Raleigh, N.C. —North Carolina’s Touchstone Energy cooperatives are the title sponsors of the National Golf Association (NGA) Hooters Tournament at Brook Valley Country Club in Greenville. NGA officials will announce the debut of the Touchstone Energy Open during a 2 p.m. news conference, Tuesday, March 15, 2005 at the country club.
The 72-hole, Touchstone Energy Open will be June 23-26, 2005 at Brook Valley. The first-place purse will be at least $25,000.
At the news conference, Michael Davis, General Manager of Tri-County Electric Membership Corporation in Dudley will announce that The Ronald McDonald House of Eastern North Carolina will be the benefiting charity of the Touchstone Energy Open. “North Carolina’s Touchstone Energy cooperatives are proud to assist the Ronald McDonald House, an organization that serves eastern North Carolina families during their times of need,” Davis said.
The Ronald McDonald House of eastern North Carolina provides a “home-away-from-home” for families of seriously ill children treated at Eastern Carolina’s Children’s Hospital. The Ronald McDonald House is a temporary residence near the hospital where family members can eat, sleep, relax, and support and comfort loved ones undergoing extensive medical treatment.
“Raising money for the Ronald McDonald House through the Touchstone Energy Open is a great partnership for the 850,000 members of the state’s electric cooperatives and is consistent with keeping the core Touchstone Energy value of commitment to community,” Davis said.
The NGA Hooters Golf Tour is a developmental tour for rising stars. David Toms, Jim Furyk, Tom Leyman, Chad Campbell and Ben Curtis are among today’s PGA players who got their start on the NGA Hooters Tour. Alumni of the Hooters Tour have won eight majors.
“It is very exciting for North Carolina’s Touchstone Energy cooperatives to bring professional golf and tourism to the eastern part of the state,” Davis added.
North Carolina’s electric cooperatives serve more than 2.5 million people in 93 of the state’s 100 counties.