FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                   Contact: Mandy Riceman, The First Tee
May 21, 2008                                                                      (904) 940-4324

AMERICAN IDOL SONGWRITING WINNER CONNECTED WITH THE FIRST TEE

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL – Nashville singer/songwriter Regie Hamm, who donated his time and talents to record The First Tee music video, As Far As Your Dreams, for The First Tee 10th anniversary celebration last November, is the winner of the second American Idol Songwriting Competition.

Hamm’s solo-written song, The Time of My Life, was performed live May 21 in Los Angeles before millions of viewers by 2008 Idol winner David Cook.  The song will soon be released as a single.

Hamm performed and produced As Far As Your Dreams, an original song written for The First Tee by Sonya Kelly.  Hamm and Kelly joined forces with The First Tee last summer during The First Tee Life Skills and Leadership Academy in Nashville, Tennessee.  Fifty participants from The First Tee Chapters toured The Sound Kitchen, the most prestigious recording studio in the southeast, and sang the chorus with direction from Hamm and Kelly.

Steve Merrill, senior vice president of The Tennessee Golf Foundation, was instrumental in creating this experience for the participants and in developing the song.  The First Tee, with assistance from PGA TOUR Productions, incorporated the song into a music video which debuted at The First Tee 10th Anniversary Meeting in Jacksonville, Florida in November, 2007.

The music video was distributed to The First Tee Chapter network and plans are being developed to utilize As Far As Your Dreams in fund-raising efforts. 

About The First Tee
The First Tee (www.thefirsttee.org) is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in St. Augustine, FL at World Golf Village, home of the World Golf Hall of Fame.  Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf.  Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has introduced the game of golf and its values to more than 2.2 million participants and students in 48 states and four international locations – Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and Singapore.   Former President George Bush serves as honorary chairman.

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As Founding Corporate Partner of The First Tee, Shell Oil Company has provided financial resources to support the development of this charitable youth initiative aimed at promoting character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf.  Because of Shell’s initial contribution, The First Tee has garnered the support of hundreds of corporations and organizations that have provided financial or promotional support to The First Tee and its Chapters.