Presidents Cup and partners generate more than $1.1 million for Australia bushfire relief efforts
International and U.S. Teams each add $125,000 from Presidents Cup charitable funds
MELBOURNE, Victoria, Australia – In a five-week span in which four 2019 Presidents Cup participants – two from the International Team and two from the U.S. Team – won on the PGA TOUR, the Presidents Cup and partner organizations have combined to generate more than $1.1 million (USD) for Australia bushfire relief efforts.
During the week of the Sony Open in Hawaii in January, which was won by Australia’s Cameron Smith, International Team Captain Ernie Els announced an additional donation of $125,000 from their 2019 charitable funds for the cause. The Presidents Cup and the PGA TOUR matched that donation.
Additionally, U.S. Team Captain Tiger Woods announced today that the U.S. Team members also united for a separate donation of $125,000 from their 2019 charitable commitments for the cause, which the Presidents Cup and PGA TOUR have also matched.
This $500,000 total was donated alongside Greg Norman’s efforts and an accompanying donation of $250,000 from the Greg Norman charities for a total of $750,000 for the American Australian Association that established a Bushfire Relief Fund which will use 100 percent of donations to support fire response efforts throughout Australia.
Also in January, Australian PGA TOUR players and 2019 International Team members Marc Leishman and Smith announced that they would donate funds for every birdie and eagle made at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Smith, who happened to go on to win the event, and Leishman were joined by Matt Jones, Rhein Gibson, Cameron Davis, Cameron Percy and Parker McLachlin, who collectively pledged more than $26,000 as part of their efforts. The Presidents Cup matched their pledges to create a total donation of more than $52,000.
Leishman’s Begin Again Foundation also vowed to match general donations up to $5,000. Leishman, who hails from Victoria, elected to support The Victorian County Fire Authority, while Smith, a Queenslander, tabbed The Queensland Fire and Rescue team as the recipients of his contribution.
On Monday, January 27, The Premiers Cup, hosted by Daniel Andrews, the Premier of Victoria, Australia, was held at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club and raised more than $380,000 (USD) to go directly to the families most affected by the fires. As part of the event, custom golf carts signed by the International and U.S. Team members and captains were auctioned off in addition to other PGA TOUR and Presidents Cup items to help raise money.
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“I want to thank the rest of the International Team for their contributions to the cause and I know all of Australia – and particularly the victims – will be very grateful,” Leishman said.
Added Els: “The International Team was made to feel at home and felt tremendous support and hospitality from the great people of Australia. Our players came together to pitch in to help the efforts of these tragic fires, the brave men and women in harm’s way and those impacted by the devastation.”
“The fans in Australia have always done so much to support golf, the Presidents Cup and the PGA TOUR,” Woods said. “It’s heartbreaking to see the devastation that these fires are creating. As a team, we hope that our contribution can play a small role in helping those effected and can serve to push others to contribute to the cause.”
“Our thoughts go out to the communities impacted by the horrendous bushfires in Australia, including those who have sacrificed to fight the fires or deal with their aftermath. It’s been overwhelming to see the output of support by the Australian and international community to support bushfire relief efforts,” said Greg Norman. “With the support of my fans, colleagues and business associates, we hope to send a strong signal to our friends in Australia that the international community is there during their time of need.”
Mr. Andrews said that the bushfires had touched people around the world.
“I thank everyone in the golfing community who has dug deep to support people affected by this summer’s bushfires – the response had been extraordinary.” Mr. Andrews said. “It’s been a difficult time for many communities in our state, but with the support of organisations like the Presidents Cup and individuals like Marc Leishman, a proud Victorian, we will recover.”
“It is heartwarming and comes as no surprise to see our players lend their support for the current crisis here in Australia,” said Presidents Cup Executive Director Matt Kamienski. “Having worked and lived in Australia for the past two editions of the Presidents Cup in 2011 and 2019, it is difficult to witness what this community has endured over the last several weeks. Our thoughts are with those who have experienced a loss during this time, and we thank those who continually raise their hand to fight these bushfires.
“The Presidents Cup and the PGA TOUR have been welcomed with open arms in all of our visits to Australia and we hope our involvement will positively impact the community that gave so much to the event.”
To contribute to either one of these organizations, please visit their respective donation sites below:
Begin Again Foundation: http://beginagainfoundation.com/donate/.
The Victorian Country Fire Authority https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/about/supporting-cfa#donate-cfa
The Queensland Fire and Rescue team http://www.givit.org.au/disasters.
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About the Presidents Cup
The Presidents Cup is a unique golf event in that there is no purse or prize money. Players are not paid for their participation, but each competitor allocates an equal portion of the funds generated to charities of his choice. Since the event’s inception, more than $49.1 million has been raised for charity from event proceeds, as well as contributions made on behalf of the Presidents Cup, including a record charitable donation of $10.7 million from the 2017 event alone.
Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thepresidentscup, Twitter and Instagram at @presidentscup and sign up for the Presidents Cup e-newsletter.
Citi and Rolex are the exclusive Global Partners of the Presidents Cup.
About Citi
Citi, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citigroup.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi
About Rolex
An unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise
Rolex, a Swiss watch manufacture headquartered in Geneva, is recognized the world over for its expertise and the quality of its products. Its Oyster and Cellini watches, all certified as Superlative Chronometers for their precision, performance and reliability, are symbols of excellence, elegance and prestige. Founded by Hans Wilsdorf in 1905, the brand pioneered the development of the wristwatch and is at the origin of numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism invented in 1931. Rolex has registered over 500 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Through philanthropic programmes and a broad palette of sponsorship activities, Rolex is also actively involved in supporting the arts, sports and exploration, and encourages the spirit of enterprise, as well as the conservation of natural environments.
About Melbourne – A Golfing Great
There are many sides to Melbourne. It’s serious yet playful, quiet yet dramatic, sport-obsessed yet in love with the creative industries.
Melbourne is a city that is constantly evolving, improving and changing, every day and all year round. The city innovates, is hungry for new ideas and delivers unexpected experiences from its inspired laneways, bars, art spaces, restaurants and boutiques.
Melbourne, and Victoria’s regions including the Bellarine and Mornington Peninsulas, are also home to Australia’s finest golf courses.
The famed Melbourne Sandbelt is superbly regarded internationally, with eight courses epitomising the golden age of golf architecture. These highly ranked layouts are built on land in the southeast suburbs and are conveniently located within a short distance of each other.
In 2018, Melbourne hosted the PGA TOUR’s World Cup of Golf, with the Royal Melbourne Golf Club proud to welcome the 2019 Presidents Cup for the third time this year. The Australian Open of Golf returns to the city in 2020 and 2022.
Contacts: Chris Reimer, PGA TOUR, 904-273-3286, creimer@pgatourhq.com
In Australia: Matt Kamienski, Presidents Cup Executive Director, 0455 570 455, mattkamienski@pgatourhq.com
