UBS Brings THE PLAYERS Championship to Rockefeller Center May 4-13

NEW YORK, April 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning Friday, May 4 through Sunday, May 13, visitors to Rockefeller Center will have the opportunity to take the most intimidating shot in golf at The UBS Golf Challenge: Experience THE PLAYERS Championship. The scaled replica of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course's iconic island 17th hole will serve as the centerpiece to an interactive exhibit made possible by UBS, a Proud Partner of THE PLAYERS, and hosted by Tishman Speyer, co-owners of Rockefeller Center.

The exhibit coincides with the actual tournament, which will be played May 7 - 13 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. THE PLAYERS is one of the crown jewels on the PGA TOUR schedule, and features the strongest field in professional golf.

The 1/4-scaled replica will allow fans to hit a shot to an island green surrounded by water. The exhibit will feature putting areas, as well as a full-swing net. Instructors from the new TOUR Academy, headquartered at TPC Sawgrass, will be on hand to provide tips. During THE PLAYERS' four competitive rounds May 10-13, a giant LED screen behind the challenge hole will broadcast live telecasts of the Championship -- 1-7 p.m. ET Thursday and Friday on GOLF CHANNEL, 2-7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on NBC with limited commercial interruption -- as well as exclusive live streaming video of play at No. 17 via PGATOUR.com's popular Live@17 and highlights from past years.

"UBS is excited to be working with THE PLAYERS Championship and Rockefeller Center to bring one of the world's most famous golf holes to New York City," said Robert Wolf, Chairman and CEO, UBS Group Americas. "The UBS Golf Challenge: Experience THE PLAYERS Championship will give people working in or visiting the city a chance to try their swing on a scaled replica of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course's signature 17th hole. UBS is a Proud Partner of THE PLAYERS and we feel that this is an exciting way for us to celebrate this partnership and demonstrate our commitment to golf and to the greater New York community."

The challenge hole proved to be an extremely popular addition to THE PLAYERS' on-site experience when UBS introduced it last year at TPC Sawgrass.

"This is a wonderful opportunity to team up with UBS to bring to life the passion, excitement and prestige of THE PLAYERS at Rockefeller Center," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. "As THE PLAYERS continues to grow in popularity and stature, certainly an important element has been the drama and excitement generated annually by the 17th hole. Those visiting Rockefeller Center should have a lot of fun experiencing the shot, as well as absorbing some of the history of the tournament."

"We are thrilled to host UBS, the PGA TOUR and this unique golf experience at Rockefeller Center," said Thomas Madden, Managing Director, Tishman Speyer. "THE PLAYERS is one of golf's premier championships and provides one of golf's most exciting moments when the greatest players in the world face the iconic 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass. We look forward to offering visitors the same challenge and excitement at Rockefeller Center."

This has been an historic year for THE PLAYERS. Not only has the tournament moved from its traditional March slot to May, it will be held at a totally renovated TPC Sawgrass. Over the past year, the Stadium Course has had extensive infrastructural work done to assure consistently firm, fast and fair conditions to maximize the challenge, while a spectacular new 77,000 square- foot clubhouse was constructed in just 10 months, opening in time for the championship.

The UBS Golf Challenge: Experience THE PLAYERS Championship will be open daily from 7AM - 6PM and is free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://www.rockefellercenter.com/. For more information on THE PLAYERS, visit http://www.pgatour.com/.

About UBS

UBS is one of the world's leading financial firms, serving a discerning global client base. As an organization, it combines financial strength with an international culture that embraces change. As an integrated firm, UBS creates added value for clients by drawing on the combined resources and expertise of all its businesses.

UBS is the leading global wealth manager, a top tier investment banking and securities firm, and one of the largest global asset managers. In Switzerland, UBS is the market leader in retail and commercial banking.

UBS is present in all major financial centers worldwide. It has offices in 50 countries, with about 39% of its employees working in the Americas, 35% in Switzerland, 16% in the rest of Europe and 10% in Asia Pacific. UBS's financial businesses employ some 78,000 people around the world. Its shares are listed on the SWX Swiss Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE).

About the PGA TOUR

The PGA TOUR is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers. Its primary purpose is to provide competitive earnings opportunities for past, current and future members of the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour; to protect the integrity of the game; and to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world.

In 2007, the three Tours will compete in approximately 110 events for approximately $340 million in prize money. Tournaments are being held in six countries outside the U.S. and in 36 states.

In addition to providing competitive opportunities for its membership, TOUR events also generate significant funds for local charities. In fact, the three Tours have surpassed the $1 billion mark in overall charitable contributions. The PGA TOUR's web site address is http://www.pgatour.com/ and the company is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

About Tishman Speyer

Tishman Speyer is the co-owner and manager of Rockefeller Center, which is the site of numerous public exhibits and events, including Democracy Plaza, Centennial of Flight, Drive-In Movies at the Rock, Art Rock and large-scale installations of public art by world-renowned artists including Takashi Murakami, Jeff Koons and Jonathan Borofsky. Tishman Speyer is committed to the preservation and restoration of Rockefeller Center and recently refurbished and reopened the Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center, after a 20-year closure. Each day an estimated 250,000 people walk through the Rockefeller Plaza complex, which is home to the most famous Christmas Tree in the world.