Media

Press Releases

• Time Warner Cable will be presenting sponsor of Midwest Classic Golf Tournament

  August Event Features Next PGA TOUR Stars

  Overland Park, Kan., May 18, 2011

  Time Warner Cable has been named the presenting sponsor of the Midwest Classic golf tournament.

  The event is one of 26 stops on the PGA TOUR's Nationwide Tour. The Midwest Classic will be held August 15-21 at the Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate in Overland Park, KS. The Midwest Classic will feature a field of 156 golfers competing over 72 holes of stroke play on Thursday through Sunday, preceded by a pro-am on Wednesday. The tournament purse is $550,000.

  Read Full Article »

  • "We are very excited to have Time Warner Cable partner with the Midwest Classic as our 2011 presenting sponsor. We could not bring this fantastic event to Kansas City without corporate support and we appreciate Time Warner Cable stepping up to provide this great sponsorship," said Nick Rodina, Midwest Classic Executive Tournament Director. "As the only PGA TOUR Nationwide tour stop in Kansas City, we look forward to an outstanding relationship with Time Warner Cable. Sponsoring the Midwest Classic is just one more way that Time Warner Cable supports the Kansas City community."

    "Time Warner Cable is thrilled to be a part of bringing the PGA TOUR's Nationwide Tour to Kansas City," said Debbie Lynch, area general manager of Time Warner Cable Media. "We have a long history of supporting our community and important events that come to Kansas City.  This is a wonderful opportunity to bring professional golf back to Kansas City and put it in the spotlight while benefiting area charities."

    "The PGA TOUR welcomes Time Warner Cable as the new presenting sponsor of the Nationwide Tour's Midwest Classic," said Nationwide Tour president Bill Calfee.  "With a model corporate citizen such as Time Warner Cable joining the leadership of The Crusaders, the event is poised to grow to even more impressive heights.  We invite the entire community out to see the next PGA TOUR stars and be part of an event that generates charitable dollars benefiting the community 52 weeks a year."

    The tournament's primary beneficiary will be Mercy Children's Hospital in Kansas City, which has a long history of association with golf in Kansas City.

    Folds of Honor, a charitable organization with a mission to empower deserving military families with educational support and opportunities, will also benefit by presenting a celebrity skills challenge during the week of the tournament.

    About The Nationwide Tour

    The Nationwide Tour is the official proving ground of the PGA TOUR. Founded, owned and operated by the PGA TOUR, the Nationwide Tour identifies those players who are ready to compete and win on golf's greatest stage. Nationwide Tour alumni have amassed more than 296 PGA TOUR titles, including 13 major championships. In 2011, more than 200 players from 18 countries will be competing to earn one of "The 25" PGA TOUR cards for 2012 that are on the line over this year's 26 tournaments.

    About Time Warner Cable

    Time Warner Cable is the second-largest cable operator in the U.S., with technologically advanced, well-clustered systems serving more than 14 million customers who subscribe to one or more of its video, high-speed data and voice services. Time Warner Cable Business Class offers a suite of phone, Internet, Ethernet and cable television services to businesses of all sizes. Time Warner Cable Media Sales, the advertising arm of Time Warner Cable, offers national, regional and local companies innovative advertising solutions that are targeted and affordable. More information about the services of Time Warner Cable is available at timewarnercable.com , twcbc.com and www.twcmediasales.com.

    About The Kansas City Crusaders

    The Kansas City Crusaders' mission is to provide a positive economic impact on area businesses and offer transformational support to local charitable organizations through the promotion of professional golf in Kansas City. Kansas City Crusaders Inc., a Kansas not-for-profit corporation, is a recognized 501(c)(3) organization and is classified as a public charity under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. The Kansas City Crusaders have a three-year commitment with the Nationwide Tour to host the Midwest Classic. Inspired by the Thunderbirds of Phoenix, a non-for-profit group that runs the Waste Management Phoenix Open (formally the FBR Open) and the Fry.com Open, the membership of the Kansas City Crusaders is a diversified group of people who live and work throughout the greater Kansas City area.

• Brian Wright named director of tournament operations for Kansas City's PGA Nationwide® Tour Stop

  Overland Park, Kan., April 1, 2011

  Brian Wright, former media director for the PGA Champions Tour, has been named director of tournament operations for this summer's Midwest Classic golf tournament, one of 29 stops on the PGA Nationwide® Tour.

  Read Full Article »

  • Wright, who owns Overland Park-based Midwest Sports Management, LLC, brings more than two decades of experience in golf media and management to the position.

    In addition to his former role as Champions Tour media director, Wright is an accomplished writer, photographer and editor. He has covered The Masters, U.S. Open, PGA Championship, Ryder Cup and nearly 100 other professional events. Wright is a long-time member of the Golf Writers Association of America. His radio show, Midwest Golf Talk, now in its fifth season, can be heard on Sports Radio 810 WHB. Under Wright's leadership, Midwest Sports Management created the Kansas City Golf Show in 2006 and has built it into one of the country's premier consumer golf shows.

    "We are thrilled that Brian has agreed to join our team and help us stage a world-class event," said Nick Rodina, tournament director for the Midwest Classic. "We couldn't ask for a more experienced, organized and enthusiastic individual, and we look forward to the exciting work ahead in the coming weeks."

    The Midwest Classic is slated for Aug. 15-21 at Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate in Overland Park. Wright is no stranger to professional golf or the local golf community. He has published the Official Golf Guide of the Kansas City Convention and Visitors Bureau since 1997.

    "I'm proud to be working alongside an outstanding group of tournament staff and volunteers, whose work I have witnessed first-hand as a patron of this event," Wright said. "As a Kansas Citian and a fan of the game of golf, I consider this a wonderful opportunity to help our players, sponsors and fans experience another outstanding tournament."

    The Nationwide Tour is the official proving ground of the PGA TOUR. Founded, owned and operated by the PGA TOUR, the Nationwide Tour identifies those players who are ready to compete and win on golf's greatest stage. Nationwide Tour alumni have amassed more than 237 PGA TOUR titles, including 11 major championships. In 2011, players from 19 countries are competing for $19 million in prize money.

• Mr. Goodcents^® named Midwest Classic's TICKETS FORE CHARITY sponsor

  Overland Park, Kan., March 1, 2011

  Mr. Goodcents Subs and Pastas took its longtime support of the Kansas City community to a new level this week by sponsoring one of the most innovative charitable fundraising initiatives in professional sports, TICKETS Fore CHARITY^™ at this summer's Midwest Classic golf tournament. The event is one of 26 stops on the PGA TOUR's Nationwide^® Tour.

  Read Full Article »

  • As official sponsor of the TICKETS Fore CHARITY program, Mr. Goodcents' backing will enable area charitable organizations to sell weekly grounds passes to the Aug. 15-21 Midwest Classic, which will be played at Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate in Overland Park. Participating charities may sell unlimited passes and retain 100 percent of the sales.

    The organizations also are eligible to receive a portion of the TICKETS Fore CHARITY bonus pool, based on a percentage of the total sales for which they are responsible. Any registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization may take part in the program.

    "We are extremely pleased to have a local corporate citizen like Mr. Goodcents step up and make this program possible at our tournament," said Nick Rodina, tournament director for the Midwest Classic.

    In addition to its TICKETS Fore CHARITY sponsorship, Mr. Goodcents will provide meals for tournament volunteers throughout tournament week as well as a lunch buffet for active duty military and reservists who are invited to attend the event free of charge.

    "We are proud to call the Kansas City area home, and once we learned the Nationwide Tour would be coming back in 2011, we knew we had to get involved," said Mr. Goodcents President/CEO Dave Goebel. "Not only are we honored to support the only professional golf event in town, we can help an unlimited number of charities raise important funds to advance their missions."

    The Nationwide Tour is the official proving ground of the PGA TOUR. Founded, owned and operated by the PGA TOUR, the Nationwide Tour identifies those players who are ready to compete and win on golf's greatest stage. Nationwide Tour alumni have amassed more than 296 PGA TOUR titles, including 13 major championships. In 2011, more than 200 players from 18 countries will be competing to earn one of "The 25" PGA TOUR cards for 2012 that are on the line over this year's 26 tournaments.

    Mr. Goodcents Subs and Pastas was founded by Joseph Bisogno in Lenexa, Kan., in 1989. The company currently has 99 units in nine states and has been named a Top 500 franchise company for 11 years by Entrepreneur Magazine.

• Nationwide Tour Set to Return to Kansas City in 2011 with the Kansas City Crusaders as Host Organization

  Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2010

  "Midwest Classic" will be played at the Nicklaus Golf Club
  at LionsGate August 15th – 21st 2011

  Overland Park, Kansas – The PGA TOUR's Nationwide Tour will return to the Kansas City area in 2011 with the Kansas City Crusaders serving as host organization, it was announced today by the Kansas City Crusaders and the Nationwide Tour.

  The "Midwest Classic" will be played in August at the Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate in Overland Park, KS. Tournament dates will be announced in the near future.

  Read Full Article »

  • The Midwest Classic will feature a field of 156 golfers competing over 72 holes of stroke play on Thursday through Sunday, preceded by a pro-am on Wednesday. The tournament purse is $550,000.

    The tournament's primary beneficiary will be Mercy Children's Hospital in Kansas City, which has a long history of association with golf in Kansas City.

    Folds of Honor, a charitable organization with a mission to empower deserving military families with educational support and opportunities, will also benefit by presenting a celebrity skills challenge during the week of the tournament.

    "The Nationwide Tour experienced many positive things during last year's event at the Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate," said Nationwide Tour president Bill Calfee. "The golf course and staging were excellent, spectator support was very strong and the competition exciting with Michael Sim earning a battlefield promotion to the PGA TOUR.

    "We also developed a very good relationship with the Kansas City Crusaders," Calfee said. "With their full support, we believe all the elements are in place for a successful long-term event that will have a very positive community impact – a great market, a solid venue, a well organized and energetic host organization, and a deserving charity in Mercy Children's Hospital."

    The 2009 Nationwide Tour tournament at LionsGate was particularly memorable as Australian Michael Sim won it by two shots to become the ninth Nationwide Tour member to capture three titles in the same season and earn an immediate promotion to the PGA TOUR. The Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate played to a par of 36-35-71 at 7,230 yards last year.

    "Having been part of the 2009 Nationwide Tour event and witnessing the economic impact that the Tour can bring to a city was all it took for the Crusaders to step up to make Kansas City a permanent tournament destination.  We look forward to working with the Nationwide Tour and area businesses to make the Midwest Classic the best Tournament on their schedule." –David Byrne, President, Kansas City Crusaders

    "We are extremely excited about the return and presence of the Nationwide Tour to Kansas City. The continuation of the event is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of thousands of volunteers and local sponsors. The players really enjoy the venue and we look forward to welcoming them with our special Kansas City hospitality" – Nick Rodina, Kansas City Crusaders Tournament Director

    "Children's Mercy is thrilled to return to our partnership with professional golf by being named the primary beneficiary for the Nationwide Tour event to be held in Kansas City in 2011. The generosity and the commitment shown to our hospital for many years by many of the world's finest golfers will continue through this exciting new opportunity, and we are indeed grateful to be a part of this event." – D. Bradley Leech, Vice President for Resource Development and Chief Development Officer Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics

    "Folds of Honor thanks the leaders of the Nationwide Tour for helping us raise awareness in the Kansas City area about the importance of making sure that our national heroes and their families have the educational support to succeed in life... We thank the Nationwide Tour for its commitment in helping ensure that no deserving families are left behind."  –Major Ed Pulido, Senior Vice President of Folds of Honor

    Jeff Adams
    PGA TOUR
    Tel: 904-273-3397
    Email: jadams@pgatourhq.com

    ABOUT THE KANSAS CITY CRUSADERS

    Inspired by the Thunderbirds of Phoenix, a non-for-profit group that runs the Waste Management Phoenix Open (formally the FBR Open) and the Fry.com Open, the membership of the Kansas City Crusaders is a diversified group of people who live and work throughout the greater Kansas City area.

    The Kansas City Crusaders' mission is to provide a positive economic impact on area businesses and offer transformational support to local charitable organizations through the promotion of professional golf in Kansas City. When we formed in early 2009, our initial mission was to support the 2009 Nationwide Tour event held at the Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate. Through the successful promotion of the 17th green's Par-Tee Club, the Crusaders solidified its commitment to the sport and made a viable impact on the community at large. One of our proudest accomplishments of 2009 was the creation of the Kansas City Crusaders Juniors Masters Tournament. We brought together the top junior golfers in our area to compete for a chance to play among the pros in the Nationwide Tour event. This year's event will be held October 10th at The Golf Club of Kansas. Kansas City Crusaders Inc., a Kansas not-for-profit corporation, is a recognized 501(c)(3) organization and is classified as a public charity under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. The Kansas City Crusaders have a three-year commitment with the Nationwide Tour to host the Midwest Classic.

    ABOUT CHILDREN'S MERCY HOSPITAL

    Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics is a comprehensive pediatric medical center and the only free-standing children's hospital between St. Louis and Denver. Consistently ranked among the leading children's hospitals in the nation, Children's Mercy Hospital provides state-of-the-art care for children from birth to age 18 who come to the Hospital from throughout Missouri and Kansas and beyond. In addition to the clinical expertise provided by their pediatric specialists, Children's Mercy is also a leader in providing pediatric medical education to the physicians and nurses of the future and conducting cutting-edge pediatric medical research to discover the treatments and cures of tomorrow.

    ABOUT FOLDS OF HONOR

    Folds of Honor is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization with a mission to empower deserving military families with educational support and opportunities. FHF provides post-secondary educational scholarships to the spouses and children of service members disabled or killed as a result of their military service to our great nation. The Folds of Honor Foundation was founded in 2007 by Major Dan Rooney, an F-16 pilot, golf course owner, PGA Professional and USGA member. A Major in the Air National Guard and a decorated military aviator, Rooney has served three combat tours in Iraq. After returning from his second tour, Major Rooney witnessed a profound situation that drove him to create the Folds of Honor Foundation.

    ABOUT THE NATIONWIDE TOUR

    Founded (1990), owned and operated by the PGA TOUR, the Nationwide Tour identifies those players who are ready to compete and win on golf's biggest stage. As the official proving ground of the PGA TOUR, two out of three PGA TOUR members are Nationwide Tour alumni. Tour alumni have won 284 PGA TOUR titles, including 13 majors and four PLAYERS Championships. Twenty-five PGA TOUR cards will be at stake over the course of 29 events in 2010. Recognizing the Tour's growing stature, Nationwide Insurance has renewed its umbrella sponsorship of the Nationwide Tour through 2012. The PGA TOUR, through the efforts of its three tours and their tournaments, sponsors, players and volunteers, supports over 2,000 local charities and has surpassed $1.5 billion in charitable giving. To learn more about the PGA TOUR and Nationwide Tour and to follow the season-long quest for a PGA TOUR card, visit PGATOUR.COM.

    ABOUT NATIONWIDE

    Nationwide, based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the U.S. and is rated A+ by A.M. Best. The company provides a full range of personalized insurance and financial services, including auto insurance, motorcycle, boat, homeowners, life insurance, farm, commercial insurance, administrative services, annuities, mortgages, mutual funds, pensions, long-term savings plans and health and productivity services. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com.

    Nationwide, the Nationwide Framemark and On Your Side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.

    ABOUT TICKETS FORE CHARITY

    TICKETS Fore CHARITY program is a unique fundraising initiative designed to improve the quality of life for children and families in the communities where the Nationwide Tour tournaments are held. What makes this program so wonderful is that 100% of the money from each weekly tournament ticket purchase will go directly to a charity in the Kansas City area.