The Invitational Pro-Am 2017, visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope and search ‘#TheInvitationalProAm‘ on Twitter, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

More information on The Invitational Pro-Am 2017 is available at www.TheInvitational.eu.

Whilst De Filippi’s second round might not have had the fireworks of his first 18 holes, it was another show of great play as the Italian picked up five birdies in his opening 12 holes. Two bogeys coming back home meant the round was not enough to claim the sole lead, but a three-under par 69 for a n eight under (136) total gives him every chance at victory in the final round.

Overnight leader, Cort, also carded two bogeys, however his fast start of three birdies in the first four holes, followed by another at the par-5 15^th allowed him to return a two-under 70 and keep his share of the lead.

PGA of GB&I Professional, Garry Gilligan, 2014 Ryder Cup Team Europe Captain, Paul McGinley, and PGA EuroPro Tour Professional, John Henry, have a share of third place after their respective rounds of 67, 68 and 70 see them just one shot off the lead at seven-under par (137).

Round 01 Team leaders, Robbie Busher (PGA EuroPro Tour) and Dale Brennan, continued their top form with a betterball 59 (-13) for a total of -24 (120) and a two shot lead over the chasing field.

However the low Team Pro-Am round of the day came from the PGA of Italy’s Emanuele Canonica and his partner, Allegra Mangifesta, with a -15 57 that saw them climb six places to -22 (122).

Colm Moriarty (PGA of GB&I) and Daphne Fagan were also able to break the 60-barrier with a combined 59 for outright third place at -20 (124).

For Full Round 02 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017Invitational

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For more information about The Invitational Pro-Am 2017, visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope and search ‘#TheInvitationalProAm‘ on Twitter, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

More information on The Invitational Pro-Am 2017 is available at www.TheInvitational.eu.

Starting out on the North Course at the renowned Quinta do Lago resort in the Algarve, Cort made steady headway with three birdies out and three birdies in for the low round of the day.

PGA EuroPro Tour Professional, John Henry, and PGA of Italy Professional, Giorgio de Filippi, both sit just one shot back after both using eagles to their advantage for their five-under par 67s. Henry eagled the par 5 11^th hole, whilst de Filippi also eagled the 11^th along with the seventh as well.

Mark Mouland (European Seniors Tour) and Stephen McAllister (PGA of GB&I) sit in tie-fourth on four-under, whilst 2014 Ryder Cup Team Europe Captain, Paul McGinley, and England’s Sam Little share sixth place on three-under.

Robbie Busher (PGA EuroPro Tour) and amateur partner, Dale Brennan, have the team lead after an excellent 11-under par 61

John Henry’s solid play, combined with his partner, Robert Christie, earned a share of second in the team event with Challenge Tour Professional Ben Stow and his partner Michael Johnson, each on nine-under par (63).

For Full Round 01 Scores Visit http://eur.pe/2017Invitational

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For more information about The Invitational Pro-Am 2017, visit the Tournament Hub Page, follow @PGAsofEurope and search ‘#TheInvitationalProAm‘ on Twitter, or like the Confederation of Professional Golf Facebook Page.

More information on The Invitational Pro-Am 2017 is available at www.TheInvitational.eu.

The new facility will create a unique space to accelerate new product development and manage the global fulfilment of product around the world. In addition to its global management and professional teams, the site will include an R&D lab with rapid prototyping capabilities, as well as a new consumer grip fitting studio. Golf Pride plans to move to this new facility in early 2019.

As a proud business partner of North Carolina since 1969, Golf Pride’s new home will be located within the Pinehurst Resort, next to the Tom Fazio-designed, and highly-acclaimed, Pinehurst No. 8 course. Golf Pride looked at several sites, but chose Pinehurst Resort because it was a great location and a great brand partnership as well. The new facility, which will be located within the gates of No. 8, will give Golf Pride a great platform to test new product ideas with a steady stream of golfers visiting Pinehurst Resort from around the world.

Golf Pride has a rich 70-year history and has been the grip choice for generations of golfers. With this new facility, the brand believes it will enable it to be the grip of choice for decades of golfers to come.  The new facility will put the grip fitting experience front and centre to reinforce Golf Pride’s connection with golfers in product development. This exclusive grip fitting studio will replicate the services available to professional golfers on Tour. It will be an appointment-only experience that offers an “inside the ropes” personalised concierge-quality service that all avid golfers will want to enjoy. Golf Pride also plans to use the fitting studio to test new product concepts and expedite the process of translating consumer insight into new products that provide golfers the confidence to play their best golf.

In designing the new building, Golf Pride felt strongly that it needed to respect the heritage and tradition of the Pinehurst area, while also creating a space that features Golf Pride’s innovation efforts that have been instrumental in it becoming one of the top brands in golf.

The exterior of the building features more traditional design elements and materials specifically inspired by the local Pinehurst area, while the interior of the facility will open up to a modern work environment that fits a global brand and the needs of its talented employees. This new facility will leverage the latest in work space design to help Golf Pride employees do their best work and to encourage even better cross-functional collaboration. The site will feature a plethora of different work and meeting spaces to fit a variety of different activities.

“Golf Pride is committed to delivering a steady stream of exciting new grip technologies to the market,” said James Ledford, President of Golf Pride. “Externally, the market reaction to our new products has been great. Internally, our employees are incredibly excited about the new products as well. That said, we have also seen the need for a new purpose-built facility that helps us streamline and accelerate our innovation efforts even more. We want to make innovation easier and faster. We are thrilled about this opportunity to create an ideal site right next to Pinehurst No. 8. As golfers, we genuinely appreciate the Pinehurst Resort experience and we respect the work they have done recently to innovate their own world-class facilities. We have big expectations for our new home and we see it as a once in a generation move to set us up for future success.”

“Golf Pride is a brand with a rich place in the history of golf, one that has continuously demonstrated an appreciation for the game, so we are excited to align ourselves with them as they continue to grow,” said Tom Pashley, President of Pinehurst Resort. “We are confident that Golf Pride will bring new and exciting experiences to our members and resort guests as well, while helping us preserve the tradition and heritage for which Pinehurst Resort and the Village are known.”

The development process will start with Pinehurst Resort making a proposal to the Village of Pinehurst to rezone the land. If that proposal is approved, The Kuester Companies, who is signing a build-to-suit lease with Golf Pride, will submit a permit application with the goal of breaking ground as early as December 2017. Golf Pride plans to move into the new facility in early 2019.

For more information on Golf Pride visit www.golfpride.com.