Stacy Lewis sees the light

LPGA’S Newest Star, Stacy Lewis,

Sees the Light & Partner’s with VedaloHDTM Sunglasses



Columbus , Ohio – Sterling Sports Management (“Sterling”) announced that their newest LPGA Tour client, Stacy Lewis, has signed an endorsement agreement with VedaloHDTM Sunglasses.



Described as “the next Annika Sorenstam” by former PGA Champion and current golf analyst Johnny Miller, Lewis will play on the LPGA Tour as the leading Rookie-of-the-Year candidate after handily winning medalist honors by 3 strokes at LPGA Q-school in December. Last summer, in her first tournament as a professional, Lewis showed that her college success would continue at the pro level when she found herself leading the US Women’s Open after the 3rd round where she went on to finish 3rd.



Lewis enters the LPGA with a record of accomplishment that is unrivalled. In college, at the University of Arkansas, Lewis won 12 collegiate tournaments as well as the NCAA individual championship in 2007 and was the #1 ranked amateur in the world. A four time All-American, Lewis remained an amateur after graduation to play for the 2008 United States Curtis Cup team at St. Andrews, where she became the first player in Cup history to finish 5-0. However, what makes Stacy Lewis’ story more compelling is that she has accomplished all of this with a metal rod and 5 screws implanted in her back. At the age of 11, she was diagnosed with scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine. Lewis wore a back brace for 18 hours a day for more than 7 years, removing it solely to play golf, only to find out that the treatment had not corrected her condition. At age 18, Lewis chose to put golf on hold and have the surgery to implant the metal rod and 5 screws in her back. She continues to play today with these implants.



By teaming up with VedaloHDTM, the rising star will have two signature sunglass models, the Prato and the Bari. Lewis stated, “I am really excited about working with VedaloHDTM. Their sun filtering technology provides me with the ability to see a greater contrast in color and get a more accurate layout of all the hazards on the course. I look forward to them helping my game”.



Jeff Chilcoat , the President of Sterling Sports Management, stated, “It has been a real pleasure to work with all of the wonderful people at VedaloHDTM. Stacy is dedicated to continually improving her game and VedaloHDTM has shown that they have the very same mindset. We are looking forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship.”



About Sterling Sports Management



Sterling Sports Management is a leading full-service sports management company based in Columbus, Ohio that represents professional golfers on the PGA, Nationwide and LPGA Tour’s including many of the world’s biggest stars. Sterling’s golf clients come from 87 countries and 4 continents and have won more than 50 professional golf tournaments. Sterling Sports represents its athlete clients in contract negotiations, endorsement agreements, media arrangements, marketing, celebrity appearances, public relations, and tax planning. Sterling also represents corporations through its Sports Marketing Consultancy practice which assists corporations get the most out of their investment in sports marketing, and facilitates the opening of overseas markets for both its athlete and corporate clients.

Chris Ward flies the VedaloHD wings higher than ever in Sbach 342 with Kevin Eldredge

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Chris Ward flies the VedaloHD wings higher than ever in Sbach 342 with Kevin Eldredge

Revolutionary Sight

VedaloHD sunglasses, known worldwide for having the best lenses on the planet, needed to test out their latest creation, "the WardoHD", a signature series shade by Chris Ward. Chris Ward aka, "Wardo", is an insanely talented pro surfer known for launching huge airs in the water and shredding competition on the ASP World Tour.

On Sunday, January 25, Chris Ward slid on a pair of his signature shades and strapped into the Sbach 342, the ultra modern aerobatic plane, flown by Kevin Eldredge, the highly skilled pilot and aviation sport class pioneer. The Sbach 342, a 1,400 lb. freak of a plane can roll at an incredible 380 degrees per second, climb at 2,500 ft. per minute and will savvy up anyone who flies in it to the true power of a Gforce, shedding a fresh dose of respect for the sport of aviation aerobatics and the pilots that fly these gnarly birds. http://www.sloair.com/.

Other flyers included North Shore charger, Gavin Sutherland, the king of the backside aerial reverse 360, Mike Jones, co-collaborator of the event, with AzhiaziaM, Tom Morin with http://www.grindtv.com/ and Scott Pritchett with http://www.motorblowermedia.com/.

But the Sbach wasn't the only bird in the sky that day! Ben Freelove, a top flight instructor from Sean D. Tucker's Tutima Academy of Aviation Safety, was also on hand giving rides in the Pitts S2B for those lucky enough to have reserved a spot for the day. The Pitts S2B is one of several training planes at Tutima Academy, located in King City, CA and arguably the best aerobatic's school in the world, founded by aerobatic legend, Sean D. Tucker. www.TutimaAcademy.com

After a day of flying, photo ops and surf, Pizza Port in Morro Bay hosted a party, where The Chris Ward Project Movie had it's first preview screening. Produced by Motor Blower Media, this project is nearly complete and ready for release. Wardo was on hand signing VedaloHD posters for groms and describing his flight in the Sbach 342 to an excited audience. Check out http://www.azhiaziam.com/ for Mike Jones' pics of the event.

The entire extreme event can be best summed up by Chris Ward after landing from the Sbach. "It was like dropping into a bomb at Pipe, but it never ended..." A fitting statement after nearly taking out Kelly Slater in the finals at the 2008 Billabong Pipeline Masters. Surely, this day will go down in history as the day that VedaloHD Performance Sunglasses, AzhiaziaM American Aerial Wear and SLOAir brought together the two extremes of extreme sports, surfing and aerobatic flying.

Pat Perez wins Bob Hope Classic for his first PGA Tour title

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Jeff Gross / Getty Images

Pat Perez hits his approach shot on the fifth hole Sunday during the final round of the Bob Hope Classic.

Pat Perez hits his approach shot on the fifth hole Sunday during the final round of the Bob Hope Classic.
Perez wins the Bob Hope Classic by three shots over John Merrick, his first victory in eight seasons as a professional.
By Chuck Culpepper
January 26, 2009
From the desert comes an obituary that requires no condolences:

The reputation of Pat Perez as that hot-headed dude who regurgitated a four-shot lead at Pebble Beach in 2002, made quadruple-bogey on the 72nd hole while leading by one, did really mean things to his three-wood and never has won on the PGA Tour, ended Sunday.



* Bob Hope Classic sponsor employs caution wisely
Bob Hope Classic sponsor employs caution...

It died at age 6 in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, yielding to the fresh image of a rather stoic Perez striking a six-iron in a gusty late-afternoon chill on No. 18 of the Palmer Course at La Quinta, then watching that thing soar and land and nuzzle up three feet from the cup, so picturesque you could almost hear violins.

Farewell, worn-out image of Perez. Hello, closing eagle. Hello, fifth-round 69 in suddenly testy conditions. Hello, 33 under par, 327 total, three shots ahead of Long Beach native and UCLA product John Merrick. Hello, first victory -- in his eighth tour season.

Hello, fresh thoughts.

His San Diegan father Tony thought, "What this tournament has done, it puts Pebble hopefully in the background. Now we're going to look at this shot instead of other shots. Redemption."

And as Perez doffed his black cap and made the happiest golf walk of his 32-year life toward the green after a winter of profound toil in practice, "What I thought really was, it's about time," he said. "I put the work in, it's been just over seven years. It's about time."

Still, he planned to "get smashed tonight and wake up tomorrow and watch the highlights. Then I'll realize."

In the six years he closed Pebble Beach by hitting shots both out of bounds and into the ocean and by saying, "I will always remember that last hole, always," Perez had minored in vague contention. He'd logged 26 top-10 finishes, 12 in the last two years, but never committed any graphic squandering. Even if he did give his golf ball the middle finger -- and, really, who hasn't? -- in Miami in 2005, he had calmed gradually.

By the time he led the birdie bonanza for three days here and turned up Sunday at 30-under, three shots behind Steve Stricker, he could describe himself with an indispensable word, "ready," even if Stricker seemed too scalding to make the fifth round any referendum on Perez's moxie.

But when Perez rapidly birdied Nos. 2, 3 and 4 to catch up, then sent his tee shot on No. 5 caroming off a rock and into a drowning, it wound up revealing his long-improved temperament. "Before, if I made double on five, the tournament was over," he said. "I look at that as just a speed bump now."

Soon, his approach on No. 6 bent left and smacked a middle-aged lady on the thigh, and he approached her and bent over and noticed her fresh ice pack and said, "Still cheering for me? . . . Got everything you need? . . . I'm sorry about that."

Then as the wind butted in after spending the whole week somewhere else, he settled in for some pars and for the shocking sight of Stricker, unglued. Stricker's tee shot on No. 7 sailed right and dunked itself and his first two tee shots on No. 10 went out of bounds right and right into water.

"Once it got out into the middle there, the wind just ripped it right to the right," Stricker said. "And that one hurt the most."

Somehow, an elite player with one bogey in the first 78 holes made a triple-bogey seven and a quadruple-bogey eight within the next four. Those haunting ingredients of a startling 77 left Perez leading with Merrick suddenly nibbling.

The Long Beach Wilson graduate Merrick, a heady sixth in the 2008 U.S. Open, began eight shots behind Stricker and zoomed from 25 under to 31 under until his seven-foot par putt on No. 17 slipped just by. He wouldn't yield decisively to the Torrey Pines High graduate, Perez, until No. 18, when Merrick's second shot from a flawless fairway hooked into the water.

Exhilarating? Frustrating? "It's both," Merrick said, but seemed more focused upon the former as he cheerfully complied when some new fans chased him down to pose for photos.

His highest finish in three years on tour became second place rather than first when, moments later, Perez stood in the fairway, water howling on the left all the way up to the green. "I don't lay up," Perez said. "I don't lay up. I hit a six-iron. I mean, How hard is it? It's downwind."

So he hit it up there to three feet, and he started walking, and his father thought about "the first time he took an eight-iron from me at Candlewood Golf Club in Phoenix" at age 5, and the son walked right into the next phase of his life, the one with the phrase "yet to win on tour" newly dead.

chuck.culpepper@yahoo.com

Schoolboy golf star gets $2 million driver

Wednesday, 21 January 2009


HITTING OUT: Japanese schoolboy sensation Ryo Ishikawa will be aided in his bid to break through on the world stage by a new million-dollar driver.

Japanese schoolboy golfing sensation Ryo Ishikawa will be aided in his bid to break through on the world stage by a new NZ$2 million driver.

The 17-year-old will test the club, which cost Japanese sports maker Yonex 100 million yen (NZ$2.12m) to develop and could boost his distance off the tee to 350 yards, during the 2009 season.

"The ball feels lighter somehow," Ishikawa told local media on Tuesday. "It's a strange feeling. I've never hit it so far. I can have a real go at driving 350 yards now."

Ishikawa, who helped Asia beat Europe to claim the Royal Trophy earlier this month, became the youngest player to win 100 million yen in a season on the Japanese men's tour in 2008.

Last year he averaged just over 290 yards off the tea – seventh on the Japanese circuit.

Widely regarded as the saviour of the flagging JGTO Tour, Ishikawa shot to fame in May last year as he became the youngest winner on the Japanese tour at just 15 years and eight months.

He won his first tournament as a professional golfer last November at the ABC Championship after turning professional at the start of 2008.

His pearly white grin has already made him one of the most photographed celebrities in Japan and he is projected to earn at least $US10 ($NZ19.05) million in the next few years alone.

That figure is likely to soar after he leaves school and devotes more time to the endorsements which have flooded in since last year.

-Reuters

Stacy Lewis Joins Vedalo

The Incredible Wie Killer has joined VedloHD



In 1st event as a professional, Stacy finished 3rd at the 2008 US Women’s Open
Playing as an amateur in 2007, Stacy finished 5th at the Kraft Nabisco Championship
Blew away the competition, including Michele Wie, at the 2008 LPGA Q-School to earn her 2009 LPGA Tour card by three strokes.

The Golf Planet .com

Coming SOON
I am pleased to announce Thegolfplanet.com A whole world of golf.

Celebration for Chris Ward

VedaloHD and AZHIAZIAM unite the Extremes of Extreme Sports- Surfing and Aerobatic Flying

On January 25, 2009 VedaloHD and AZHIAZIAM will be hosting a celebration party to congratulate Chris Ward on his break out year and commemorate the launch of the WardoHD signature line sunglass. The style is a full wrap designed by Chris and built with VedaloHD’s revolutionary lens technology.

Chris Ward and others will be surfing throughout the day at Morro Bay, California but that isn’t all he will be doing. Chris will also be getting a ride in the rare Sbach 342 aerobatic airplane. This 300 horsepower extreme aerobatic machine was just released from Germany and rolls at a stunning 380 degrees per second. Compliments of Relentless Racer pilot, Kevin Eldredge, this plane is one of the most advanced aerobatic planes ever built and will surely give Chris the ride of his life. Plane info at www.SLOAir.com .

For everyone else, there is still much fun to be had. Chris Ward’s party will kick off at 8am where the first of a select 14 that sign up, will be getting the ride of their life in an aerobatic airplane twisting and looping over Morro Rock in MorroBay. The Pitts S-2B is the bi-plane of choice and is capable of pulling 6 plus Gs and 3 minus. The flight will push riders to their physical limit by doing a variety of high test maneuvers like barrel rolls, loops, and hammerheads. The riders will even get to learn a few maneuvers and handle the stick for a bit if they choose. The plane will be flown by Ben Freelove, a Top Flight Instructor at Sean D. Tucker’s TutimaAcademy, arguably the best aerobatic school in the world.

When the sun sets on the surfing and acro sessions, AZHIAZIAM will be screening “The Chris Project”. Produced by Motor Blower Media and AZHIAZIAM Int., this is the latest Chris Ward film packed with never-before-seen footage of Chris doing what he does best: ripping waves to a killer soundtrack.

So here is the breakdown of the day’s events: Doing loops, barrel rolls and pulling Gs in fully aerobatic airplanes next to a volcanic rock over the Pacific Ocean. Unveiling of the most advanced aerobatic airplane built, the Sbach 342. Ripping waves with pro-surfers, like Chris Ward at Morro Rock. Watching “The Chris Ward Project” film with never-before-seen footage while eating pizza drinking Firestone beer.

All are welcome, but only 14 spots are available for this once-in-a-lifetime experience of acrobatic flying. Professional photographers will be on site.

Email cpederson@VedaloHD.com to reserve your spot between 8am and 4pm, Sunday January, 25, 2009.

The cost is $299 and includes a 25 minute acrobatic ride, in-cockpit DVD footage of your ride, one pair of limited 1^st Edition “WardoHD” shades by VedaloHD sunglasses and a signed Chris Ward poster.
www.vedalohd.com