ATLANTA, April 29 /PRNewswire/ -- SouthernLINC Wireless, a Southern Company (NYSE: SO), today announced its sponsorship of Ladies Professional Golf Association player Nicole Hage for the 2010 Bell Micro LPGA Classic and Navistar LPGA Classic. In a related move, the company will also continue its sponsorship of these two LPGA Tour events in Alabama.

"SouthernLINC Wireless is pleased to increase its commitment to professional golf by supporting one of its most promising young players," said Julie Pigott, vice president of marketing and customer support for SouthernLINC Wireless. "As an Auburn University alumna, Nicole Hage has strong ties to the state of Alabama, and we invite our SouthernLINC Wireless customers and community neighbors to come out and support her at the Mobile and Prattville LPGA Tour events."

The 2010 season marks Hage's first year on the LPGA Tour with Tournament Division Membership priority status in category No. 11, which she was granted following a ninth-place finish at Qualifying School in December 2009.

"I am delighted to have the backing of SouthernLINC Wireless at this stage of my professional golf career," said 24-year-old Hage. "I have been practicing well, and, with the 2010 season just getting underway, my game is right where I want it to be. I am excited about playing in front of a 'hometown crowd' when the tour comes to Alabama in May and October."

Before turning pro for the 2008 season, Hage was a standout collegiate player at Auburn University. She was a member of two Southeastern Conference (SEC) Championship teams, a four-time National Golf Coaches Association All-American and a four-time All-SEC player. In 2004, she received SEC Freshman of the Year and SEC Player of the Year honors.

Hage will make her third LPGA Tour appearance of the 2010 season May 10-16 at the Bell Micro LPGA Classic in Mobile, Ala. Since this tournament debuted in 2008, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Magnolia Grove has undergone a complete redesign and renovation of the Crossings Course in preparation for this year's event, which will be televised on Golf Channel. Hage will be competing against a full field of golfers, including defending champion Angela Stanford, for her share of the $1.3 million purse. Visit www.bellmicrolpgaclassic.com for tournament and ticket information.

For the third consecutive year, SouthernLINC Wireless is supporting the Navistar LPGA Classic, which will be played Oct. 4-10 in Prattville, Ala., on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Capitol Hill. The Scottish-style layout of the Senator Course seems to suit Hage, who carded a career-low 67 in the final round of the 2008 tournament. For additional information, visit www.navistarlpgaclassic.com.

Also a supporter of PGA Tour events, SouthernLINC Wireless is a 2010 sponsor of the Nationwide Tour's South Georgia Classic Valdosta, Ga., and Champions Tour events Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic in Saucier, Miss., and Regions Charity Classic in Hoover, Ala.

About SouthernLINC Wireless

SouthernLINC Wireless, a Southern Company (NYSE: SO), is an Atlanta-based regional wireless carrier with network coverage in the major metro and rural areas of Alabama, Georgia, southeast Mississippi and northwest Florida. SouthernLINC Wireless bundles multiple communication options, including Push To Talk two-way radio, cellular service, text messaging, wireless Internet access and wireless data, into one hand-held device. For more information, please call 1-800-818-LINC (5462) or visit www.southernlinc.com.

About Southern Company

With 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company is the premier energy company serving the Southeast. A leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company is consistently listed among the top U.S. electric service providers in customer satisfaction by the American Customer Satisfaction Index. Visit our Web site at www.southerncompany.com.

SOURCE SouthernLINC Wireless