Mizuno announced the final two members of “Team JPX,” completing the 12-person roster of “game-improvement” golf amateurs to be featured in the popular “Play Famously” campaign.
Eric Barry and Josh Kruger, from Norwalk, Conn. and Richmond, Va. respectively, were selected as the final members to join the 2014 Team JPX roster. As members of the team, both will be outfitted from head to toe with Mizuno gear and apparel, including the JPX-EZ irons, and will begin their personal game-improvement journeys in preparation for competition at the second annual JPX Invitational in Atlanta this September.
As a professional opera singer Eric Barry performs on some of the biggest stages around the world. Most would not consider performance anxiety a typical challenge of those in this profession, but Barry found his nerves getting the best of him. To help him past this block, Barry's performance coach used his love of golf to his advantage. Barry was able to envision every swing as a small, on-stage scenario providing him the chance to overcome judgment, anxiety and expectations. Through the sport of golf, he has been able to overcome his fear and thrive on stage performing in immensely pressure-packed situations.
“I grew up on a golf course, but little did I know the game was going to have an ever-lasting impact on my life and profession as an adult,” said Barry. “My passion for the game of golf is equaled only by my passion to perform on stage singing opera, so it's an honor to represent Mizuno and 'Team JPX' over the next couple of months culminating in the JPX Invitational in September.”
For forensic scientist Josh Kruger, golfing with a buddy and best friend seemed like a simple task, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Kruger's best friend is actually his son and they've never officially played golf together. When Kruger's son was 14-years-old they moved from South Africa to the U.S. Through their experiences learning to understand the language differences and culture intricacies, the two created an inseparable bond. That bond abruptly ended when his son moved back to South Africa to marry the women of his dreams. Lost without his best friend, Kruger quickly discovered they were both passionate about golf and it bridged the 8,000-mile Atlantic Ocean barrier between them. Their ability to share stories of birdies, long drives, chip ins and low rounds has allowed golf to be the driving force in keeping father and son close with one another.
“Golf bridged an 8,000 mile Atlantic Ocean gap between my son and I. Without it, our relationship wouldn't be nearly as strong as it is today and I'm extremely grateful,” said Kruger. “Becoming a member of 'Team JPX' is a once-in-a-lifetime experience I plan on treasuring for as long as I live, but don't get me wrong, I plan on putting my time in on the practice range to give myself the best shot at winning the JPX Invitational.”
Barry and Kruger round out a very talented roster of “game-improvement” professionals that have proven golf's uncanny ability to change how people live their lives.
The following is a complete list of all 12 “Team JPX” members:
Jeremy Thee (Denver, Colorado)
Tony Taylor (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina)
Jerry Leonard (Pearl River, Louisiana)
Kadin Mahmet (Crown Point, Indiana)
Stephen Cox (Orlando, Florida)
Mike Bracy (Detroit, Michigan)
Tim Buckland (Edmonton, Alberta)
Joe Wechsler (Reston, Virginia)
Amy Newman (Charlotte, North Carolina)
Joe Bracamonte (Fresno, California)
Eric Barry (New Haven, Connecticut)
Josh Kruger (Richmond, Virginia)
“This is a strong and inspiring team of golfers. Each of their stories represents a challenge many American faces, and we appreciate their openness about their experiences playing golf,” said Dick Lyons, Senior VP/GM – Product Divisions, Mizuno USA. “Now we can set our eyes on the next big stop – the JPX Invitational in September. The team only has a few short months to get the JPX-EZs in play and prepare for the golf experience of a lifetime.”
The 12 members of “Team JPX” were selected through an online contest at playfamously.com where golfers are encouraged to try the new JPX-EZ irons at a participating retailer and provide their feedback on the new game-improvement irons along with their submission of a short essay, photos and/or videos. The submissions demonstrated their passion for golf and a specific challenge that golf has helped, or is helping them overcome in their lives.
At the center of the “Play Famously” campaign is the newest addition to the JPX line of game-improvement irons, the
JPX-EZ. The line establishes an entirely new standard for forgiveness with a proven sweet spot 83 percent bigger than TaylorMade Rocketbladez and more than 50 percent larger than Ping G25 and Callaway X-Hot. JPX-EZ utilizes an ultra-thin, Hot Metal face that delivers an enhanced 'trampoline effect' for the extra distance all players desire.
To see how the JPX-EZ irons stack up against the competition and submit to become one of the newest members of Team JPX, visit playfamously.com.
