MAGGIE VALLEY, N.C. – A group of 24 media gathered at Maggie Valley Club for the inaugural North Carolina versus Tennessee Media Golf Challenge.

The event – dubbed The Battle of the Smokies – featured 12-person media teams from Tennessee and North Carolina competing in a Ryder Cup format, April 20-22.

After three days and 36 matches, the squads finished deadlocked at 36 points apiece, forcing a sudden-death playoff. On the second playoff hole, Tennessee's Pat Kenney rolled in a 5-foot putt to edge North Carolina's Chris Cates. That putt gave Tennessee the title and the coveted two-foot trophy topped with a black bear sculpture, not to mention bragging rights for a year.

The competition was so tight that neither side held more than a two-point lead throughout the three days. The score was knotted 30-30 entering the final 9-hole matches.

            “It was a fun and spirited competition,” said Maggie Valley Club head pro Steve De Witt. “We couldn’t have asked for two more evenly-matched teams.”

Captains for the 2008 Battle of the Smokies were Stan Pamfilis of WLOS-TV in Asheville and Mark Packer of WVLT-TV in Knoxville. The media challenge will become an annual event, rotating between the two states.

            “With our new clubhouse and all the renovations to the golf course, this was an excellent opportunity to showcase the new Maggie Valley Club,” said general manager Richard Brucki. “It also shined the spotlight on Maggie Valley and Haywood County.”

            For further information on Maggie Valley Club, call (800) 438-3861 or log onto www.maggievalleyclub.com.

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