"We're pleased to get Rocco," said Tom Frampton, Business & Industry Day chairman. "He joins the many golfing greats who have performed before Greenville-area golf enthusiasts. Rocco is very much looking forward to this golf outing and the other festivities at the country club. I'm sure he'll be a welcome addition to the day's events on July 30th."

A Greensburg native and 16-year PGA Tour pro, Mediate joins a long list of golf greats and legends who have performed at this annual outing, including Arnie Palmer, Gary Player, Sam Snead, Chi Chi Rodriquez, Lanny Wadkins, Curtis Strange, Doug Sanders and Ray Floyd.

Mediate currently ranks 44th among career money leaders, having earned more than $6 million in Tour prize money.

No stranger to the PGA Tour, Mediate brings a wealth of tour participation and victories to this year's Greenville Area Economic Development Corporation golfing event. Mediate has captured four PGA Tour victories, winning the '91 Doral-Ryder Open; '93 K-Mart Greater Greensboro Open, '99 Phoenix Open, and 2000 Buick Open. Between the Doral and K-Mark victories, Mediate took the '92 Perrier French Open, a title that gave him international recognition.

At the 2000 Buick Open, Mediate earned his fourth PGA career victory in dramatic fashion with a birdie on the final hole, the first time he led all weekend. After rounds of 68, 64, 70 and 66, Mediate birdied two of the final three holes for a 1e-stroke victory over Chris Perry, the 54-hole leader. The victory at the Buick Open lifted Mediate's winnings over the $1-million mark in a single season for the first time in his 16-year career.

At the '99 Phoenix Open, Mediate, in only his second start of the season, opened with a 2 under par 69 to trail by only one stroke at the end of the first round. In the second round, Mediate rebounded with a 67 to take a 2 stroke lead over Tiger Woods. At the end of 54 holes, Mediate had a '99 Tour-best lead of six strokes with a 66. A final-round 71 earned him a 2-stroke victory over Justin Leonard. A year later, at the 2000 Phoenix Open, Mediate fell one stroke short of his defense of the '99 Phoenix Open title with rounds of 67, 70, and back-to back 67s to finish tied for second.

But its not all been the joy of victory for Mediate. July '94 back surgery on a ruptured disk forced Mediate to miss most of the season and put his career on hold for two years. Mediate did not return to the PGA Tour until the '96 season when he the Phoenix Open.

Mediate was not to enter the winner's circle again until his victory at the '99 Phoenix Open, a title that served notice that he had recovered from back surgery. Then following his victory at the 2000 Buick Open, Mediate was forced to withdraw from the PGA Championship after an opening-round 77 because of a freak accident in which he injured his shoulder, neck and wrist in a fall on the clubhouse patio.

Mediate's first PGA title at the '91 Doral-Ryder Open came after six seasons on the pro circuit. By sinking 10-foot putts on the 71st and 72nd holes with a long-putter, Mediate forced a playoff with Curtis Strange, another former Greenville Business & Industry Day guest pro.

In the Monday playoff, Mediate birdied the first hole from five feet to win $252,000 first-place prize, becoming the first player to win a PGA title using a long putter.

Two years later at the '93 K-Mart Greater Greensboro Open, Mediate captured his second PGA win with a birdie on the fourth playoff hole to defeat Steve Elkington. In '96, two years after undergoing back surgery, Mediate returned to the Tour under special medical extension and promptly tied for sixth at the Phoenix Open to earn $42,088 and regain full PGA playing privileges.

Mediate also had three other top-10 finishes in '96, including a fourth-place tie at The Players Championship, where he became the first golfer to birdie the final six holes at Sawgrass on his way to a final-round 66.

Despite an eighth-place tie at the '97 Buick Open, Mediate's performance was inconsistent. However during the latter half of the season, Mediate made eight consecutive cuts near the end of the year to retain full exempt status.

The Greenville Business & Industry Day's featured foursome will include Mediate; Dan McMillen, country-club pro; Barry Williams, current GCC club champion, and a fourth member to be determined at a July 8, 18-hole, amateur tourney at Greenville County Club.

Sponsors for the 2001 event are: Anderson Coach and Tour; First National Bank of Pa.; Greenville Area Economic Development Corp.; Greenville-Reynolds Development Corp.; Greenville Savings Bank; Jamestown Paint Co.; L.J. Kuder Insurance Agency; National City Bank of Pa.; Pymatuning Independent Telephone Co.; Thiel College; UPMC Horizon, and Werner Co. Any profits generated will be used for local business and industrial development through the Greenville Area Economic Development Corp., Frampton said.