Fitzy to Represent NZ One More Time

Fitzy to Represent NZ One More Time

** Hart, Dallow and Mau Join Fitzy on the Fairway **

NEW ZEALAND, Mar. 11, 2004 - NZ rugby legend Sean Fitzpatrick will be brandishing the silver fern once more but this time on the green when he competes in the annual Caltex Celebrity Cup Challenge Golf Tournament in Singapore this weekend from 13 to 14 March. He will be joined by fellow Kiwis John Hart (team captain), Simon Dallow and Alison Mau. Together the four will comprise this year's Team Caltex New Zealand. Sean's wife, Bronwyn Fitzpatrick will also be in Singapore to visit various sporting and charity organisations, and provide team support.

Playing in a Ryder Cup format with a few additions designed to enhance the enjoyment of both players and spectators, Team Caltex New Zealand will compete over two days at Singapore's 18-hole Laguna National Golf Course, against six other international celebrity teams from Singapore, South Africa, Asia, Australia, USA and Europe.

Formidable competition will come from international personalities such as English footballers Lee Sharpe and David Hirst, US NBA star John Havlicek, three-time Australian Olympic hockey gold medallist Rechelle Hawkes, Australian Olympics swimming captain Chris Fydler and a South African team comprising rugby player Joel Stransky; newly-appointed Springbok coach Jake White; Wimbledon finalist, Kevin Curren; and cricketer Darryl Cullinan who toured New Zealand with the Proteas last year.

Designed specifically for international celebrities, the Caltex Celebrity Cup is held in the lead-up to the annual Caltex Masters, a world-class golf tournament jointly sanctioned by the European and Asian PGA tours, which attracts elite players from around the world including superstars Paul McGinley, Colin Montgomerie and New Zealand's very own Michael Campbell.

"John Hart led the team very ably last year and he's looking for an even better performance this year," says Niall Kramer, Public and Government Affairs Manager for Caltex New Zealand. "It's going to be a very competitive few days on the green."

Following the tournament, celebrities will get the opportunity to play against the world's leading golfers in the Caltex Charity Pro-Am, and the Golfers With Heart Grand Final event. The NZ team will also be visiting and helping nominated sporting or charity groups in Singapore, as this is a large component of the event.

"Singapore sees New Zealand as a very strong and successful sporting nation. The All Blacks are huge there and given last year's World Cup Netball win and the strength of our rowers Ben Fouhy and the Evers-Swindell twins, the interest in NZ achievement is high. Naturally they are interested in meeting Sean and John to discuss tips on fostering successful players and teams," says Kramer.

Globally, Caltex has a strong commitment and association with golf and charity, which is nowhere more evident than at the annual Caltex Masters event where the charity component has been well embedded.

In recent years, the introduction of supporting tournaments such as the Caltex Celebrity Cup Challenge has helped increase the event's profile and fundraising capacity. In the past three years alone, Caltex has raised more than $1 million for charity. This year, proceeds will go to the Society for the Physically Disabled Education Programme and The Straits Times Pocket Money Fund which provides support for 6,400 needy children in the Singapore region.

About Caltex & ChevronTexaco:

Caltex is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ChevronTexaco, a leader in the global integrated energy business and active in more than 180 countries. ChevronTexaco is the world's fourth-largest integrated energy company on oil-equivalent reserves (net proven reserves of approximately 11.9 billion barrels of crude oil and natural gas equivalent) and in production (net production of 2.6 million barrels of crude oil and natural gas equivalent per day). It has the capacity to refine more than 2 million barrels per day, sells more than 3.9 million barrels of refined products per day and maintains a worldwide network of 24,000 outlets, including affiliates, under the Chevron, Texaco and Caltex brands. It ranks among the top three global lubricants companies, is an industry leader in the power and gasification businesses and has extensive technology operations.

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