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GATEWAY TOUR PURCHASED BY ARROYO, LLC
July 1, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
The assets of The Gateway Tour, the premier developmental professional golf tour since its inception in 2001 were recently acquired by Arroyo, LLC and will be renamed Gateway Pro Tour, effective July 1, 2010. The Gateway Tour has served over 3,500 aspiring professional golfers, operated 388 tournaments and paid out over $40 Million dollars in purses to its membership. The Tour is pleased to come under the umbrella of Arroyo, LLC, a leader in the golf industry whose principals previously owned and operated Southern California golf facilities, as well as the Golf Academy of America (formerly the San Diego Golf Academy (SDGA)), the oldest and largest golf business college in the world.
“We are very excited to become part of the Arroyo family, because through their leadership, knowledge and resources, the value and effectiveness we can now offer our players is greatly strengthened,” said Ryan Pray, former VP of Operations for The Gateway Tour and Executive Director for Gateway Pro Tour. Also working for the Tour since 2001, Tournament Director, Head Rules Official and former PGA/Nationwide Touring Professional Rick Cramer has stated, “In the ever-changing climate of the economy and developmental golf, we are now able to provide our players with more of a stable, cost-efficient and career-elevating environment than we ever were before.”
The Tour will see many positive changes with the acquisition. Gateway will offer reduced entry fees, guaranteed minimum purses, Q-School benefits, exemptions, sponsorship opportunities for members, a more user-friendly and informational website and numerous additional player incentives.
The Tour will also alter its previously scheduled 2010 Summer Series in an effort to utilize its new resources and best serve its players as they approach 2010 PGA TOUR Qualifying School. The new September/October four-tournament schedule, called The Gateway Q-School Challenge, will feature first place guarantees of $15,000 in each event, as well as an aggregate point race that will award its top three finishers the entry fee cost of 2010 Q-School.
The 2011 schedule for the Gateway Pro Tour will consist of 26 events in Arizona and an initial four events in South Florida. The official 2011 schedule and full details of next year’s format will be released in August.
Signifying a fresh look to the face of the Tour, the positive changes coming to its players and the true gateway to the highest levels of professional golf, Gateway Pro Tour has also unveiled its new logo. “The background and knowledge our new ownership brings to the table is a perfect fit for developmental tour golf and I think our players will be amazed by the positive changes coming to the Tour,” Pray said of Arroyo, LLC.
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