GREENSBORO, NC (APRIL 2, 2012) – The North Carolina Golf Panel’s 2012 rankings of the best golf courses in what’s arguably the best state for golf are out, and as has been the case since the Panel’s debut in 1995, the revered Pinehurst No. 2 is again No. 1.

Donald Ross’s classic was restored in 2010 by designers Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw; just a few miles west of the legendary resort sits a dazzling Coore-Crenshaw original – Dormie Club – that’s the state’s Best New Course.

The Panel also voted on the top courses in six regions of the state, plus specialty categories such as the Best Collection of Par 5s (by course) and Hidden Gems (courses that are underrated). Taking a different slant, panelists also ranked the Most Influential individuals in golf among the state’s residents. All of these rankings are included in the April issue of Business North Carolina magazine and at www.NCGolfPanel.com/courserankings.cfm

Second to Pinehurst No. 2 in the Top 100 for the third consecutive year is Grandfather Golf & Country Club, the immaculately maintained Ellis Maples gem in Linville. Moving up a spot to third is the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, a George Cobb original fine-tuned by Tom Fazio; fourth is a Fazio original, the Old North State Club in New London. Completing the top five is Pine Needles, a Ross masterpiece in Southern Pines.

There was some shifting elsewhere among the top 10 as the Country Club of North Carolina’s Dogwood course improves from eighth to sixth. The remainder of the top 10, with its previous year’s ranking in parentheses: Charlotte Country Club (sixth); Elk River Club in Banner Elk (seventh); Forest Creek Golf Club (South) in Pinehurst (ninth); and Pinehurst No. 8 (12th).

In addition to Dormie Club, which debuts in the Top 100 at 22nd, the other course making a significant splash is Carmel Country Club (South) at 37th. Previously 83rd, the course underwent a Rees Jones renovation that included the creation of five new holes, making it eligible for Best New Course consideration. Other major moves in the Top 100 were made by the Meadows course at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary (72nd to 48th), Walnut Creek Country Club in Goldsboro (unranked to 80th) and the Country Club of Asheville (unranked to 81st).

The Top 100 courses are determined by a scoring system where panelists are asked to consider among these factors: conditioning, routing, design, strategy, memorability, fairness, variety and aesthetics.

What happens when golf’s greatest get together in The Ultimate Clubhouse? Great stories of friendships created, rivalries had and victorious triumphs! Check out the video below:

The Ultimate Clubhouse also gives fans the opportunity to get involved with the Champions Tour. Fans can compete in the Champions Tour Prop Challenge as well as Champions Tour Trivia. Discuss the action and compete for prizes against friends and fans on the leaderboards!

To find out more information about the Champions Tour’s Ultimate Clubhouse check out http://www.theultimateclubhouse.com/.

Perry stressed how much he enjoyed his time in Naples this week. “I love playing out here. I’ve always said that. I have a great time out here and I had a great week this week,” Perry said. “I’ve had a lot of success here in Naples. I really like Naples. I’ve enjoyed my time here.” Perry had previously won two times in Naples, teaming up with John Huston in 2005 and Scott Hoch in 2008 at the Franklin Templeton Shootout, an unofficial PGA TOUR event. This was the first time Perry competed in The ACE Group Classic, as well as his first time playing the Talon Course at TwinEagles.

Perry, who started the final round with a three shot lead over Larry Mize, had three birdies on the front nine to get him to 21-under par for the tournament. Despite two bogeys on the back nine, no one got within four shots of him. Perry totaled 24 birdies – just two short of the tour record for a 54-hole event — and tied Allen Doyle (1999) for the largest margin of victory in the 25-year history of The ACE Group Classic.

Perry also set the Champions Tour’s 36-hole scoring record in relation to par at 18-under following a 62 in Saturday’s second round. Early in the final round it looked like Perry may put himself in position to break several other tournament records. However, a bogey on the final hole dropped Perry into a tie with Langer for the tournament scoring record Langer set last year.

After two very calm days at TwinEagles, wind gusts topped 30 mph during the final round. Even with the wind, Perry was able to run away from the field. Regarding today’s windy conditions, Perry stated, “Yeah, that was pretty concerning when I got out on the range this morning, it was blowing 25 (mph). I was like oh, brother, this golf course is going to play totally different.” Despite the wind, Perry played solid golf throughout the entire round. There is no doubt that his three shot lead at the beginning of the round allowed him to play a little more conservatively. Before his final round Perry stated, “My goal was just to par every hole. My target score was pars, and if I could sneak a birdie in there every now and then, hopefully they draw interest, kind of hang on to them.”

With the win, Perry earned 240 Charles Schwab Cup points. The player earning the most Schwab Cup points throughout the Champions Tour season will receive a $1 million payout.

Langer (66-65-70=201) eagled No. 17 for the third straight day and finished in second place. Tom Lehman, the 2011 Champions Tour Player of the Year, was in second place for most of the final round, but bogeys on No. 12 and No. 17 relegated him to a tie for third. He finished at even par on the day to tie Bill Glasson (68) and Mike Goodes (69) for third. First-round leader Larry Mize was tied for second going into the last hole, but he then hit two balls into the water and dropped to seventh place with a final round 75.

For complete information on The ACE Group Classic visit www.theacegroupclassic.com.

CARY, N.C. (Oct. 3, 2011) – Kenny Perry (66-69-70=205) made a critical 30-foot eagle on the par-5 17th to propel him to victory at the SAS Championship presented by Bloomberg Businessweek. Perry won by one-stroke over Jeff Sluman and John Huston for his first title on the Champions Tour. Perry’s win came one day after the death of his 59-year-old sister Kay. “I just wanted to make her proud and somehow, you know, the eagle fell in the bottom of the cup on 17 and I felt like I know [my mom and her] were watching,” said Perry. “I felt some help there. I’m excited to win, but I’d rather have my sister back.” Perry started the final round as co-leader with Nick Price and John Huston. While his playing partners struggled in chilly and windy conditions, Perry appeared to take command after birdies on holes 3, 6 and 11. However, he hit his approach shot into the water on the par-5 12th and exited the hole with a double bogey to fall one-shot back of Sluman. Perry finally rebounded with a birdie on 16 to tie Sluman before sinking his eagle putt on 17 to take a two-stroke lead. A bogey on the par-4 18th proved meaningless after Sluman, playing in the group in front of Perry, missed his birdie attempt. “I’m really happy for Kenny to win,” said Sluman. “It’s been a long time coming.” Russ Cochran, the 2010 champion, finished fourth at 8-under. Fred Couples notched a solo fifth-place finish at 7-under. Perry’s winning total of 11-under 205 was the highest winning 54-hole score in tournament history. The overall scoring average of 72.657 was the highest since the 2005 event. The win came in Perry’s 11th career start on the Champions Tour, and it ended a victory drought of two years, three months and three days. He becomes the 18th different winner on the Champions Tour this year. Perry earned a $315,000 paycheck for his effort, bringing his total earnings to $879,651 on the year. He also earned a two-year exemption into the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.