May 18 Capitol Hill Event Features Industry Leaders Discussing Game’s Benefits with Legislators
(ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla.) – WE ARE GOLF – a coalition of the game’s leading associations and industry partners – today announces 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III and Vice Captain Steve Stricker will be attending National Golf Day on Wednesday, May 18.
A native of Sea Island, Ga., Love won a total of 21 events on the PGA TOUR, including the PGA Championship (1997) and THE PLAYERS Championship (1992, 2003). He also participated on six Ryder Cup and six Presidents Cup teams.
During his career, Love attained status as No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking and resided in the top-10 for over 450 weeks. Recently, he was selected as the 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup Captain, to be held at Hazeltine National Golf Club (Chaska, Minn.) Sept. 30 – Oct. 2. This marks Love’s second appearance as Ryder Cup Captain, holding the same duties in 2012.
“With one in 75 U.S. jobs impacted by the golf industry, the game contributes to our economy on a local, regional and national scale,” says Love. “National Golf Day offers a unique opportunity to share the game’s many benefits with our Congressional leaders.”
Stricker currently plays on the PGA TOUR with 12 wins in his career, including the John Deere Classic three times. He has also made five appearances in The Presidents Cup and three in the Ryder Cup for Team USA.
Reaching No. 2 in the Official World Golf Ranking, he boasts 253 weeks in the top-10. Stricker’s most successful season occurred in 2009 when he recorded three tournament victories and finished second on the TOUR money list. In late 2015, Stricker was named as a 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup Vice Captain alongside Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk.
“2016 is a historic year for golf as it makes its return to the Olympics, ending a 100-plus-year drought,” says Stricker. “We look forward to meeting with our nation’s lawmakers to share details about golf’s various economic, charitable and environmental benefits.”
For the ninth consecutive year, golf industry leaders will meet with Members of Congress, the Executive Branch and federal agencies to discuss golf’s nearly $70 billion economy, $4 billion annual charitable impact and many environmental and fitness benefits. Throughout the day, participants will share stories about the game’s 15,000-plus diverse businesses, the two million jobs that are impacted by the industry, tax revenue creation, tourism and ecological value.
National Golf Day in April 2015 was the most successful to date with over 120 Congressional meetings in one day. Globally, the #NGD15 Twitter campaign eclipsed 37.6 million impressions and reached 19.8 million accounts, including 3.3 million users in a one-hour span.
To join the conversation, visit the WE ARE GOLF social media hub. Use #NGD16 and @wearegolf on Twitter and Instagram to show your support for the golf industry.
About WE ARE GOLF
WE ARE GOLF, created in 2010, is an industry coalition that communicates the economic, charitable and environmental impact of golf, as well the health and wellness benefits of the game and the affordability and accessibility of golf, to Members of Congress, the Executive Branch and regulatory agencies. The goal of WE ARE GOLF is to ensure that laws and regulations that impact the golf industry are equitable and appropriate to an industry that generates nearly $70 billion in economic impact annually, impacts close to two million jobs and generates nearly $4 billion in charitable giving each year.
For more information, please visit www.wearegolf.org.
