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Columbus, Ohio – Tournament officials announced today that as a result of the ongoing health and safety issues related to the Coronavirus pandemic, it has been determined that competition rounds for the 2020 Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, August 20-23, will be conducted without spectators at The Ohio State University Golf Club.

The decision to play the 14^th installment of the official Korn Ferry Tour Finals event without spectators was made in collaboration with the PGA TOUR and Nationwide, with the health and safety of all involved being the top priority.

Charity will remain the primary focus of the 2020 Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship. Last year’s tournament raised a total of $2,437,194 for central Ohio charitable organizations, including $2,305,854 for pediatric cancer research and treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Since its inception in 2007 the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship has donated a total of nearly $13.8 million in support of the hospital’s pediatric cancer program.

“We are looking forward to hosting the 2020 tournament and carrying on its philanthropic mission,” said John Carter, President & Chief Operating Officer of Nationwide Financial and chairman of the board of directors for Champions of the Community, the host organization for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship. “While it will look a bit different this year, the event’s overall commitment to Nationwide Children’s and charitable causes in the community will remain as strong as ever.”

In related news, the official Pro-Am tournament on Wednesday, August 19, will be staged as scheduled, with additional safety protocols in place for participants.

On May 4, the Korn Ferry Tour announced modifications and details regarding the restart of the 2020 schedule and a fall calendar of events that will be part of a one-time, combined 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour season.

The announcement of a fall schedule came after the PGA TOUR announced that, due to circumstances related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the cancelation or postponement of 13 events from the 2019-20 TOUR Season, eligibility would be extended for exempt 2019-20 PGA TOUR members for the 2020-21 season. These adjustments will result in the Korn Ferry Tour not having a graduating class in 2020; however, the TOUR has established a performance benefit for the top 10 from the Korn Ferry Tour points list following the conclusion of the 2020 Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance. Those players will be granted access into all PGA TOUR additional events for the 2020-21 season.

In addition, the top five players not otherwise exempt on a three-tournament points list encompassing the 2020 Albertsons Boise Open, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship and Korn Ferry Tour Championship will receive a special exemption into the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York.

As a result of the schedule changes, Korn Ferry Tour Finals events, including the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, will be conducted ¾ for one year only ¾ as Korn Ferry Tour Championship Series events, featuring increased points and limited field sizes. The new modified regular season will conclude with 25 PGA TOUR cards awarded at the 2021 WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by KraftHeinz, followed by an additional 25 cards awarded at the conclusion of the three Finals events, of which the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship will be second.

The field for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship will compete over 72 holes of stroke play, with a cut to the top-65 players and ties after 36 holes. Golf Channel will broadcast tournament coverage from Thursday’s opening round to the trophy presentation on Sunday in high definition.

Stay connected with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship on Twitter (@NCHC_Golf), Instagram (nchcgolf) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/NationwideChildrensChampionship).

ABOUT THE NATIONWIDE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL CHAMPIONSHIP
The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship is owned and operated by Champions of the Community, Inc., an Ohio non-profit corporation. The event is one of three Korn Ferry Tour Finals tournaments that will determine the 50 players who earn PGA TOUR playing privileges for the 2020-2021 season and their eligibility position under the TOUR’s enhanced qualifying system. Featuring a purse of $1,000,000 the tournament is conducted to showcase the best golf on the Korn Ferry Tour on one of the most challenging venues in the world, The Ohio State University – Scarlet Course, for the enjoyment of spectators and to benefit charitable organizations in central Ohio. For more information, call 614-764-GOLF or visit our website at www.ncc-golf.com.

ABOUT NATIONWIDE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
Named to the Top 10 Honor Roll on U.S. News & World Report’s 2019-20 list of “Best Children’s Hospitals,” Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of America’s largest not-for-profit freestanding pediatric health care systems providing wellness, preventive, diagnostic, treatment and rehabilitative care for infants, children and adolescents, as well as adult patients with congenital disease. Nationwide Children’s has a staff of more than 13,000 providing state-of-the-art pediatric care during more than 1.5 million patient visits annually. As home to the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Nationwide Children’s physicians train the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric specialists. The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the Top 10 National Institutes of Health-funded freestanding pediatric research facilities. More information is available at NationwideChildrens.org.

 ABOUT KORN FERRY TOUR
Founded (1990), owned and operated by the PGA TOUR, the Korn Ferry Tour identifies and develops those players who are ready to compete and win on golf’s biggest stage. In 2013, the Korn Ferry Tour became The Path to the PGA TOUR with all 50 available PGA TOUR cards coming through the Tour and the season culminating at the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. This season marks the 31st year of competition on the Korn Ferry Tour. Three out of four PGA TOUR members are Korn Ferry Tour alumni. Tour alumni have won more than 500 PGA TOUR titles, including 24 major championships and eight PLAYERS Championships. To learn more about the PGA TOUR, the Korn Ferry Tour and to follow the season-long quest for a PGA TOUR card, visit PGATOUR.COM, or follow the Tour on social media via Instagram (@KornFerryTour), Twitter (@KornFerryTour) and Facebook (facebook.com/KornFerryTour).

ABOUT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT
The Ohio State University Department of Athletics is completely self-supporting and receives no university monies, tax dollars or student fees. The Department of Athletics sponsors 36 fully funded varsity teams – 17 for women, 16 for men and three that are co-educational – and is committed to providing the very finest in academic and athletics support in an effort to provide its more than 1,000 student-athletes with a quality, life-changing experience at Ohio State.

ABOUT NATIONWIDE
Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the United States. Nationwide is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor’s. An industry leader in driving customer-focused innovation, Nationwide provides a full range of insurance and financial services products including auto, business, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; pet, motorcycle and boat insurance. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

Nationwide, Nationwide is on your side and the Nationwide N and Eagle are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2020

ABOUT HNS SPORTS GROUP
HNS Sports Group is a Dublin, Ohio-based LLC founded in 2000. The company offers over 125-plus years of collective experience and is committed to providing professional, efficient and effective client representation in the categories of sponsorship consultation, event management, hospitality management, sales representation and tournament operation within the golf market. To learn more about HNS Sports Group, visit www.hnssports.com.

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