GREENSBORO, N.C. – PGA TOUR golfer Ben Crane won big at the Wyndham Championship earlier today when he made a hole-in-one on the par three 16th hole and won one million Wyndham Rewards points, courtesy of Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN), and redeemable in more locations than any other hospitality company. The Wyndham Championship, held Aug. 14-20, is the final regular-season event in the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup season.
“It’s pretty awesome,” Crane said. “So cool you know, playing Sunday here at the Wyndham Championship, such an unbelievable event. (I) stayed with some great friends. It’s been a special week. And then, you know, kind of playing pretty good but need something to get over the hump. Got to 16 there and hit a beautiful shot. As soon as I hit it, ‘Oh, be right, baby.’ Sure enough, it landed two paces short there and rolled in just like a putt. You know, most PGA players, I have to brag, because don’t nail the celebration, but Billy Horschel and I did a lot of choreography work beforehand and nailed it, did the right high fives, the caddies did the right high fives. We celebrated the Wyndham sign with a million points is right there. It was awesome. We had a lot of fun with it.”
Crane was awarded one million Wyndham Rewards® points, redeemable at over 25,000 Wyndham hotels, condos and rental homes globally. Last year, Wyndham Rewards became the first loyalty program to expand its offerings beyond hotels to include vacation rentals and timeshare resorts. For a flat rate of 15,000 points, Crane can redeem for a free night over 8,000 hotels worldwide. Crane can also enjoy the unique vacation experience that comes from staying in a private accommodation for just 15,000 points per bedroom per night – from a stone cottage nestled near Bordeaux & Toulouse in France; to a slope-side retreat in Park City, Utah; to an architectural dream home in Palm Springs, California.
Crane’s caddie, Joel Stock, received 105,000 Wyndham Rewards® points. The prize is only awarded to the first golfer to make an ace at the par-3 16th – any golfers making subsequent holes-in-one will not win the prize. Previous hole-in-one winners include Luke Donald in 2016 and Derek Lamely in 2011.
With more than 130,000 properties across 110 countries spanning hotels, vacation ownership and professionally managed vacation rentals, Wyndham Worldwide offers travelers something no other provider can: the opportunity to experience travel the way they want regardless of location or type of accommodation.
“With our unmatched portfolio of iconic hospitality brands, Wyndham Worldwide provides travelers with the opportunity to have a great stay no matter where their travel takes them,” said Stephen P. Holmes, chairman and chief executive officer, Wyndham Worldwide. “What better way to recognize the tremendous dedication of the players and caddies participating in this year’s tournament than giving them the opportunity to win free stays with the unique lodging options available through Wyndham Rewards.”
Since 2008, PGA TOUR professionals participating in the Wyndham Championship have had an opportunity to win free stays with Wyndham for making a hole-in-one on the 16th hole during official tournament play. In 2014, a caddie component was added to the contest giving PGA TOUR caddies a chance to make a hole-in-one during both the Monday Kevin Harvick Foundation Pro-Am presented by TCDI and BB&T and Wednesday’s Louis DeJoy and Aldona Z. Wos Family Foundation Pro-Am. A caddie has not yet won the prize. Through Wyndham Rewards®, hole-in-one winners will have the flexibility to choose when, where and for how long they would like to vacation within Wyndham’s vast portfolio, depending on availability.
About Wyndham Worldwide
Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN) is one of the largest global hospitality companies, providing travelers with access to a collection of trusted hospitality brands in hotels, vacation ownership, and unique accommodations including vacation exchange, holiday parks, and managed home rentals. With a collective inventory of more than 130,000 places to stay across 110 countries on six continents, Wyndham Worldwide and its 38,000 associates welcome people to experience travel the way they want. This is enhanced by Wyndham Rewards®, the Company’s re-imagined guest loyalty program across its businesses, which is making it simpler for members to earn more rewards and redeem their points faster. For more information, please visit www.wyndhamworldwide.com.
About Wyndham Rewards
Craned the number one hotel rewards program for 2016-2017 by U.S. News & World Report as well as the most generous program by consulting firm IdeaWorksCompany, Wyndham Rewards® is a simple-to-use, revolutionary loyalty program offering members a generous points earning structure along with a flat, free night redemption rate—the first of its kind for a major rewards program. Members earn a guaranteed 1,000 points for every qualified hotel stay and can redeem for a free night at any of more than 8,000 hotels globally with just 15,000 points or any of more than 22,000 condos and homes for just 15,000 points per room per night. No tricks, just Wyndham Rewards magic. Because You’ve Earned This®. Join for free today at www.wyndhamrewards.com.
About the Wyndham Championship
Contested annually on the Donald Ross-designed course at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., the Wyndham Championship was founded in 1938 and is the sixth-oldest event on the PGA TOUR excluding the Majors. Tickets are available at http://wyndhamchampionship.com, www.Ticketmaster.com or through the tournament office at (336) 379-1570. The tournament thanks title sponsor Wyndham Worldwide, presenting sponsor BB&T and Premier Partners, Cadillac, Harris Teeter, Lincoln Financial, McConnell Golf, Sunbrella®, Technology Concepts & Design, Inc. and VF Corporation for their continued support. Additional tournament information and sponsorship information are available at www.wyndhamchampionship.com. Stay connected with the Wyndham Championship through its social media channels, including the Wyndham Championship Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, Foursquare, Flickr and YouTube.
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