HealthONE Extends Colorado Open Sponsorship

Colorado Avid Golfer

Denver, CO – The Colorado Open Golf Foundation proudly announced the signing of HealthONE to a two-year extension of their current agreement as title sponsor of the three flagship tournaments in Colorado. The Colorado Opens have been title-sponsored by HealthONE for the past seven years when the historic tournament was brought back to life in 2004 by the newly formed not-for-profit Colorado Open Golf Foundation.

HealthONE is currently in the second of a five year renewal of the agreement, which took place in the summer of 2008 when John Elway took part in the press conference announcing the renewal of the first five-year deal. Elway is one of 156 golfers preparing to compete in the HealthONE Colorado Senior Open at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club tomorrow through Friday (September 1-3). HealthONE extended the current agreement another two years to secure title rights through 2015.

“The HealthONE Colorado Opens have not only been a terrific boost for the sport of golf in our state; the tournaments have done a great service in supporting all the children who take part in The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch program,” says Jeff Dorsey, President and CEO of HealthONE.  “I’m especially proud that HealthONE continues to play a role in helping make both such a success.”

About HealthONE
HealthONE is the largest healthcare system in the metro Denver area with 8,500 employees and 3,000 affiliated physicians. Named Colorado's “Best Company for Working Families (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007), the health system was created in 1995 as a 50/50 joint venture between non-profit The Colorado Health Foundation (formerly HealthONE Alliance), Colorado’s second largest charitable foundation, and various affiliates of HCA.

HealthONE includes: The Medical Center of Aurora and Centennial Medical Plaza; North Suburban Medical Center; Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center and Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children; Rose Medical Center; Sky Ridge Medical Center; Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital; Swedish Medical Center and Swedish Southwest ER; 15 ambulatory surgical centers; more than 25 occupational medicine/rehabilitation, Broncos Sports Medicine, specialty, and outpatient diagnostic imaging clinics; and AirLife-Denver, which provides critical care air and ground transportation for an eight-state region.

About The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch
The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch, located in northeast Denver, is one of four First Tee Chapters in Colorado. In April of 2005, Chapter status was awarded to the Colorado Open Golf Foundation. The Colorado Open Golf Foundation conducts three state open championships: the HealthONE Colorado Open, HealthONE Colorado Women's Open and HealthONE Colorado Senior Open. Through the support and generosity of the donors to this program and these championships, funding for The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch is made possible. The First Tee positively impacts the lives of young people age 5 to 18 by providing facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. Participants enjoy the benefits of utilizing the golf courses, practice areas and equipment through class instruction using The First Tee Life Skills curriculum.

Today, The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch operates from its new Learning Center on the Green Valley Ranch Golf Club campus, a 27-hole facility, 9 of which are a par 3 course; a complete practice area including a double-ended driving range, two putting greens, two chipping greens, a full-service clubhouse and full service golf academy with three indoor-outdoor hitting bays. For more details about The First Tee of Green Valley Ranch facilities and programs, please visit http://www.thefirstteegreenvalleyranch.org/