Symetra Tour Announces Gosling’s Dark ‘n Stormy® Classic 

at Atlanta National Golf Club

LPGA presence back in metro Atlanta for first time in 10 years

MILTON, Ga., March 10, 2016 -The Symetra Tour, Road to the LPGA, announced today the addition of the Gosling’s Dark ‘n Stormy® Classic to the 2016 schedule. The 54-hole event will be held the week of May 16-21 at Atlanta National Golf Club, also the co-host of the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur.

The tournament’s name is derived from Gosling’s signature drink, the Dark ‘n Stormy®, a combination of Gosling’s Black Seal Rum and Gosling’s Stormy Ginger Beer.

“Gosling’s is excited to put our name and delicious Dark ‘n Stormy® beverage behind a brand new Symetra Tour event in Atlanta,” explained Malcolm Gosling, seventh generation President & CEO, Gosling-Castle Partners, Inc. “Our company is also proud to be partnering with the LPGA on the UL International Crown in Chicago this summer as we feel investing in women’s professional golf is a great way for us to grow our brand and expose more people to Gosling’s Rum in a major market.”

First-round play will begin on Thursday, May 19 with the final round scheduled for Saturday, May 21. The field of 144 will be trimmed to the top 60 and ties following second-round play on May 20. 

The total tournament purse is $100,000 with the winner earning $15,000 and taking a significant step up the Volvik Race for the Card money list. The top 10 on the Symetra Tour’s final money list earn LPGA membership for the 2017 season. 

“We’re excited to bring the Symetra Tour into a great golf market like Atlanta,” said Chief Business Officer Mike Nichols. “Atlanta National Golf Club will be a top test of golf for our professionals and I know longtime fans of the LPGA will be excited to watch women’s professional golf again.”

This is the first time the LPGA has had a presence in the greater Atlanta area since the 2006 Florida’s Natural  Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez at Eagle’s Landing Country Club. The last Symetra Tour event in Georgia was the 2012 Vidalia Championship at Hawk’s Point Golf Club (Vidalia, Ga.). 

“Atlanta National has prided itself on hosting premier golf tournaments and the Symetra Tour is a perfect opportunity for us to showcase our venue while also gaining experience for the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur,” said Mike Davis, General Manager of Atlanta National Golf Club. “ClubCorp has 30 premier facilities in the area and we’re anxious to highlight women’s professional golf to our membership as well as the general public.”

Volunteers are the backbone of any professional golf tournament and the Gosling’s Dark ‘n Stormy® Classic will be no different. The tournament is currently looking for volunteers in a variety of areas including cart drivers, scorers, leaderboard operators and more. 

The tournament also now has a presence on social media. The Twitter handle is @gosdnsclassic while the Instagram is @GoslingsDarknStormyClassic. 

For more information about the tournament including playing in the pro-am and sponsorship availability, visit www.goslingsclassic.com or contact Tournament Director Mike Vajda atmvajda@synertiapartners.com or call 678-778-2000.

About the Symetra Tour

The Symetra Tour — Road to the LPGA is the official developmental tour of the LPGA is in its 36th competitive season in 2016. With the support of its umbrella partner, Symetra, the Tour’s mission is to prepare the world’s best young women professional golfers for a successful career on the LPGA Tour. Since Symetra’s inaugural sponsorship year in 2012, the Symetra Tour has grown from 16 tournaments and $1.7M in prize money to $3.5M in prize money awarded over the course of 23 tournaments — the most events in 27 years (1988). With more than 600 alumnae moving on to the LPGA, former Symetra Tour players have won a total of 418 LPGA titles. Follow the Symetra Tour on the web at www.SymetraTour.com, Facebook.com/RoadtotheLPGA, Twitter.com/Road2LPGA, and YouTube.com/Road2LPGA.

About Gosling’s Rum

Gosling’s Brothers Ltd is Bermuda’s oldest business house and largest exporter. In 1806, Englishman 

William Gosling, sent his son James to sea, bound for Virginia, U.S., with 10,000 pounds Sterling worth of wines and spirits. After ninety days on becalmed seas the charter on the good ship, Mercury, ran out and James was diverted to Bermuda, where James decided to open a wine and spirits shop. Since 2004, Gosling’s Rums has been spearheading a major international expansion of the brand. Gosling’s offers three distinctive, award-winning products in its line: the flagship brand, Gosling’s Bermuda Black Seal Rum; Gosling’s Gold Bermuda Rum (select makets); and the ultra special Gosling’s Family Reserve Old Rum. Now, this new Gold Seal Rum will be launched. Gosling’s also markets a popular Gosling’s Stormy Ginger Beer in both regular and diet in 5 convenient sizes. And offers a Ready-To-Drink Dark ’n Stormy® cocktail in a can. Dark ‘n Stormy ® is a registered trademark of Gosling’s Export (Bermuda) Limited, Hamilton, Bermuda. For more information, contact Glenn C. Kelley, kelley_whoever@me.com.