Golf 9/12 Honors Spirit of Freedom & Uniting through Golf


From former Masters, PGA and U.S. Open champions to the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers to numerous military and government officials, many luminaries will be supporting today's inaugural GOLF 9/12 celebration of unity.

At 50 courses around the country, more than golfers will tee off simultaneously at 2 p.m. EST in what can eventually become the largest multi-venue golf event in the world. Embracing the power of technology, players will be connected via live mobile scoring and a real-time leaderboard. Participants will be able to check the mobile leaderboard as they play, heckle and challenge friends wherever they are playing in a matter of seconds, using a custom GOLF 9/12 mobile phone application.

GOLF 9/12 is a grassroots, nonprofit initiative founded by South African immigrants Rich Davies and Johan Immelman along with Col. Ray Horoho (Ret.), who worked in the Pentagon with his wife Maj. General Patty Horoho on the day of the 9/11 attacks. Proceeds from funds raised from optional after-play "unity gatherings" will be used to build relationships by supporting people and charitable organizations, upholding the spirit of freedom, especially in places where hopelessness breeds. GOLF 9/12 will support The Pentagon Memorial Fund, the 9-11 Memorial, Flight 93 Memorial, local First Responders, Armed Forces Charities and Friends of Freedom Charities, including global outreach projects and educational programs throughout the world.

"For those of us who have lived abroad and chosen to live in this great nation, the reason we chose to live here has never been more evident than in the days that followed the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history 10 years ago," said Davies. "GOLF 9/12 and the Unity Dinners that follow will serve to remind us of the inspirational response to the tragedy of 9/11 and prompt us to be engaged in upholding the spirit of freedom."

Among the day's signature events:

• 2012 Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III and 2009 U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover will be participating at Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, Ga., along with PGA Tour winner Brian Bateman, Nationwide Tour player Michael Sims and recent Georgia All-Americans Brian Harman and Hudson Swafford.

• 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman will be in attendance at the Country Club of Columbus in Columbus, Ga., where a portion of one of the World Trade Towers will be on site for photo opportunities.

• Members of the Green Bay Packers staff will be participating at Thornberry Golf Course in Oneida, Wisc.

• Many elected officials in Maine will be playing golf and also participating in a unity event at Sable Oaks Golf Club in South Portland where "America's Beloved Tenor" Daniel Rodriguez will perform the National Anthem and "God Bless America."

• Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta, Ga. - which served as a military golf course for nearly four decades - will have a "Color Guard," a ceremonial start with local wounded veterans and police/firefighter escort of the golf carts to the various starting holes.

For additional information, visit www.GOLF912.org.