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Sorenstam, Marsalis, O’Hurley, Russell Battle to Finish in The ADT Cliffs Challenge

Airs October 22 on CBS Sports

(October 19, 2005) LPGA Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam, Grammy Award winner Branford Marsalis and actors John O’Hurley and Kurt Russell battle to the final hole for the winner-take-all purse of $300,000 in The ADT Cliffs Challenge which airs Saturday, Oct. 22 from 1-3 p.m. EDT on CBS Sports. Bill Macatee and Mary Bryan are the announcers. The made-for-TV charity event was taped Sept. 25 at The Cliffs Communities’ Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove in Asheville, N.C.

The outcome of The ADT Cliffs Challenge remains in doubt until the final putt. O’Hurley seized the lead on the 512-yard, par-5 17th hole, when his 3-wood shot from 253 yards found the front bunker. The actor splashed out to about 12 feet, sank the putt for birdie (net eagle) and won the points available on the hole to take the lead to 18. The format called for Sorenstam to spot each celebrity player strokes.

“This thing got really exciting coming to 17 and 18,” said O’Hurley. “My heart was in my throat out of that sand on 17. That was probably the toughest sand shot I’ve ever had.”

The ADT Cliffs Challenge employed the Wolf format. In Wolf, a tee-off order is determined at the beginning of the round, and that order is rotated throughout the 18-hole event. Depending on the hole, the first person who tees off first plays as the Wolf; the Wolf is then given the option of playing with a partner or playing alone. Points are earned at the end of each hole, and the winner is determined by the cumulative totals at the end of the round. At 17 and 18, the player in last has the opportunity to bet a maximum of the point differential between last and first place, providing an instance that may find the worth of those final two holes dramatically increasing.

Each celebrity received $50,000 for his charity. Marsalis played for Habitat for Humanity, Musicians Relief Effort. O’Hurley played for Golfers Against Cancer. Russell played for Kurt Russell/Goldie Hawn’s Bright Light Foundation.

THE ADT CLIFFS CHALLENGE AIRS OCT. 22 ON CBS SPORTS

WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID AT THE ADT CLIFFS CHALLENGE:

JOHN O’HURLEY:

“I married a beautiful blonde (Lisa Mesloh) scratch golfer, so that is a big part of our relationship. And we’re as competitive as can be with each other. That being said, I’ve been dancing since April. That’s all I’ve been doing. You’d be surprised how much dance figures into the equation of golf. It helps so much with the balance, flexibility. I’m a much better golfer from being an amateur dancer.”

On dancing with Annika at one point during the round:
“That’s a woman who could do anything well. If she has the natural grace to be a golfer, she can be a great dancer. Golf and dance are very similar.”

“Branford, of course, is the eternal comedian out there. He hit some great drives.”

“Kurt has the steadiest little, tightest swing. I’d never want to play him at a 15 handicap. I think he’d scorch me.”

On getting tips from and/or giving tips to Annika throughout the round:

“There were a couple things in her swing that bothered me, and I think I pretty much straightened them out. She was great. But we’ll see how she does on tour now that I put my signature moves on her.”

ANNIKA SORENSTAM:

On the fairness of the matchup:

“I am giving the guys some strokes, so hopefully that’ll be enough. But after seeing them warm-up, I don’t know; I may have to take some away. I think they’re hitting it pretty good.”

“I think John’s dance lessons are going to help him today, especially in this wind. I think his rhythm, his tempo is going to give him an edge today.”

On getting dancing tips from O’Hurley:

“I’m not a very good dancer, but I’d love to learn.”

On any possible acting aspirations:

“I really don’t (have any). I think it’s tough. I’ve done a few commercials. They’re only 30 seconds, and it takes the whole day to film, so I don’t know how they can do with two or three hour movies. I totally respect what they do.”

BRANFORD MARSALIS:

“The only tip I would give Annika is which jazz records to buy, and she didn’t ask, and I didn’t pursue it. And she didn’t (give any tips). I think she probably surmised that our games are in such a state of confusion and disrepair that there’s no way to really fix it. So she just looks at us and shakes her head and says, ‘Oh, well.’

KURT RUSSELL:

“I don’t put the ball in the hole real well once I get the ball on the green. If I can get the driver working pretty good. I can give myself a chance to get an iron pretty close. I need to get close to the hole. If I’m not close to the hole, I got no shot.”

THE ADT CLIFFS CHALLENGE AIRS OCT. 22 ON CBS SPORTS

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Celebrating its 131st anniversary, ADT Security Services, Inc., a unit of Tyco Fire & Security, is the largest provider of electronic security services to more than six million commercial, government and residential customers throughout North America. ADT's total security solutions include intrusion, fire protection, closed circuit television, access control, critical condition monitoring, electronic article surveillance, radio frequency identification (RFID) and integrated systems. ADT's web site address is www.adt.com.

About The Cliffs at Walnut Cove

The epitome of the spot where the mountains meet the meadowlands, The Cliffs at Walnut Cove is a cradled natural amphitheater harbored by the Pisgah National Forest and Blue Ridge Parkway, yet still merely minutes from downtown Asheville, NC. Asheville's only gated, master-planned golf community, The Cliffs at Walnut Cove rests on over 1,300 acres of dense forests, rolling meadows, and clear streams.

The Cliffs at Walnut Cove features a master plan of unparalleled amenities, including a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course already called an “instant classic” by NICKLAUS Magazine, an Old World European Club Village, Wellness and Nature Centers, and hiking, biking, and walking trails.

Through the establishment of architectural guidelines and minimum standards, the property owners of Walnut Cove enjoy the assurance of maximized long-term preservation of values, and the certainty of the highest quality of lifestyle.

As in all of The Cliffs' communities, membership at Walnut Cove carries privileges throughout The Cliffs and includes access to over $100 million in amenities currently in place, including five championship golf courses, three wellness centers, equestrian center, private marina, and more. For information on The Cliffs at Walnut Cove, call 1-888-247-3466 or visit www.cliffscommunities.com/pr.

About The Cliffs Communities

Founded in 1991 by Jim Anthony, The Cliffs Communities is devoted to the sensible development of luxury residential communities and other properties, within the United States and around the world, in accordance with a philosophy of protecting the integrity of pristine environments while offering its residents and members the very best lifestyle provisions and amenities.

The Cliffs' domestic properties include four premier, private master-planned residential communities located along the leading edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains between Asheville, NC, and Greenville, SC, collectively bordered by over a million acres of national forests and state parks. The Cliffs offers homesites from $200,000 to over $2,000,000 and custom homes from $600,000 to over $4,000,000. To discover panoramic living at The Cliffs, call 1-877-254-3371 or visit www.cliffscommunities.com/pr.