Golf Channel and Wendy’s 3-Tour Sign New Three-Year Promotional Agreement; Record Amount Raised for Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in 2006
Dublin, Ohio – December 11, 2006 – Tournament officials announced today that the Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge will be officially sanctioned by the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour, and Champions Tour, through 2012.
"In the 15-year history of the event, more than $23 million has been raised for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption – a record setting $3.85 million in 2006 alone," said Wendy’s Chief Marketing Officer Ian Rowden. "By extending this tournament through 2012, we hope to make the future brighter for thousands of children waiting in foster care for a permanent loving family to call their own."
The Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge is the only professional golf tournament that pits three players from the PGA, LPGA and Champions Tours against each other in competitive, head-to-head threesomes for Tour bragging rights. Each threesome consists of one player from each Tour competing in two separate, nine-hole stroke play matches.
"We’re very delighted to have the Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge on our schedule for the next six years," said Ed Moorhouse, Executive Vice President and co-Chief Operating Officer for the PGA TOUR. "The events charitable focus, coupled with its engaging format, makes it a perfect fit for PGA TOUR players and fans."
"For 15 years, our players have enjoyed competing in the Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge and we are pleased to sanction the event for at least another six seasons," said Chris Higgs, LPGA senior vice president and chief operations officer. "The entertaining and competitive event combined with the steadfast goal of raising awareness of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption and foster care adoption makes the event a terrific finale to the season."
In addition, the Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge has signed a new three-year promotional agreement with The Golf Channel. The new agreement, extending through 2008, features a tournament Preview Show, Review Show and two thirty-minute Big Break Clinic Shows each contract year.
"The charity dollars raised annually by the Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption are an inspiration," said Gene Pizzolato, Executive Vice President of Advertising Sales & New Media for The Golf Channel. "Through our new contract and support of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, we will continue the effort to raise awareness for foster care adoption for another three years."
The Golf Channel Preview Show, Big Break Clinic Shows, and Review Show will air beginning December 23 at 3:30 P.M. and culminate with the ABC telecast of the 15th playing of the Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge, December 23 and 24 from 4:00 to 6:00 P.M. eastern standard time. Tour professionals for the 2006 installment of the Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge included: Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson, Scott Verplank (PGA TOUR); Jay Haas, Tom Kite, Craig Stadler (Champions Tour); and Natalie Gulbis, Juli Inkster and Cristie Kerr (LPGA Tour).
In addition to charity records, the 2006 Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge set many other records of note. Amateur participation reached a new high as more than 300 golfers descended upon Lake Las Vegas, NV to partake in three days of optional amateur outings and a final day pro-am. The PGA
TOUR team posted a record 7th Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge victory by carding a team score of 202, 14-under-par. The PGA TOUR team’s winning share of the record $1 million dollar purse was $500,000. Craig Stadler set a Reflection Bay course record by firing a 9-under-par 63 that led the Champions Tour team to a second place finish The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is the sole beneficiary of the Wendy’s 3-Tour Challenge. Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s® Old Fashioned Hamburgers, created the Foundation in 1992 in support of the vision that every child deserves a permanent home and a loving family. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption focuses on increasing foster care adoption awareness while supporting model adoption service programs. More than 140,000 children in North America are waiting in foster care for safe, loving adoptive families and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is dedicated to assuring an adoptive home for every waiting child.
Contact:
Tom Sprouse
HNS Sports Group
614-889-6791
