Premier Ewart Brown left Bermuda yesterday for the 89th PGA Championship in Tulsa, Okalahoma, as a guest of the PGA.

The winner of this weekend's tournament will be one of four players coming to Bermuda in October for the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. PGA players Zach Johnson, Angel Cabrera, and Padraig Harrington have already secured a place after winning major tournaments earlier this year.

Dr. Brown, who will be accompanied by his wife Wanda Henton Brown, said: "I have been really looking forward to this tournament because when it ends the planning for the Grand Slam in Bermuda goes into overdrive. No matter who fills the final spot on the scorecard this PGA tournament will be a blockbuster for Bermuda, particularly for the tourism industry."

While in Tulsa, Dr. Brown is scheduled to address about 200 members of the golf media to discuss Bermuda's function as host for the 2007 PGA Grand Slam of Golf. TNT sports, the television partner for the tournament, will also present its Bermuda-based broadcast strategy today.

Tomorrow afternoon Dr. Brown is scheduled to meet with PGA president Brian Whitcomb and PGA chief executive officer Joe Steranka. They will discuss the PGA-Bermuda partnership and will also talk about preparations for the Grand Slam at the Mid Ocean Club.