2011 Greenbrier Classic to Include and The Black Eyed Peas

One of the top players on the PGA TOUR and one of the hottest musical groups will make the 2011 Greenbrier Classic even bigger and better than the inaugural event. Phil Mickelson, three- time Masters champion and winner of 39 PGA TOUR events, has committed to play in the July 25-31 event on the resort’s Old White TPC course. Adding to the excitement, The Black Eyed Peas, six-time Grammy Award winning artists and global superstars, will perform on Friday, July 29.

“Phil is one of the best players in the world and having him compete will be just fantastic. And The Black Eyed Peas just played for this year’s Super Bowl. How much better can it get?” said Jim Justice.

A future Hall of Famer, Mickelson is the highest ranked American in the world with career earnings over $61 million. He is currently ranked 4th in both the World Golf Rankings and in FedExCup points. Over the past five years, Mickelson has distinguished himself as the best player at the Masters. With an average round of 70.40, Mickelson has finished second or third in four of the last five Masters. He is consistently one of the top players to watch and is one of the most popular players on the TOUR.

“My family and I are really excited about coming to The Greenbrier this summer. My kids are already making lists of all the things they want to do while we’re there, even though I’ll be working,” said Mickelson. “I heard a lot of great comments about last year’s event, so I’m really looking forward to playing and relaxing with my family. Of course, the only bunker I want to see is the one they built for Congress during the Cold War.”

The Classic has also received an early commitment from Camilo Villegas, a three-time winner on the PGA TOUR and a fan favorite around the world. The 29-year-old Colombian's charisma and aggressive style of play made him an instant sensation when he joined the PGA TOUR in 2006, along with his signature "Spiderman crouch" on the greens when reading putts.

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The 2011 Classic Concert series will now feature three incredible performances at the State Fairgrounds amphitheater. Tim McGraw and Luke Bryan perform on Thursday, The Black Eyed Peas take the stage Friday and Keith Urban and Miranda Lambert close the series on Saturday. Tickets to all three concerts, the three practice rounds and four tournament rounds are available for $159. A weekly grounds badge and ticket to the Thursday or Saturday concert is now available for $89 while a weekly grounds badge and ticket to the Friday concert with The Black Eyed Peas is $109. Benefactor, alumni and clubhouse badges, which include upgraded access to the golf tournament as well as tickets to all three concerts are also available. All badge levels are available for purchase at www.greenbrierclassic.com , Ticketmaster and participating United Bank and Kroger locations.

Justice also announced that Stuart Appleby, Sergio Garcia and Kenny Perry as well as CBS Sports’ Nick Faldo, will be on hand for the 2011 Classic. Appleby, winner of the inaugural Greenbrier Classic and the PGA TOUR’s 2010 Comeback Player of the Year, will represent the resort and The Greenbrier Sporting Club on the TOUR. Garcia and Perry, not only participated in the 2010 Classic, but also pledged significant donations to the families of the Upper Big Branch mining disaster. Faldo, the lead analyst for CBS Sports and the Golf Channel, first visited the resort in 1979 as a player on the European team. Over the years, his friendship with Greenbrier professional Sam Snead grew, and Faldo returned to the resort in May 2000 to collaborate with his friend on an upcoming book. Now, Faldo is one of the newest members of The Greenbrier Sporting Club.

“Stuart, Sergio, Kenny are three of the top players on the TOUR today and Nick’s reputation and commitment to the game are unparalleled. Having these four gentlemen represent The Greenbrier will take our status in the golf world to the next stratosphere,” said Justice.

Appleby, Faldo, Garcia and Perry, along with , The Greenbrier’s golf professional emeritus, will participate in resort and member events throughout the year and promote the resort in their TOUR and other endeavors. Watson, who has also committed to play in the 2011 Classic, will again host the Tom Watson Fall Golf Classic, a pro-am team tournament in October.

For more information, contact: Lynn R. Swann, Director of Public Relations The Greenbrier 304-536-7857 800-624-6070