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Tina Clark
Interactive Marketing and Brand Activation Manager
Kevin Streelman kisses the Kodak Challenge trophy
What an exciting week this has been! Kevin Streelman headed in to the finale hole - #17 at the Children's Miracle Network Classic on Disney's Magnolia Golf Course - with a 2-stroke lead over Bo Van Pelt, J.J. Henry and Nathan Green. Given that hole #17 is a 485-yard
par 4, over water and large trees - that hadn't seen an eagle since 1988 - this seemed to be a lock, but Kevin Streelman was not taking anything for granted. Bo Van Pelt was in the field and he wasn't going to let the win go without a fight (Henry and Green did not play CMN).
The Kodak Challenge hole itself looked amazing! Disney did such a wonderful job highlighting the hole, the competition and the Kodak Moments.
The excitement started almost immediately on Thursday because while both Kevin and Bo were playing Palm course that day - Charles Warren scored EAGLE on the Kodak Challenge hole for the first time in 11 years! Surely this made both Kevin and Bo take notice! Bo had chance at an eagle on Friday and the only way Kevin could seal the deal right away would be to birdie the hole.
As we stood there in the Kodak Challenge tent waiting for Kevin's approach shot, I was filled with excitement and anticipation that after so long we may finally have a winner - and having met Kevin and his wife Courtney earlier in the year, knew that it would go to a gracious, deserving person.
Kevin was down mid fairway, I looked away for a second and then, UGH - a ball hit the bleachers to the left of the green. My heart sank a bit, he'd have to wait another day to try for the win... then I came to my senses - of course that WASN'T Kevin's shot! It was Johnny Damon! The NY Yankees superstar - who was one of the amateurs playing with Kevin in the pro-am - had hit what in baseball might have been a home run. WHEW! Kevin hit next and it landed very near the hole - within four feet. The Kodak tent went wild with cheers!! Excellent birdie opportunity here!
Kevin waited patiently for the other players to finish, then lined up his putt with the help of his caddy, Michael Collins. Breath held. Putt... going... going.. IT'S IN!!! WOO HOO!! The crowd went wild! Kevin did some fist pumps, hi fived his caddy, then - as he heard the whoops coming from the Kodak tent (myself included) he ran over, jumped up and hi fived all of us! It was a picture perfect Kodak Moment!
As Kevin and Michael headed off the green (they still had one more hole to play), Michael grabbed the Kodak Challenge hole sign post and claimed it as his souvenir. Michael talked with me later that day and told me what was going through his mind with the win, check out the video later in the post.
After finishing his play for the day, Kevin emerged from the scoring tent to cheers, hugs from family and the awarding of the Kodak Challenge trophy and "giant check".
Kevin gets a hug and kiss from his Mom
Kodak President Phil Faraci presents Kevin trophy by Tiffany and the base with Kodak OLED frames showing pictures from Kevin's season, the Kodak Challenge holes and from Kevin's winning birdie putt moments earlier - along with the Giant Check for $1M
The Kodak Challenge win was sealed with a kiss from wife Courtney
After the trophy was awarded, Kevin headed to the press room to talk about the win. I had the chance to talk to Kevin, along with his caddy Michael Collins, on the win.
It's been an amazing year with a very exciting finish. As Kodak's Steve Powell said, "We very pleased with the tremendous success of the Kodak Challenge in
just its first year. I don't think we could ask for a better ambassador
than Kevin Streelman as our very first champion. We're excited for
Kevin and very happy to have him associated with Kodak."
Kevin's name will always be the very first on that beautiful trophy, a well deserved win for a great champion!
For more, viisit the website, fan us on Facebook, and follow @KodakChallenge on Twitter as we head in to 2010.
Tina Clark
Interactive Marketing and Brand Activation Manager
I had the opportunity to head down to NJ this weekend to see all the action around the Kodak Challenge at The Barclays at Liberty National Golf Course. Though the weather was rainy for some of the time, it was great golf and breathtaking views.
Along with the Kodak tent on hole #14 - the Kodak Challenge hole - we also had a Kodak Photo Zone where fans could get a souvenir picture taken with the Statue of Liberty in the background. On the days where it was raining, we used a greenscreen backdrop inside the tent and a little Kodak magic to continue to give fans a great picture that had them appear to be standing at hole #14, with that same beautiful lady in the background.
A photo taken from the Kodak Photo Zone on a rainy Friday
Over at the Kodak tent, some amazing golf was playing out on the par three Kodak Challenge hole. While it was great to watch Tiger, Padraig, Ernie and others get birdie - and very exciting to see Zach Johnson's tee shot hit the pin for a near Ace - the Kodak crowd was most excited to watch Kevin Streelman, the current leader, play the hole. Kevin hit a great tee shot that looked like it might go in - we were on the edge of our seats! Kevin didn't ace, but sank a short putt for his second birdie in a row on that hole (Kevin's birdies also helped me get a nice score on my Kodak Challenge Fantasy Pick'em - as one of my team picks last week).
Kevin Streelman watches his tee shot almost go in at the Kodak Challenge hole
I also talked with fans and customers and asked them what makes them smile.
Along with the action on the course, I had the opportunity to meet Ian Poulter - a self proclaimed gadget geek - as we gave him a new Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera. Ian has an amazing new website which he posts videos to daily. Ian was excited to have his new gadget and - as an avid user of Twitter - there was soon a tweet from @ianjamespoulter thanking Kodak.
Getting a new Zi8 Pocket Video camera made Ian Poulter smile!
Tina Clark
Interactive Marketing and Brand Activation Manager
The action in the Kodak Challenge is heating up and the players are really starting to be aware of the potential to win $1M. Nathan Green joined Kevin Streelman in a tie for the lead but many players are just a few off that -11 lead and still have 8 more holes they can add to their scorecard to work toward their best 18. Here's a interesting shot of last week's Kodak Challenge hole - the fan favorite hole #17 at the Buick Open.
Shot of Kodak Challenge hole #17 at Buick Open shot with an Infrared Camera
This week there are two tournaments with a Kodak Challenge hole - so it should be an interesting week! We have the Par 5 16th hole at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and the Par 3 16th hole at the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open.
Players at the top of the Kodak Challenge leaderboard playing in WGC include Nathan Green, Scott Verplank, Lucas Glover, Chad Campbell and Zach Johnson. This Par 5 offers a potential eagle opportunity and a nice chance to jump up on the leaderboard. As the co-leader with Kevin Streelman - who is not playing this week - Nathan Green looks poised to take sole possession of the lead.
Over at the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open Kodak Challenge hole, only an ace offers a two stroke jump - but don't put that option past any of the guys in the field this week. Maybe Dean Wilson will have a repeat of his Ace at Crowne Plaza Invitational! Other players at the top of the Kodak Challenge leaderboard playing in Legends Reno-Tahoe Open along with Dean include Nicholas Thompson, Chris DiMarco,Jason Gore, J.J. Henry, and Charley Hoffman.
Don't forget that the Kodak Challenge Fantasy Pick'em Golf game is still going - and you can sign up any time to get in on the Grand Prize
drawing for a Disney Fantasy Golf Vacation for 4 (worth ~$7K!) Sign up and pick your favorite four pros at http://fantasy.kodakchallenge.com.
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