Palmer and Petty on the way to the Wyndham Championship

ARNOLD PALMER AND RICHARD PETTY WILL ATTEND WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP OPENING CEREMONY

Defending champ Brandt Snedeker hits Ceremonial First Tee Shot at Sedgefield

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Two of the greatest icons in sports will attend the Wyndham Championship opening ceremony at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13 on the first tee at Sedgefield Country Club, it was announced today. The event is open to the public. The first round of the 69th annual Wyndham Championship begins Thursday morning, Aug. 14.

Both Arnold Palmer and Richard Petty are celebrating 50th anniversaries in 2008. Palmer won his first green jacket at The Masters in 1958, the same year Petty began racing in NASCAR. Palmer and Petty will join defending Wyndham champion Brandt Snedeker at the opening ceremony. Snedeker will hit the ceremonial first tee shot officially bringing the Wyndham Championship home to Sedgefield Country Club.

“Any tournament director is always looking for the ‘wow’ factor sometime during the event,” tournament director Mark Brazil said. “We definitely have it with two sports icons that are both known as ‘The King in their respective sports.’ With Arnold’s history at our tournament and Wake Forest and Richard’s record in NASCAR with a team that was based just down the road in Level Cross, we have two Piedmont Triad legends that are among the greatest ever to compete in their sports. It will be a thrill and an honor to host them at the Wyndham Championship.”

The event will also include a special presentation to the Victory Junction Gang Camp that will be accepted by Pattie and Kyle Petty. The Victory Junction Gang Camp is the official charity of the Wyndham Championship. Anyone attending the Lincoln Financial Pro-Am at Sedgefield on Wednesday is invited to attend the opening ceremony; pro-am tickets are just $15 and can be purchased at the gate or by visiting www.wyndhamchampionship.com.

Palmer is fourth on the all-time PGA TOUR wins list with 62 victories. He has seven professional major titles. He won The Masters four times, the British Open twice and the U.S. Open once. He also won the U.S. Amateur in 1954.

Petty is one of only two drivers to win seven NASCAR Cup Series championships; the late Dale Earnhardt also won seven titles. Petty won 200 NASCAR races in his career, 95 more than the second-place driver, David Pearson.
*****from Jim Modlin GREENSBOROSports.com and Rob Goodman at 3G Sports*****