................................................................. PICTURES ARE BELOW!!! ...........................................................

GT Players Unite to Raise Over $40,000 for Make-A-Wish Foundation ............................................................

What began as a simple concept within the player community for a tournament with a new dimension has resulted into one of the greatest Golden Tee Golf experiences in history. The inaugural Golden Tee Players Charity Championship took place June 7th and 8th, 2004, at the hallowed GT grounds of Splinter’s Sports Club in Palatine, Illinois. Initiated by competition, planned with care and fueled by compassion, the PCC touched the spirit of its competitors as well as the community.

With nearly $20,000 in prize money at stake, 123 of the best players in the world competed in the tournament to raise money for charity. Players gathered pledges prior to the event from friends and family who agreed to donate a specified amount to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Official Charity of Video Golfers for Underdogs, for each stroke they shot under par during the 3-round qualifier. In conjunction with the charity pledges, a silent auction took place with unique items like autographed memorabilia, paintings and sports tickets. The stakes were as high as the stress levels when the players began qualifying on Saturday.

After a grueling 54 holes, the Splinter’s crowd eagerly awaited the final charity totals. It was a poignant presentation, featuring Pam Devereux, Executive Director of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northern Illinois, as well as event organizers Lance Bertram and Steve Churak as they presented an astonishing $40,892 check on behalf of the Video Golfers for Underdogs. Incredible Technologies’ executives, Elaine and Larry Hodgson, were also in attendance and commended the players for their dedication and generosity throughout the planning and execution of the event. The presentation was the perfect prelude for the rest of the tournament, while it put in perspective the impact the PCC generated among the community.

The Golden Tee Players Charity Championship was a player-run tournament and Incredible Technologies was the event’s major sponsor. IT’s Product and Services Representative and three-time Golden Tee National Champion, Steven Sobe, was one of four employees to participate in the event. Through the efforts of his co-workers, Steven’s –68 qualifying performance single handedly raised well over $8,000 for charity. His high-pressure qualifying performance was not only a success for children with life threatening medical conditions, but was also good enough to advance him to Sunday’s Championship Bracket.

Obviously with so much riding on the PCC 3-round qualifier, it was heartening that the resulting scores were substantially greater than similar events of the past. Derek Gibb of Ontario, Canada, qualified first with an impressive –78 and 69,158 Great Shot Points. Along with his first place seed, Derek stunned the PCC crowd with a historic –30 qualifying performance on Oak Hollow – the first –30 ever shot in a live tournament. There were 123 players vying for only 32 Championship, and 32 Happ Bracket positions. Making the cut required nerves of steel and an exceptionally high score.

The Golden Tee Players Charity Championship .............................................................................................

Competitors that missed the cut in the Happ Bracket were offered a buy-in opportunity to compete for the remaining 8 spots on Saturday night. 48 non-qualifiers battled in a single elimination, head-to-head tournament to determine who would move on to Sunday’s competition.

Happ Bracket Buy-In Tournament Winners ....................................................................................................

With both fields set and the charity pledges completed, Sunday was all about Golden Tee Golf. In the morning, players were greeted again by the all-to-familiar stale barroom air, 16 trackballs, and for some, a headache. The double elimination tournament was underway by 10:00 a.m., and from then on there wasn’t an empty machine in the house. Though nearly all of the game’s elite had qualified to compete in the Championship Bracket of the PCC, drama was quickly surrounding select competitors like a script from a movie.

The day was packed with remarkable matches, stunning wins and heart breaking upsets. Steven Sobe was one of the competitors to feel the wrath of Round 1, losing his first match to Steven Tirey, who shot a –29 at Oak Hollow. Other pre-eminent competitors with upset losses in the first round included, Steve Dakin and Daniel Gralapp. Ryan Bourgeois, Chris Eversole, Brian Bernhardt, Dean Liakakos and number one seed, Derek Gibb, were just some of the notable players that indeed found victory in Round 1.

Round 2 provided an abundance of entertainment on the big screens for the excited Splinter’s crowd. Ryan Bourgeois, Dean Liakakos and Derek Gibb were again winners, as well as advancement performances by Brian Bernhardt, Tony Johnson and Chris “Doc” Pierce. Among all these winners, the story of the day was clearly surrounding the current World Champion, and undeniably the hottest player in the game, Chris Eversole, who defeated Steven Tirey in Round 2 to advance and face Brian Bernhardt in Round 3. Little did they know the significance this match would have by the end of the event. After a long, hard fought match, Bernhardt knocked the current World Champion out of the Winners Bracket.

Four competitors were surviving in the Winners Bracket after Round 3, where Ryan Bourgeois defeated Dean Liakakos and Brian Bernhardt edged Tony Johnson to advance to the Semi-Final Round. All the while in the Elimination Bracket, Chris Eversole still had his sights on the Finals. Bernhardt and Bourgeois faced-off to see who would advance with a perfect record to the finals. With his quick-draw style of play, Bernhardt knocked another one of the game’s greatest players into the Elimination Bracket. Ultimately, Bourgeois and Eversole faced off for another crack at their defeater. With a one-stroke victory over the Texan, Eversole earned the right to advance to the Final Round.

All eyes were on the big screen to see who would be dubbed the PCC Champion as Chris Eversole and Brian Bernhardt stepped up to the trackball. Because of his prior defeat, the current World Champion needed to win two matches if he was to acquire the crown. After Bernhardt scored a clumsy 8 on the fourth hole of their first match, Eversole evened the series at 1-1, meaning a second match was needed to determine a champion. The next 18 holes of grueling video golf – each player matched the other stroke-for-stroke - resulted in nothing but an overworked crowd and a tied match – it was now time for sudden death!

One hole, two swings – Brian Bernhardt defeats the odds-on–favorite, Chris Eversole, to become the winner of the inaugural Golden Tee Players Charity Championship.

Lee Cowan, of CBS News Sunday Morning, interviews Brian Bernhardt after his emotional PCC Championship win Brian Bernhardt on his route to PCC glory Third Place finisher, Ryan Bourgeois, observes his shot as Chris Eversole looks on The crowd cheers on! "Piano" Steve Dakin tests out IT's new Video Pinball System, while earning highest score honors on Orange County Chopper Pinball Chris Eversole in form as Brian Bernhardt and an excited crowd look on IT's guru of video golf, Jim Zielinski, gets in on the action Event organizers get together for the cameras after the opening presentation on Saturday morning. Golden Tee golfers embrace IT's newest product release, Silver Strike Bowling, with open arms

Class-act Champions, Brian Bernhardt and Chris Eversole, take a minute for the cameras after their exhausting matches Bernhardt tees-off in front of an excited Splinter's crowd CBS News Sunday Morning was in house, capturing the essence of a Golden Tee live event The Event organizers present a check to Make-A-Wish Foundation on behalf of Video Golfers for Underdogs (left to right) Steve Churak, Sue Connor, Casey Brock, Pam Devereux and Lance Bertram Elaine and Larry Hodgson of Incredible Technologies express their gratitude to all of the PCC participants Thinking hard, Chris Eversole weighs his shot options as Ryan Bourgeois awaits his turn IT Marketing Director, Gary Colabouno, sits down with Lee Cowan of CBS News Sunday Morning to provide his expertise on the game Pam Devereux, Executive Director of Make-A-Wish Foundation, puts the impact of the PCC in perspective   Sports Illustrated writer, Andrew Lawrence, interviews PCC Champion, Brian Bernhardt, as his parents bask in their son's victory

Congratulations to Brian Bernhardt and all of the PCC competitors! From IT! :o)