August 19, 2009 –
MAYETTA: Four members of the Entertainment Committee and Tribal Council will get to rub elbows with golf legend Tiger Woods next Monday when they travel to the 2009 Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge in New York.
Woods will play in a skins game along with other world class golfers including Mike Weir, Camilo Villegas and Notah Begay. Begay began the Challenge to help fight obesity and diabetes of native youth and as a way of promoting youth sports and wellness on reservation communities. Woods is ranked No. 1 in the world, Villegas No. 12, and Weir No. 24. Begay is a four-time PGA winner and the only full-blooded Native American on the Tour.
Junior Wahweotten, Burton Warrington, Jerry Tuckwin and Steve Ortiz, Sr. are all scheduled to make the trip to the Oneida Nations Turning Stone Resort located in Verona, New Yorkwhere the event will take place. They will become a part of a 3,000 member gallery who will watch the skins game being played at the Atunyote Golf Club.
The Prairie Band Casino & Resort is presently in the process of constructing an 18-hole golf course that is being designed by Begay’s company, NB3 Consulting.
The Oneida Indian Nation and the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians of California are sponsoring the NB3 Foundation Challenge that is in its second year. The total purse for this year’s game is $500,000 and tickets to the Challenge are sold out. Begay said he wanted to limit the number of spectators so fans can get as close to the action as possible without making the players uncomfortable.
Begay told the Potawatomi News in a phone interview recently that he considers the upcoming event as one of the most noteworthy ever for Indian Country because of Wood’s appearance and the fact that it will raise awareness of the health issues native youth confront. In addition, it will generate needed funding to continue with the Foundation’s efforts.
The Foundation originated in 2005 with the goal of reducing the disproportionately high incidence of obesity and diabetes among Native American youth and to design programs that promote physical fitness, wellness and leadership development. Presently, soccer and golf programs are in place for youth as well as other professional enhancement programs.
For more information about the Foundation and the NB3 Challenge go to www.notah.com.