HOUSTON, TX. –Southern Company, presenting sponsor of THE TOUR Championship and Official Energy Company of the PGA TOUR and SENIOR PGA TOUR, is sponsoring the Crown Jewels of Golf display at THE TOUR Championship Oct. 27-31.

The 500-piece display is a priceless collection of history’s most prized golf artifacts, and is viewed as one of the most comprehensive collections ever shown. The display includes hundreds of golf collectibles, books, ceramics, clubs and rare golf items. Specific items include:

• Calamity Jane Putter with Bobby J. Personal stamped on the clubhead. This is the type putter used by Bobby Jones when he won the Grand Slam
• Golf clubs dating back to the late 1700’s
• White House letter from “Ike” thanking the Spalding Company for sending golf balls
• Book written by Harry Vardon, inventor of the “modern day golf grip”
• Scorecards from the 1820
• Early sand molds used before the golf tee
• First published golf print (1790)
• Ceramic trophy pieces dating from the late 1800’s

“This impressive collection of golf antiques is a testament to the proud history of the sport,” said Alan Martin, Southern Company Chief Marketing Officer. “Southern Company is honored to sponsor a display all golf fans will admire and appreciate.”

For the gambler in all of us, an antique slot machine dating back to 1935 will pay out in Southern Company golf balls. For just a quarter a play, spectators can win up to 20 golf balls. All money collected from the slot machines will go to charities after THE TOUR Championship.

The Crown Jewels of Golf display is free and open to ticket holders from Wednesday, Oct. 27 to Sunday, Oct. 31 during tournament hours. The display will be located at the entrance of the tournament.

Based in Atlanta, Southern Company is the largest producer of electricity in the United States and one of the world’s largest independent power producers, with $35 billion in assets through regional utilities and international operations.

The PGA TOUR is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers. Its primary purpose is the operation of tournaments on the PGA TOUR, SENIOR PGA TOUR and the NIKE TOUR. More than 120 events are being contested on the three tours in 1999, for prize money of approximately $193 million.

In addition to providing competitive opportunities for its membership, PGA TOUR events also generate significant sums of money for charity. TOUR events have raised more than $500 million for charity since 1938, the first year such records were kept.