BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Feb. 9, 2018) – The Greater Birmingham community will have the opportunity to experience elements of the U.S. Women’s Open Championship during the coming months through the U.S. Women’s Open Trophy Tour. The tour includes various activities for fans to get a sneak peek at the championship, which is conducted by the USGA, before it is contested May 29-June 3 at Shoal Creek. The experience is built around a traveling U.S. Women’s Open-branded truck that converts into a family-friendly golf experience.

“This interactive Trophy Tour will serve as a fantastic U.S. Women’s Open Championship primer for everyone, whether you’re a lifelong fan of the game or someone who has never set foot on a golf course,” said John Coppins, the USGA’s 2018 U.S. Women’s Open Championship manager. “We look forward to bringing the excitement of this championship to life long before the first ball is hit in May, and we hope it motivates fans to join us in supporting and celebrating the best female players in the world as they play in the ultimate test in women’s golf.”

A list of tour dates and locations for the U.S. Women’s Open Trophy Tour is available on uswomensopen.com. Highlighting the full list are appearances at the Mercedes-Benz Marathon (Feb. 11); Exceptional Foundation Chili Cook-Off (March 3); Chick-fil-A Corporate Challenge (April 19 at Highland Park Golf Course, April 21 at Railroad Park); and several stops at Topgolf Birmingham, as well as some of Birmingham’s most popular brew pubs.

At each stop along the tour, fans will have the opportunity to take a picture with the coveted U.S. Women’s Open Trophy. Additionally, the past, present and future of the game will be on display through the stories and images of iconic moments in Women’s Open history, including features of past champions, and a look ahead to the inaugural 2018 U.S. Senior Women’s Open, which will be played at Chicago Golf Club in July.

Shoal Creek will be featured prominently through flyover videos of several holes and a candid interview with course designer Jack Nicklaus, a four-time U.S. Open champion. Fans will see three different putts from U.S. Women’s Open history and have the chance to test their own putting skills via the Epic Putt feature. Each person attending the Trophy Tour will have the opportunity to pull a tee from the USGA Tee Wall for a chance to instantly win a variety of Women’s Open prizes, such as tickets and merchandise or Topgolf Birmingham gift cards. All fans will have a second-chance opportunity to enter the online sweepstakes for grand prize championship ticket packages.

Birmingham-based sports marketing and event management company Knight Eady worked with the USGA to design and build the mobile activation and will manage the tour stops. Companies and events interested in requesting a stop may email katie@knighteady.com for more information.

“It is with great anticipation that we introduce the U.S. Women’s Open Trophy Tour to the public,” said Michael Eady, co-founder and chief marketing officer at Knight Eady. “Hosting this prestigious championship for the first time in the state of Alabama is a major opportunity for Birmingham. We hope fans will embrace this fan experience tour as a chance to generate excitement in the community as we prepare to welcome the world’s best female golfers in May.”

Fans are encouraged to make their championship plans early by taking advantage of current ticket and volunteer opportunities. Upgraded Championship and Eagles Nest ticket packages are on sale now at uswomensopen.com. Several volunteer opportunities for the U.S. Women’s Open are available, including scorers, course marshals, greeters and ball position technology operators. Visit uswomensopen.com for more information.

About the USGA
The USGA celebrates, serves and advances the game of golf. Founded in 1894, we conduct many of golf’s premier professional and amateur championships, including the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open. With The R&A, we govern the sport via a global set of playing, equipment and amateur status rules. Our operating jurisdiction for these governance functions is the United States, its territories and Mexico. The USGA Handicap System is utilized in more than 40 countries and our Course Rating System covers 95 percent of the world’s golf courses, enabling all golfers to play on an equitable basis. The USGA campus in Liberty Corner, New Jersey, is home to the Association’s Research and Test Center, where science and innovation are fueling a healthy and sustainable game for the future. The campus is also home to the USGA Golf Museum, where we honor the game by curating the world’s most comprehensive archive of golf artifacts. To learn more, visit usga.org.

Visual Assets – for editorial use only

For images of the U.S. Women’s Open Trophy Tour activation, email katie@knighteady.com.

For course images of Shoal Creek or past U.S. Women’s Open Championships, email photorequests@usga.org.

Media Contacts

USGA: Vanessa Zink, vzink@usga.org, 908-217-8197

Knight Eady: Katie Jernigan, katie@knighteady.com, (336) 280-1623