Brian Davidson Wins $10,000 And Opportunity To Face John Daly At Pinnacle Distance Challenge Finals

Contact Joe Gomes
Director of Communications
508-979-3211

SUWANEE, Ga. (April 6, 2002) -- At the Pinnacle(R) Distance Challenge event conducted in Suwanee, Georgia on Saturday, April 6th, in excess of 1,250 spectators were on hand to watch ten recreational golfers take a swing at a $10,000 cash prize and the opportunity to advance to a year-end Challenge versus 10-time PGA Tour Distance title holder and Pinnacle brand ambassador John Daly. The Suwanee venue served as the third in a series of ten events conducted across the country offering golfers of all levels an opportunity to compete against some of the world's longest drivers, the Pinnacle Distance Team.

Held at the Laurel Springs Golf Club, qualifying rounds were conducted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., along with free long drive clinics and a distance competition for juniors, women and seniors. The day's top 10 long drive contestants advanced out of the 221 golfers who attempted to qualify, with each of the top ten finishers earning a spot to compete head-to-head against Georgia native, Pinnacle Distance Team member and 2001 Re/Max World Long Drive finalist Brian Nash.

The top 10 qualifiers included: Kevin Bullard, 24, of Cedartown, GA; Brian Davidson, 32, of Baldwin, GA; Michael Hoffman, 32, of Suwanee, GA; Chuck Miller, 30, of Woodstock, GA; Dallas Neil, 25, of Gainesville, GA; Joel Poe, Jr., 25, of Hazlehurst, GA; Dwight Pope, Jr., 24, of Augusta, GA; William Smith Jr., 33, of San Antonio, TX; Scott Sutton, 25, of Birmingham, AL; and Jayson Walker, 21, of Chamblee, GA.

Brian Davidson was awarded a $10,000 check after launching a 319-yard drive on his fourth and final ball after hitting his first three out of bounds to surpass Nash's longest drive of 304 yards. Nash's longest drive of the evening against a subsequent contestant was 336 yards. In addition to receiving $10,000, Davidson advances to the Pinnacle Distance Challenge finals in Mesquite, Nevada on October 17, 2002, where he will have the opportunity to compete against 10-time PGA Tour driving distance champion and Pinnacle Distance Team member John Daly.

"The Pinnacle Distance Challenge was fun because it is an open event with no entry fee where people of all ages and sizes can measure their game and length against other competitors," said Davidson. "I'm looking forward to the finals and am very excited to meet John Daly. In preparation for the Pinnacle Distance Challenge finals, I'm going to start working out and adjusting my equipment. It's all about hitting it long and straight," Davidson added.

At the mercy of a landing zone similar to the traditional long drive grid, ranging from 50 to 70 yards wide and 360 to 400 yards deep, contestants, using their own golf club, hit four Pinnacle Power Core Straight Distance golf balls, posting yardage to compare against Pinnacle Distance Team member Brian Nash's best drive of four Straight Distance golf balls.

"Tonight's challenge was a prime time experience for recreational golfers to earn fifteen minutes of fame, not only in their overcoming the impressive competition in qualifying, but in taking their best shots at the most renown long-drivers in the world in front of the golfers' hometown crowd," said George Sine, Vice President Golf Ball Marketing and Strategic Planning, Acushnet Company. "Davidson pushed Pinnacle Distance Team member Brian Nash to the limit and we're looking forward to watching him continue his journey as he challenges John Daly at the finals in Mesquite this October."

In addition to Nash, other Pinnacle Distance Team members participating in the event included Art Sellinger, a two-time National Long Drive champion and Long Drivers of America Hall of Famer; Brian Pavlet, the 1993 National Long Drive Champion and 2001 World Long Drive runner-up; Mike Moulton, the 2001 World Long Drive fourth-place finisher; Dan Boever, a six-time World Long Drive finalist; and Eric Lastowka, 2001 World Long Drive finalist.

Awards were also given to the top junior, women, and senior long drive contestants, while the top three finishers of the Distance Challenge on Saturday evening were awarded new King Cobra SS(tm) drivers. Drew Archer, 17, of Alpharetta, GA was the top junior with a 302-yard drive. Kelly Morris, 38, of Suwanee, GA led the women's division with a 233-yard drive, and Brad Siegfried, 46, of Duluth, GA won the senior's division with a 314-yard drive. Dallas Neil, a halfback for the Atlanta Falcons, and Scott Sutton had the second and third longest drives of the evening behind Davidson in the Open division, each posting drives of 316 yards.

The seven remaining Pinnacle Distance Challenge events will be held on the same weekend as PGA Tour events in the following cities: Greensboro, NC (April 27); Washington, DC (June 1); Long Island, NY (June 15); Chicago, IL (July 6); Detroit, MI (August 10); Seattle, WA (August 24); Tampa, FL (September 21); and the PDC finals in Mesquite, NV (October 17).

Regional event contestants who beat one of the Pinnacle Distance Team members earn $10,000 and an invitation to compete in a season ending championship in Mesquite, Nevada, for a chance to earn a piece of the total potential $1 million finals purse. In any regional Pinnacle Distance Challenge event where no contestant beats the Pinnacle Distance Team member, the contestant with the longest drive of the night receives an invitation to compete in the October 17 finals, to be held in conjunction with the Re/Max World Long Drive Championship.

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY to enter the Pinnacle Distance Challenge. For more information, including schedule of events, official rules, event information and team bios, visit www.pinnaclegolf.com or contact Joe Gomes, Director of Communications (508.979.3211). Photography of the Atlanta region champion or Pinnacle Distance Team members can be obtained electronically at www.titleist.com/ftp.

Titleist(R), FootJoy(R), Cobra(R) and Pinnacle comprise the golf brands of Acushnet Company, an operating company of Fortune Brands, Inc.