TOUR Championship officials and the PGA TOUR announced today the creation of the ‘Golf With A Purpose’ Charity Challenge, a televised nine-hole charity exhibition to benefit the East Lake Foundation and the TOUR Championship’s other charitable beneficiaries.
The match, which will be played in a scramble format, will take place Thursday, Sept. 3, on the back nine at historic East Lake Golf Club on the eve of the TOUR Championship. Newly retired NBA legend and recent member of the Atlanta Hawks Vince Carter will team with four-time PGA TOUR winner Ryan Palmer, while former Pittsburgh Steelers running back, NFL Hall of Fame member and Super Bowl XL champion Jerome Bettis will join forces with 2020 Payne Stewart Award recipient, East Lake Golf Club course record-holder and 12-time PGA TOUR winner Zach Johnson.
Coverage of the exhibition match will air from 2-4 p.m. (EDT) as a special presentation of PGA TOUR LIVE and will be simulcast on Golf Channel, GOLFTV (internationally) and other PGA TOUR media platforms, including PGA TOUR social channels.
TOUR Championship Proud Partners Coca-Cola and Southern Company, along with several local Atlanta partners, have come together to donate $750,000 through the ‘Golf With A Purpose’ Charity Challenge, with all proceeds benefitting the East Lake Foundation and other tournament charitable beneficiaries.
“This tournament takes a great deal of pride in giving back to the incredibly worthy causes in the East Lake community,” said Allison Fillmore, Executive Director of the TOUR Championship. “Given the unfortunate circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic, this charity match provides a unique platform for our partners and fans to pitch in and support the East Lake Foundation and our other charitable beneficiaries who need our support now more than ever.”
When the match reaches the signature par-3 15th hole, the players will be met by Solomon Dobbs (Morehouse College) and Jakari Harris (Hampton University; currently pursuing joint PhD at Georgia Tech and Emory Medical School), two HBCU golfers and former members of the First Tee® of Metro Atlanta. The six players will compete in a closest-to-the-pin contest using hickory clubs in an ode to the great Bobby Jones, who honed his game as a youngster at East Lake Golf Club.
Fans can support the East Lake Foundation’s mission of continued neighborhood revitalization and commitment to advancing and operationalizing racial equity by visiting TOURChampionship.com/Charity.
Following the ‘Golf With A Purpose’ Charity Challenge, the TOUR Championship and the East Lake Foundation are partnering with Ideas United, an Atlanta-based creative studio, to host the inaugural TOUR Championship Golf Ball (http://www.TourGolfBall.com), a virtual fundraising experience that will be streamed live starting at 7 p.m. EDT on Thursday, Sept. 3, the night before the TOUR Championship, and continue through Monday, Sept. 7. Viewers are invited to attend the virtual events and donate for the chance to win exceptional experiences, with all proceeds benefitting the East Lake Foundation, Purpose Built Schools Atlanta and Grove Park Foundation.
The 2020 TOUR Championship is the finale of the FedExCup Playoffs and features the top 30 PGA TOUR players vying for the prestigious FedExCup as the season’s top player. East Lake Golf Club will host its 20th playing of the TOUR Championship from Sept. 4-7, with the tournament to be broadcast live on Golf Channel and NBC.
For more information about the 2020 TOUR Championship, please visit TOURChampionship.com.
# # #
About the TOUR Championship
The top 30 players in FedExCup standings after the BMW Championship qualify for the TOUR Championship, the finale of the FedExCup Playoffs, and will be awarded starting strokes for round one based on their position. The player with the lowest stroke total including starting strokes in the TOUR Championship after 72 holes of competition will be named winner of the FedExCup and will be awarded an official PGA TOUR victory. The TOUR Championship is annually contested at Atlanta’s renowned East Lake Golf Club, the formative home of the legendary Bobby Jones. The 2020 tournament will be played Sept. 3-7. The tournament proudly supports the East Lake Foundation, the Grove Park Foundation, Purpose Built Schools Atlanta and The First Tee® of Metro Atlanta. The Coca-Cola Company and the Southern Company are the exclusive Proud Partners of the TOUR Championship.
The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands and nearly 3,900 beverage choices. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands, our company’s portfolio features 21 billion-dollar brands, 19 of which are available in reduced-, low- or no-calorie options. These brands include Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Dasani, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Del Valle, Georgia and Gold Peak. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, we are the No. 1 provider of both sparkling and still beverages. More than 1.9 billion servings of our beverages are enjoyed by consumers in more than 200 countries each day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world’s top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.
About Southern Company
Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy company serving 9 million customers through its subsidiaries. The company provides clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy through electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company serving wholesale customers across America, a leading distributed energy infrastructure company, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and affordable prices below the national average. For more than a century, we have been building the future of energy and developing the full portfolio of energy resources, including carbon-free nuclear, advanced carbon capture technologies, natural gas, renewables, energy efficiency and storage technology. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation and a low-carbon future, Southern Company and its subsidiaries develop the customized energy solutions our customers and communities require to drive growth and prosperity. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and govern our business to the benefit of our world. Our corporate culture and hiring practices have been recognized nationally by the U.S. Department of Defense, G.I. Jobs magazine,
DiversityInc, Black Enterprise, Fortune’s “World’s Most Admired Companies” list, Forbes and the Women’s Choice Award. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com.
