Beaverton, Ore. – VTech Communications, Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of VTech Holdings Ltd. HKSE: 303; ADR: VTKHY, and the largest U.S. cordless phone manufacturer) today announced its 2010 Ladies’ Professional Golf Association (LPGA) player sponsorships. “Team VTech” for 2010 includes returning players Diana D’Alessio, Becky Morgan, Alena Sharp and Karen Stupples, as well as newcomers Beth Bader and Meaghan Francella.
LPGA fans can tune in to support “Team VTech” players in the season’s first tournament, March 25-28. The Inaugural Kia Classic, presented by J Golf at La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, Calif., is a full-field, 144-player event and the LPGA’s first 2010 event in the United States.
“We wish the players a successful year and look forward to seeing them sport the VTech name on the course throughout the season,” said Tom Bacon, vice president of marketing, VTech Communications. “They are great ambassadors to connect women and golf enthusiasts to our brand and our line of cordless phone and home audio products. We’re looking forward to a spectacular season.”
VTech has sponsored players on the LPGA tour since 2005 and offers fans behind-the-scenes tournament and player updates throughout the year at http://lpga.vtechphones.com.
Player Profiles:
Beth Bader – New “Team VTech” player Bader began her golf career in Iowa, where she won the 1991 Iowa Junior Open, 1991 Des Moines Open and 1992 Waterloo Junior Open. She continued to build her resume with a win at the 1995 Quad City Women’s Amateur and a runner-up finish at the Iowa Women’s Amateur. As a member and captain of the Iowa State University (ISU) women’s golf team, Bader was a medalist at the 1993 Northern Illinois Huskie Invitational and was the team’s most valuable player in 1993-94. Bader also was a runner-up at the Big Eight Championship and is the only player from ISU to earn All-Big Eight honors for two years. In 1996, Bader was named ISU’s Female Athlete of the Year.
In 2008, her best finish was a tie for 25th at the LPGA State Farm Classic, where she recorded a season-low 66 in the second round. That same year, she returned to the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, where she tied for fourth to earn Priority List Category 11 for the 2009 LPGA season. In 2009, she tied for sixth place at the Navistar LPGA Classic Presented by Monaco R.V.
Diana D’Alessio – D’Alessio is in her second year as a member of “Team VTech.” She began playing golf at age 13 and was the 1994 New Jersey State Amateur champion and Women’s Metropolitan Golf Association (WMGA) Stroke Play champion, a title she captured again from 1995-96. D’Alessio was named the WMGA Player of the Year from 1995-96. While at Furman University, she was named the 1997 Most Valuable Player for the women’s golf team, earned 1997 Southern Conference champion honors and recorded seven top-10 finishes. In 2006, her best finish was second place at the Honda LPGA Thailand, and she carded a career-low in 2007 at the LPGA Corning Classic and in 2008 at the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill. In 2009, D’Alessio’s best finish was 39th in the Michelob ULTRA Open.
Meaghan Francella – New “Team VTech” player Francella was a two-time New York State Junior Champion. While at the University of Memphis, Francella was named the 2001 Conference USA Freshman of the Year after winning the individual title at the Conference USA Championship that year. She won the 2002 Dixie Amateur Championship and finished second at the Women’s Western Amateur in 2003. While at the University of North Carolina, Francella was the 2003 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Individual Champion and finished runner-up in 2004. The 2004 NCAA East Regional Champion, Francella was an NCAA First-Team All-American selection. In 2007, she became the first Rolex First-Time Winner of the season at the MasterCard Classic Honoring Alejo Peralta Presented by Televisa Deportes, where she recorded all rounds in the 60s and defeated defending champion Annika Sorenstam in a four-hole, sudden-death playoff. She also carded a career-low 66 in both the final round of the Corona Championship and in the third round of the Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika. In 2009, she tied for fifth at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, matching her best finish at a major championship.
Becky Morgan – Long-time “Team VTech” member Morgan has been a golfer since the age of 12. While growing up in Wales, she represented the Welsh Junior and Under-21 teams and also captured the 1991-92 Welsh School Championship titles. Morgan was a member of the Great Britain and Ireland Curtis Cup Team in 1998 and 2000, and was runner-up in 1996 and a semifinalist in 1997 at the British Amateur Championship. At the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, she won 10 collegiate tournaments, including three Big South Conference Championships during 1995-97. Morgan was named second-team all-American in 1997 and finished 10th in the NCAA Championship the same year. She added runner-up finishes at the Welsh Amateur Championship from 1998-99 and finished second at the South Atlantic Amateur Championship in 2000. In 2009, Morgan’s best finish was ninth place at the P&G Beauty NW Arkansas Championship Presented by John Q. Hammons where she carded a season-low 67 in the third round. In 2009, she also carded a 67 in the third round of the LPGA Corning Classic.
Alena Sharp – Multi-year “Team VTech” member Sharp began playing golf at age 10. A standout amateur in Canada, she was a two-time winner of the Ontario Junior Championship (1997-98) and captured the 1999 Ontario Ladies’ Championship, as well as the 1999 Canadian Junior Championship. Sharp was also a winner of the Toronto Star Amateur Championship in 2000 and 2003. At New Mexico State University (NMSU), she won the 2000 Big West Conference Championship, 2002 NMSU Invitational and the 2002 and 2003 Sun Belt Conference Championships. Sharp was Sun Belt Conference Female Athlete of the Year and an NCAA All-American First-Team selection in 2003. She also was honored with the 2003 Edith Cummings Munson Award, given to an individual who excelled on the golf course and in the classroom. In 2008, Sharp’s best finish was a tie for 15th at the Corona Championship. In 2009, she recorded her first LPGA career hole-in-one during the second round of the Corona Championship and her second LPGA career hole-in-one during the second round of the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill.
Karen Stupples – Entering her second year as a “Team VTech” player, Stupples has been a golfer since age 11 and represented Great Britain in the 1996 and 1998 Curtis Cup competitions. She also represented England Juniors from 1989-91 and England Seniors from 1995-98. Stupples played collegiate golf at Florida State University, winning two events and being named a Second-Team All-American in 1995. She gave birth to son Logan in 2007, then returned to play eight events and recorded a season-best tie for tenth at The Mitchell Company LPGA Tournament of Champions, where she carded a season-low 67 in the second round. Stupples is also a two-time winner on Tour, including the 2004 Weetabix Women’s British Open, where she became the second player in history to record a double-eagle at an LPGA major championship. In 2008, her best finish was a tie for second at the Michelob ULTRA Open at Kingsmill and finished in fourth-place finish at the Grand China Air LPGA, as well as led the Tour with 12 eagles. In 2009, Stupples carded a season-low 65 in the third round of the LPGA Corning Classic and won the S4C Wales Ladies Championship of Europe on the Ladies European Tour (LET) – her first win since 2004. She was also featured in a Good Morning America segment about being a mother while on tour with the LPGA.
About VTech
VTech is one of the world’s largest suppliers of corded and cordless telephones and a leading supplier of electronic learning products. It also provides highly sought-after contract manufacturing services. Founded in 1976, the Group’s mission is to be the most cost-effective designer and manufacturer of innovative, high-quality consumer electronics products and to distribute them to markets worldwide in the most efficient manner.
For more information on VTech and its array of products, please visit www.vtechphones.com.
