BP PRO ANGLING TEAM ANNOUNCED
Official fuel of FLW Outdoors to support 10-member angling team
MINNEAPOLIS (Jan. 3, 2007) - Today, BP introduced its star-studded professional
angling team for the 2007 Wal-Mart FLW Tour. Team BP is comprised of pros Ray
Scheide, Jim Moynagh, Guido Hibdon, Shinichi Fukae, David Walker, J.T. Kenney,
Tracy Adams and Alfred Williams. Co-anglers Judy Israel and Charles Ward will
fish for Team BP from the back of the boat.
"BP is excited about competing in the one of the largest sports in America,"
stated Kevin Phelan, Sr. Vice President of Marketing for BP. "This team of
all-star anglers was selected based on their commitment to quality, performance
and the environment."
Earlier this year, BP came on board with FLW Outdoors and announced its
platinum sponsorship, including title sponsorship of a division in the revamped
2007 Wal-Mart FLW Series. The new FLW Series will consist of two divisions - the
FLW Series BP Eastern Division and the FLW Series National Guard Western
Division - each consisting of four $1 million qualifying events.
Recently finishing the 2006 Land O'Lakes Angler of the Year race in fourth
place, Scheide certainly has momentum on his side. This past year was his best
ever, and it included five top-50 finishes that added up to nearly $100,000 in
earnings. In fact, the Russellville, Ark., pro cashed a check in every FLW Tour
event. Moreover, he finished second at the 2006 FLW Tour Championship, just 11
ounces away from first place and a $500,000 payday.
"I can't imagine a more natural fit than BP and bass fishing," Scheide said.
"They complement each other so well; they are everywhere we are. It just really
makes sense for the fishermen and for BP. They've picked an unbelievably
talented group of anglers, too."
With 11 top-10 appearances to his credit and a third-place finish in the 2006
Land O'Lakes Angler of the Year race, Moynagh is arguably the hottest bass
angler north of the Mason-Dixon Line. The Carver, Minn., native has amassed
$661,179 in career FLW Outdoors earnings, including three victories.
"It's an unbelievable honor to be a member of the new BP Team," Moynagh said.
"Being associated with such a great group of anglers is an honor in itself. This
is the perfect opportunity to get involved with a company that really supports
fishing. When I join a sponsor team like this, they have to provide a product or
service that I use and that I can recommend to other people."
Hibdon, the elder angler in the legendary Hibdon clan, has been fishing with
FLW Outdoors since 1996. With seven top-10 finishes and nearly $300,000 in
career earnings, the Gravois Mills, Mo., pro is one of the best jig fishermen on
the planet. Hibdon took a particular liking to the new FLW Series, where he
prequalified for the $2 million 2007 Forrest Wood Cup.
Fukae, the 2004 Land O'Lakes Angler of the Year, had a banner year in 2006,
winning the FLW Tour season opener on Lake Okeechobee in Clewiston, Fla., and
then the Wal-Mart Open on Beaver Lake in Rogers, Ark., earning $300,000 in the
first half of the season alone. Not only did he have two FLW Tour wins in 2006,
Fukae also had two other top-fives on the tour and one top-five finish on the
FLW Series. Fukae has only been fishing FLW Outdoors events since 2004, but he
has already amassed an astonishing $523,800 in tournament winnings. Like Hibdon,
Fukae has already punched his ticket to the 2007 Forrest Wood Cup through the
FLW Series.
Walker has recorded an astounding 32 top-10 finishes on his way to more than
$450,000 in career earnings with FLW Outdoors. The Sevierville, Tenn., native
and bass-fishing veteran has also dabbled in the Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series. In
fact, Walker has already claimed a top-10 finish and twice qualified for the
year-end championship through his new fishing venture.
Kenney, known around bass-fishing circles as the flipping king, is no
stranger to success on the water. He has fished in 101 FLW Outdoors tournaments
since 1998, spanning the FLW Tour, FLW Series, Stren Series and the Wal-Mart BFL.
On Jan. 23, 2002, Kenney's fishing career changed forever when he took first
place in the FLW Tour event on Lake Okeechobee, earning him $110,000. To date,
Kenney has 21 top-10 finishes and nearly $400,000 in career earnings.
Adams has been a consistently successful angler, but his career took off this
past June when he took first place on Lake Champlain, earning $100,000. In his
career, the Wilkesboro, N.C., pro has eight top-10 finishes and over $370,000 in
earnings to his name.
Williams is a veteran of FLW Outdoors competition, having competed in over
100 events since 1995. Williams, who hails from Jackson, Miss., also boasts
three victories and 10 top-10 finishes.
Named after the legendary founder of Ranger Boats, Forrest L. Wood, FLW
Outdoors administers the Wal-Mart FLW Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Series, Stren Series,
Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League, Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail presented by Abu
Garcia, Ranger Owners Tournament Championship Series, Wal-Mart FLW Walleye Tour,
Wal-Mart FLW Walleye League, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish Tour, Wal-Mart FLW Kingfish
Series, Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series and Wal-Mart FLW Striper Series. These
circuits will offer combined purses exceeding $43 million through 238 events in
2007.
Wal-Mart and many of America's largest and most respected companies support
FLW Outdoors and its tournament trails. Wal-Mart signed on as an FLW Outdoors
sponsor in 1997 and today is the world's leading supporter of tournament
fishing. For more information about Wal-Mart, visit Wal-Mart.com.
For more information about FLW Outdoors and its tournaments, visit
FLWOutdoors.com or call (270) 252-1000.
About BP
BP markets more than 15 billion gallons of gasoline every year to U.S. consumers
through 13,000 retail outlets and supplies more than four billion gallons of
fuel annually to fleets, industrial users, auto and truck manufacturers,
railroads and utilities. BP is the single, global brand formed by the
combination of the former British Petroleum, Amoco Corporation, Atlantic
Richfield (ARCO) and Burmah Castrol. BP is a global producer, manufacturer and
marketer of oil, gas, chemicals and renewable energy sources. For more
information, please visit www.BP.com.