Posted by: Editor on Jan 16, 2007 – 03:32 PM
golf Top celebrities from the worlds of sports and entertainment will come together once again for four days of competitive golf and exclusive events at the sixth annual Paradise Island, Bahamas presents the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational (MJCI) at the luxurious One&Only Ocean Club, located on Paradise Island in The Bahamas. The event kicks off on Wednesday, January 17th and will benefit several worthy causes, including the James R. Jordan Foundation, the Kerzner HIV/AIDS Initiative and Ronald McDonald Houses of North Carolina, as well as the charities of choice of the tournament’s top competitors. The 2007 MJCI will be broadcast on ESPN.
Since the MJCI began in 2000, nearly $3 million has been raised for charity and it has become one of celebrity golf’s most popular events.
Paradise Island Tourism Development Association (PITDA) has signed on as this year’s Presenting Sponsor. Other major sponsors include Jordan Brand and Icon International.
Participants in last year’s tournament included sports stars Charles Barkley, Roger Clemens, Nomar Garciparra, Mia Hamm, Brett Hull, Derek Jeter, Joe Morgan, and John Smoltz, as well as entertainment personalities Billy Crudup, Dennis Haysbert, Maury Povich, Stuart Scott, Alan Thicke, and Mark Wahlberg, among others.
The Paradise Island Tourism Development Association and its member properties on Paradise Island are thrilled to be the presenting sponsor of this prestigious event and are honored to be supporting such charitable causes, said William Naughton, Chairman, Paradise Island Tourism Development Association.
All year long, I look forward to hosting my friends at the Ocean Club Golf Course, said Michael Jordan. There’s no place I’d rather be in January than in the Bahamas, on Paradise Island, raising money for some very worthy causes.
The four-day event takes place on the Tom Weiskopf-designed 18-hole Ocean Club Golf Course. The tournament is comprised of the two-day MJCI Celebrity-Amateur Competition Presented by ICON International, which pairs one celebrity with three amateur participants drawn from event sponsors and representatives of the Bahamian corporate and local communities. The last two days of the event feature 36 holes of Celebrity-Only play, with celebrity teams competing against one another in a two- person scramble format.
Tournament guests will be treated to a host of festive parties and activities during the four days of competition. Among the highlights is the third annual MJCI Poker Tournament, with celebrities competing in intense Texas Hold’ Em elimination rounds for a $20,000 charity pot. Other evening activities will include the MJCI Welcome Reception hosted by the Jordan Brand and the MJCI Celebration presented by Paradise Island.
An NBA legend, Jordan virtually rewrote the NBA record book. He played 13 seasons for the Chicago Bulls and two seasons for the Washington Wizards, leading the league in scoring a record 10 times. His 30.1 points per game average is the highest in NBA history, and, with 32,292 points, he ranks third on the all-time scoring list. Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA Championship titles and was named NBA Finals MVP during each of those series. A five-time regular season MVP, in 1991 and 1992 he became the only player to win back-to-back regular season and Finals MVP awards. In June 2006, Jordan joined the ownership group of the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats, becoming the team’s Managing Member of Basketball Operations.
Unveiled in December 2000, the Tom Weiskopf-designed 18-hole Ocean Club Golf Course is set on the eastern end of the island and offers panoramic views of the lush course and waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The 7,159-yard scenic par-72 course takes advantage of the magnificent Bahamian landscape and island cross winds, challenging golfers’ precision and accuracy.
Additional tournament information can be found at www.MJCIGolf.com. For more resort information and reservations, visit oneandonlyresorts.com or call One&Only Ocean Club at 800/321-3000.