DES MOINES, Iowa--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Great golf and even greater giving.

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The Principal Charity Classic^®, presented by Wells Fargo, today announced the 2017 tournament raised a record $3,581,427 for Iowa children’s charities, surpassing the annual event’s previous record of just over $2 million donated in 2016.

The Principal Charity Classic, which was named the 2016 PGA TOUR Champions Tournament of the Year, has now donated approximately $13.5 million to benefit Iowa kids since 2007 (watch video here).

“This level of giving is a direct reflection of the community’s support for the Principal Charity Classic and the incredible commitment of our 375 tournament sponsors,” said Dan Houston, chairman, president and CEO of Principal^®. “This event continues to grow and exceed expectations. In particular, our Birdies For Charity program has seen rapid growth and benefits children’s charities throughout the entire state of Iowa.”

Birdies For Charity organizations solicit donations on their own behalf and receive 100% of every donation they collect, plus a 10% match on every donation thanks to generous funding from Sammons Financial Group and Wells Fargo. Participating organizations must have 501 (c)(3) status and programming for Iowa children, or be a K-12 school in the state.

Funds raised through the tournament also support six Tournament Charity Partners in the Des Moines area: Blank Children’s Hospital, Bravo Greater Des Moines, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, Mercy Medical Center, United Way of Central Iowa and Variety – the Children’s Charity of Iowa.

Principal extends title sponsorship

Principal also announced today it has extended its Principal Charity Classic title sponsorship through 2023. Principal has served as title sponsor since 2007, along with Wells Fargo as presenting sponsor. Wells Fargo extended its presenting sponsor role for an additional three years in 2016.

Today’s extension announcement also includes the tournament’s host venue, with Wakonda Club set to host the Principal Charity Classic through 2023.

“Principal is proud to extend its title sponsorship of this world-class golf event and to do so with the support of many dedicated corporate and community partners, and of course the Wakonda Club,” Houston said. “Our goal is for the tournament to flourish for many years to come, and to continue giving back to Greater Des Moines and the state of Iowa.”

The Principal Charity Classic, which drew more than 81,000 fans to historic Wakonda Club in 2017, annually brings some of the biggest names in golf to Des Moines. This year’s tournament featured 27 of the top 30-ranked PGA TOUR Champions players, with Brandt Jobe holding off defending champion Scott McCarron and Kevin Sutherland to win by one shot for his first career PGA TOUR Champions victory.

Additional 2017 competitors included Bernhard Langer, the 2016 PGA TOUR Champions Player of the Year and defending Charles Schwab Cup champion; past Principal Charity Classic champions McCarron, Mark Calcavecchia, Russ Cochran, Jay Haas, Bob Gilder and Tom Pernice, Jr.; and perennial fan favorites such as Billy Andrade, Fred Funk, Tom Lehman, Jesper Parnevik and Fuzzy Zoeller.

The 2018 Principal Charity Classic will take place June 5-10, 2018, at Wakonda Club. For more information or to donate and help the tournament support kids year-round, visit principalcharityclassic.com.

About the Principal Charity Classic

The Principal Charity Classic is an annual PGA TOUR Champions event focused on philanthropic giving. In 2016, the Principal Charity Classic was recognized as the PGA TOUR Champions Tournament of the Year. This premier golf event raises contributions for the tournament’s “FORE Our Kids” charities, including: 1) Tournament Charity Partners, select organizations that provide a broad level of support to children of Iowa in the areas of education and culture, financial security and stability, and/or health and wellness. These organizations are supported through net proceeds of the tournament; and 2) Birdies for Charity Partners, which includes more than 100 additional children’s charities across Iowa that receive support through individual pledges and contributions made prior to and during the tournament.

The 2018 Principal Charity Classic tournament will be played June 5-10, 2018, at Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa. For more information on the charities and the tournament, visit principalcharityclassic.com and follow via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

About PGA TOUR Champions

PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of golf’s most recognizable and accomplished players, age 50 and older, including 32 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. In 2017, the PGA TOUR Champions schedule includes 26 tournaments in 18 states, Japan, Wales and Canada, with purses totaling more than $55 million. The Charles Schwab Cup, which includes the Regular Season and the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, is used to determine the season-long champion. All events are televised in the United States, with most receiving complete coverage on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Internationally, telecasts air live, tape-delayed or in a highlights-package format in excess of 190 countries and territories, reaching more than 330 million potential households. The PGA TOUR's web site is PGATOUR.COM, the No. 1 site in golf, and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Follow PGA TOUR Champions at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour and on Instagram @pgatourchampions.

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