The TOUR Championship announced today that $3.56 million was donated from the 2020 tournament, breaking the previous record despite the absence of spectators at East Lake Golf Club for the FedExCup Playoffs finale that saw World No. 1 Dustin Johnson claim his first FedExCup title.
The TOUR Championship, with the support of Proud Partners Coca-Cola and Southern Company, has raised more than $37 million for local nonprofits since the event was first staged at East Lake Golf Club in 1998, including its four charitable beneficiaries: East Lake Foundation, Grove Park Foundation, Purpose Built Schools Atlanta and First Tee® of Metro Atlanta.
The 2021 TOUR Championship will welcome the PGA TOUR’s top 30 players back to Atlanta from Sept. 1-5 as they vie for the FedExCup title in the finale of the FedExCup Playoffs.
“Today’s charity announcement is a bright spot during what has been a challenging year for this tournament and sporting events everywhere,” Executive Director Allison Fillmore said. “The pandemic forced our team to adapt on many levels in order to host a successful event, especially as it relates to our annual charitable donation. Every constituent involved in this tournament, including our Proud Partners Coca-Cola and Southern Company, should take a great deal of pride in what we were able to generate for the community under difficult circumstances.”
Through the creation of the ‘Golf With a Purpose’ Charity Challenge – a 9-hole exhibition staged on the eve of the 2020 TOUR Championship that featured NFL Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis and NBA legend Vince Carter as well as PGA TOUR players Zach Johnson and Ryan Palmer – the match was able to raise more than $1 million thanks to the involvement of Proud Partners Coca-Cola and Southern Company as well as several other local Atlanta companies.
Throughout tournament week, the TOUR Championship and East Lake Foundation also partnered to host the TOUR Championship Golf Ball, a virtual fundraising experience that encouraged donations to the tournament’s charitable beneficiaries as well a virtual auction with prizes ranging from signed memorabilia to a high-end golf vacation.
These two fundraising initiatives aided in the TOUR Championship’s ability to not only make a significant charitable investment in the local community but eclipse the total donation from the 2019 tournament.
The East Lake Foundation was founded 25 years ago to revitalize a troubled inner-city neighborhood into a vibrant community where all residents can thrive. The East Lake Initiative partners include The Villages of East Lake mixed-income apartment homes; Charles R. Drew Charter School, serving more than 1,900 children from Pre-K through grade 12; the East Lake Family YMCA, Sheltering Arms East Lake, Emory University Center for Social Enterprise; First Tee of Metro Atlanta, Charlie Yates Golf Course, and East Lake Golf Club.
In addition to the East Lake Foundation that has been supported by the TOUR Championship since it was first staged at East Lake Golf Club in 1998, the TOUR Championship also supports both the Grove Park Foundation and Purpose Built Schools Atlanta. These three organizations have been at the forefront of changing community conditions to improve health and wellness outcomes and promote equitable opportunities for economically disadvantaged residents with the belief that transforming distressed neighborhoods into healthy and thriving ones is the key to ending the cycle of intergenerational poverty.
“The East Lake Foundation and our Atlanta Purpose Built Communities partner organizations are incredibly grateful for the continued partnership and unprecedented financial support from the TOUR Championship, its Proud Partners and other sponsors,” said Daniel J. Shoy, Jr., President and CEO of the East Lake Foundation. “The COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic downturn has disproportionately affected the residents we serve. This generous contribution will allow our organizations to continue to focus on providing targeted support to help avert further crisis and stabilize families.”
The TOUR Championship’s donation also benefits the First Tee® of Metro Atlanta, an international youth development organization designed to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. The First Tee® of Metro Atlanta serves more than 145,000 participants across eight Metro Atlanta counties.
For more information about the TOUR Championship, please visit TOURChampionship.com. Fans are encouraged to follow the TOUR Championship on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for tournament updates.
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About the TOUR Championship
The top 30 players in FedExCup standings after the BMW Championship qualify for the 2021 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 2021 tournament will be played Sept. 1-5. 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.
