2006 Inn of the Mountain Gods
Hosts First Stop in 'New Mexico Challenge'

Golf, Golf Tourism Approach $1 Billion Impact Annually on State's Economy

May 17, 2006. The New Mexico Tourism Department (NMTD) and Tight Lies Tour kick off the New Mexico Challenge - a series of three professional golf tournaments featuring some of the game's best young players on some of the state's most beautiful courses - this week at the Inn of the Mountain Gods in Ruidoso in support of what is quickly becoming a billion-dollar industry in New Mexico: Golf and golf tourism.

"The state's golf industry funded a New Mexico State University economic study, just released, which shows that golf and golf tourism was worth nearly $1 billion a year to the state's economy in the fiscal year that ended June 30 2005," said Dan Vukelich of Sun Country Golf. "This only goes to prove what we have known in the tourism industry for a long time, and it is why our sponsorship of the Tight Lies Tour is a natural fit," said Michael Cerletti, secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department (NMTD). "Golfers will travel hundreds of miles to play their favorite courses, and playing golf in New Mexico is quickly becoming a favorite pastime of golfers everywhere."

The three-stop 2006 New Mexico Challenge includes the Inn of the Mountain Gods Classic in Ruidoso Thursday-Sunday (May 18-21, 2006); the Currey-Adkins El Paso Open at the Santa Teresa Country Club, Aug. 31-Sept. 3; and the second annual Cities of Gold Casino Golf Classic at Towa Resort Course, in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Santa Fe, Sept. 14-17. A fourth stop in Farmington will be added to the 2007 New Mexico Challenge.

The New Mexico Challenge offers up a special prize and incentive to the pros, $10,000. In addition Nambe has designed a one of a kind trophy for this very special event, the New Mexico Challenge Cup. The total purses for all three events will be in excess of $350,000. It is expected that 150 professionals will compete at each event.

The Tight Lies Tour, one of the leading developmental tours, has been instrumental in helping young professionals with their golfing careers. Successful competitors move on to the nationwide tour, and ultimately the PGA Qualifying School. While a number of Tight Lies pros have enjoyed success on the road to the PGA, several like Tim Herron and Mark Hensby have made an impact on the PGA Tour; and no one made a bigger splash on the PGA Tour than former Tight Lies Tour pro, Ryan Palmer, who has won $2.7 million over the past two years.

"We are very excited about our tournaments in New Mexico and our new partnership with the New Mexico Tourism Department," said Tour president Gary DeSerrano. "New Mexico has some of the most beautiful golf courses in the country. The introduction of the New Mexico Challenge will help spread the word about New Mexico as a golf destination and definitely draw more professionals to these events."

The Tight Lies Tour currently conducts professional golf tournaments in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Louisiana and Georgia. Lead Tour sponsors include Adams Golf, Choice Hotels International, SkyGolfGPS, Nike Golf, La Jolla Golf, Evolve Golf, GolfWorld, NYX Golf and BlueGolf.

For more information on the Tight Lies Tour, contact Sharon Largent, Media Director, 972-492-4777 or sharon@texassportsgroup.com; or visit http://www.tightliestour.com; or in New Mexico David Hayduk, 505-988-9299, david@hkadv.com

Mike Stauffer, Communications Director, New Mexico Tourism Department 505-827-7379, mike.stauffer@state.nm.us

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