Ultimate Golf Experience Unites Friends to Support CF

December 7, 2009

Under cloudless, Texas skies, golfers and their families came together at the Four Seasons Resort & Club Las Colinas for the 15th annual Ultimate Golf Experience (UGE) to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

On the members-only Cottonwood Valley greens and challenging TPC course that is home to a PGA championship, the golfers enjoyed an exciting three-day tournament to raise more than $300,000 for the Foundation.

“The Ultimate Golf Experience is a cherished CF Foundation tradition for the past 15 years, and it continues to raise critical support for lifesaving CF research and other vital programs,” said C. Richard Mattingly, Foundation executive vice president and COO. “UGE is a testament to all that can be accomplished when our community comes together to fight CF.”

Each year at UGE, golfers compete for the “Gio Award,” named in honor of Giovanni Villani, who lived with cystic fibrosis until the age of 14. Gio, a competitive golf enthusiast, was a special member of the "Ultimate Golf" family since its beginnings.

To this day, Gio’s passion and determination on the course has inspired many to support the search for a cure for CF. After three days of competitive play, Mike Walters of Eurand Pharmaceuticals was victorious and claimed the 2009 “Gio Award” in the championship playoff.

Lasting Links

Guests at this year’s event experienced much more than an Ultimate Golf Experience. After each day’s competition, golfers dined on the finest cuisine the Texas resort had to offer and enjoyed intimate performances by two Grammy-award winners: comedian Lewis Black and singer and musician Richard Marx.

Once again, Lewis Black, a dear friend and honorary trustee of the CF Foundation, returned to celebrate 15 years of dedication to the Foundation’s mission. Since 1995, Black has attended nearly every UGE, offering generous support to the Foundation and inspiring laughs among all who attend. This year, Black was joined by his parents, Sam and Jeanette, as well as numerous friends from high school and from the entertainment business to share in the excitement.

Guests had the chance to bid on exciting silent auction items, including exotic vacations, signed sports and music memorabilia, jewelry and video game systems. Amber Carter, who has CF, gave a Bid for a Cure speech, inspiring guests to offer bids.

Thanks a Million

The Foundation would like to thank Board member and UGE Event Chair David Mount for his above-and-beyond efforts in making the 2009 Ultimate Golf Experience a resounding success.

We’d also like to extend our deepest gratitude to our corporate sponsors:

• Outstanding Corporate Partner American Airlines^®
• Beverage Cart Sponsor Phelps Trucking

Check Out Photos from the 2009 Ultimate Golf Experience