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NEWS

McGann, Jun to sport Iconic brand

Iconic Sport signs LPGA player Michelle McGann and Duramed Futures Tour player Hannah Jun to sponsorship agreements and each will wear the Iconic brand in their remaining 2009 tour events.

Ecco shows off national spirit

Ecco is named official footwear supplier to the 2009 Solheim Cup, and will create special, limited-edition Team USA and Team Europe shoes for the competition.

Dunning adds Stanley to apparel roster

Dunning Sportswear signs Kyle Stanley to its roster of staff players.

By Janice Ferguson
GPA Writer

Forget all of the woulda, coulda, shoulda regarding Ricky Barnes' performance at the recent U.S. Open. The 28-year-old former U.S. Amateur champion and current PGA Tour rookie may not have been able to hang on to his second- and third-round leads to ultimately win the Open, but his performance was noteworthy.

Through 36 holes at the soggy Bethpage State Park Black Course, Barnes was a record 8-under 132. When asked if he could foresee such a major record, Barnes responded: "Could I have predicted I would shoot 132? No. Did I know I had it in me? Yeah."

Though he ballooned to a final-round 76, his three-way tie for second place at a U.S. Open was not too shabby.

"It was a great week," Barnes said. "If you told me I would have been 2-under and come in second - a bridesmaid isn't too bad. I would say a lot, lot more good came out of this week than bad."

The week was also beneficial for Oakley, which clothed Barnes in its performance apparel, eyewear and footwear. As for the Castro hat that had people talking and tweeting about, it was Barnes' only non-Oakley piece of apparel.

Otherwise what sponsor wouldn't love a player who changed outfits in between rounds played on the same day, or who actually wore its sunglasses on his face rather than wrapped around the back of his head? In fact, more than 30 players, including David Duval, Henrik Stenson, Ian Poulter and Azuma Yano, wore Oakley products competing in the 109th U.S. Open.

"We couldn't be more proud of all of our athletes' performance," said Oakley president Colin Baden. "Earning their trust and faith in our products is an honor - and a responsibility. We will continue to take pride in defying all limits so that Ricky and others can have the very best."

For information, visit www.oakley.com.