Officials at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial received three awards today from the PGA Tour, all of them designating the Fort Worth tournament as a top performer among 2009 tour events.
Colonial received awards for best marketing/sales plan, most engaged community and best use of players.
Tour officials cited the cooperative efforts between tournament officials and city leaders in selecting Colonial and Fort Worth for the “most engaged community” title.
The “best use of players” award stems from Colonial enlisting tour players based in Dallas-Fort Worth to support the tournament’s marketing efforts. Tour officials cited the fact that several players took part in a recent fall sponsor reception, where touring pros interacted with current and prospective sponsors.
The three-award effort surprised and pleased Peter Ripa, Colonial’s tournament director.
“I would have been tickled to have one. But to have three, I’m blown away,” Ripa said in a phone interview. “This is a very proud moment … and I’m most proud that we were recognized for community involvement. That comes from having so many people engaged in the event, from the mayor to our volunteers and our fans.”
Colonial also received runner-up recognition for the “best in class” award, behind the Quail Hollow Championship. The award encompasses the overall staging and presentation of an event during tournament week.
_ Jimmy Burch
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