Presidents Cup And Partners Generate More Than US$1.1 Million For Australia Bushfire Relief Efforts
- Details
- Category: Inside Golf
- Published: 2020-02-12
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 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.