CARLSBAD, CALIF. (August 5, 2010) – Only one week remains in adidas Golf’s "Wear In The World Adventure²" before the company names its next social media catalyst. Finalists Chris Dukeminier (Oregon) and Steve Olsen (Wisconsin) will continue to display their desire to work for adidas Golf by participating in business-related tasks and golf challenges at Chateau Whistler Golf Club and Tobiano Country Club.  Dukeminier and Olsen who have been engaged in the world’s most exciting job interview, anticipate next week’s private finale at Bandon Dunes, Oregon and hope to hear their name called on the final day.  In the meantime, Dukeminier and Olsen departed Japan and are on their way to Canada as the race for a position at TaylorMade-adidas Golf has never been more intense. 

With seven of the nine legs completed, Olsen holds a slim lead over Dukeminier heading into the final two countries and the final interview. Olsen took the first three victories in Germany, Norway and Scotland, but Dukeminier closed the gap after picking up back-to-back wins in Dubai and Thailand. Olsen tried to break away after winning in South Korea, but Dukeminier answered with a victory in Japan. With just two more countries to visit and numerous challenges still ahead, the Wear In The World adventure is sure to come down to the wire at Bandon Dunes.

Challenges in South Korea proved difficult as the candidates needed to overcome the language barrier to complete various tasks. Olsen pulled away by creating a better video which featured the biggest South Korean adidas Golf fans and by showing how badly he wants his dream job by being the first to hike up Sunrise Peak for the second time in the day.

While in Japan, the pair continued to participate in various business-related competitions: they went paragliding and competed at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course as well as Kobe Golf Club, which is the oldest course in Japan. Dukeminier and Olsen were tasked with interacting with locals and the finalists took to the streets of Kyoto to inform the locals about adidas Golf’s performance fabric and industry-leading footwear as street performers. Additionally, Dukeminier and Olsen were tasked with interacting on the streets dressed up as either a Samurai Expert or Geisha. Dukeminier stole a victory here when he enthusiastically chose to dress in the Geisha costume, displaying his desire to be adidas Golf’s next social media catalyst.

The Wear In The World journey began June 26 in Herzogenaurach, Germany at the adidas Group global headquarters where the competitors played golf with PGA Tour Professionals Sergio Garcia and Retief Goosen, ziplined through the famed Olympic Stadium and learned firsthand what it means to be a “die-hard” sports fan as they celebrated in the streets with the Germans as their beloved national team notched multiple World Cup victories. 

The second stop in Norway included a game of golf at midnight at Tromso Golf Park and a competition where each contestant created a viral video to promote a benefit of selected adidas Golf products. The third stop in Scotland, Olsen and Dukeminier were privileged enough to enjoy the Open Championship at St. Andrews where they mingled with adidas Golf athletes, competed in a haggis-eating contest and speed golf at Kingarrock Hickory Golf Club. Once at their fourth stop in Dubai, adidas Golf challenged the participants to play golf in record-breaking heat (130◦ F) and a downhill race at Ski Dubai’s indoor ski facility. On their fifth stop in Thailand, they visited an elephant camp, competed at the Chiang Mai Highlands Golf and Spa Report with local youth players, created viral videos promoting adidas Golf gear where the fans and followers chose the winner and challenged them to a bug eating contest.

The applicants will return to the United States where the journey will culminate with a private finale planned at the Old MacDonald course at Bandon Dunes, Oregon the week of August 10th. The final stop before the finale will take the Wear In The World adventure to Canada, where they will continue to display their desire to work for adidas Golf by participating in business-related tasks and golf challenges at Chateau Whistler Golf Club and Tobiano Country Club.

During their trips, Olsen and Dukeminier are tasked with creating compelling content through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and other social media channels highlighting their adventures and building loyal followers during their trip. In addition to golf outings with adidas Golf's PGA, European and Asian Tour Professionals, the finalists will also sightsee and experience the various local cultures and activities. They are accompanied by an adidas Golf employee based out of the South Africa office, Aaron Russell, who is "hosting" the competition and ensuring seamless travel between locations. A small camera crew is documenting the entire trip and feeding it back to: www.adidasgolf.com/wearintheworld.

Olsen and Dukeminier are faced with challenges that are decided by live polls on the adidas Golf Wear In The World website. With this live poll, consumers can vote on their favorite candidate and select who they believe, better deserves the job. In addition, the website also boasts an interactive toolbar allowing followers the ability to interact in real time better than before and enter to win great adidas Golf giveaways, including the most recent Ultimate Finale giveaway, where someone can win a trip and round of golf for two at Bandon Dunes.

Two months ago, adidas Golf teamed with Yahoo! HotJobs, a leading online resource for job seekers and recruiters, to open up a search for two candidates who would participate in a head-to-head showdown for a chance to work at the company. After more than 1.1 million searches for this unique position, countless hours of sifting through resumes, and difficult internal decisions, adidas Golf selected Olsen and Dukeminier to compete for the position. During this ultimate trip, they will also prove that adidas Golf apparel powered by COOLMAX® Extreme performance fabric, and its industry-leading footwear, would stand up against the world's most extreme golf conditions allowing golfers to perform at their best regardless of what mother nature throws at them.