*Official Tournament Press Release
BETHESDA, Md. — The 2009 AT&T National and host Tiger Woods, will honor the Wounded Warriors on the first tee on Wednesday, July 1, to kick off the official start of the tournament with another exciting patriotic opening ceremony.
Continuing in the tradition of paying tribute to the U.S. Military, several Wounded Warriors will join Tiger Woods on the first tee at 11:00 a.m. as the 101st Airborne Division Parachute Demonstration Team prepares to descend upon Congressional Country Club to deliver golf balls for the ceremonial first shot. Spectators in attendance will get to hear an exciting play-by-play of the jump. Tournament host Tiger Woods will then welcome Wounded Warriors, Major Ken Dwyer and Staff Sergeant Ramon Padilla, to the first tee to hit the first shot with him, and officially kick off another AT&T National.
Major Dwyer is in the U.S. Army, and currently assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group in Fort Bragg, N.C. Staff Sergeant Padilla, also in the U.S. Army, is currently assigned to Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
In addition to special performances by the U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard Drill Team, Jessica Simpson will show her continued support to the military and sing the National Anthem. Simpson has traveled all over the world to visit and perform for our troops. Most recently, she traveled to Iraq and had the honor of performing for our U.S. troops in Kuwait. Lockheed Martin is the presenting sponsor of the opening event, with Leon Harris, news anchor at WJLA Channel 7, serving as emcee. This, in conjunction with her love interest Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys Quarterback, who will pair with Tiger in the Pro-Am portion of Wednesday’s events.
In 2007 America’s 41st President, George H.W. Bush hit the ceremonial first shot at the event honoring the U.S. Armed Forces. Last year two children whose parents were actively serving in the military hit the first shot with Fred Couples, which was delivered via special delivery from the 101st Airborne Parachute Demonstration Team.
AT&T* is the title sponsor of the golf tournament and has supported the Tiger Woods Foundation for the last six years.
The AT&T National, held June 30-July 5, will welcome 120 of the PGA TOUR’s finest players at the 7,255-yard Blue Course in Bethesda. Players including Woods, defending champion Anthony Kim, Lucas Glover, Steve Stricker, Sean O’Hair, Fred Couples, Boo Weekley, Mike Weir, Nick Watney and Danny Lee will compete for the $6 million purse.
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