2022 check presentation – pictured left to right: Mike Boyd (Nationwide), Kip Eriksen (Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship), Tom Munson (Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship Volunteer Vice Chairman), Val Gonzalez (Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship Volunteer Vice Chairman), John Carter (Nationwide), Ramon Jones (Nationwide), Kirt Walker (Nationwide), Tim Robinson (Nationwide Children’s Hospital), Niki Shafer (Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation), Jim McCoy (Nationwide), Steve Testa (Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation), Randy Ford (Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship)
OFFICIAL KORN FERRY TOUR FINALS EVENT RAISES CHARITY BAR
Columbus, Ohio – Tournament officials announced today that the 16th playing of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, concluded August 28, 2022, at The Ohio State University Golf Club - Scarlet Course, raised a total of $3,316,205 for central Ohio charitable organizations, including $3,106,585 for pediatric cancer research and treatment at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. This marks the largest single-season charitable donation raised for the hospital in the 16-year history of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals event. It’s also the second year in a row the event has exceeded the $3 million mark. Since its inception in 2007, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship has donated more than $22.3 million in support of the hospital’s pediatric cancer program.
“The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship is a best-in-class Korn Ferry Tour tournament in many ways – from the top-tier competition to the outstanding golf course to the fan-friendly format – but it’s the fundraising that is truly unmatched on this tour,” said John Carter, president and chief operating officer for Nationwide Financial and chairman of Champions of the Community, the host organization for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship. “We’re also thankful for the tremendous support of our business partners, the dedication of our tournament staff and volunteers, and the willingness of our Patient Champions to share their inspiring stories.”
“The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship helps make our innovative efforts to care for children with cancer possible,” said Tim Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of Nationwide Children’s. “The tournament not only supports our patients; it also supports our research and discoveries, ultimately benefiting children with cancer all over the world. The Championship and its sponsors, volunteers and spectators make a real difference in the lives of families. Nationwide Children’s is so grateful to be part of this tremendous event.”
The 2023 Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship will be the week of September 18-24, at The Ohio State University Golf Club – Scarlet Course and will be the third of four Korn Ferry Tour Finals events.
The tournament is moving to September in concert with widespread changes to the PGA TOUR’s overall schedule and qualification process. Beginning in 2023, Finals will refer to the final four events of the season, where Korn Ferry Tour members will compete for increased purses and points allocations.
The 120-player limited field* for the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship will compete over 72 holes of stroke play, with 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.
“On behalf of HNS Sports Group and our tournament staff, I would like to thank our Board of Directors, Nationwide and all of our corporate partners, The Ohio State University Golf Club, our volunteers and central Ohio golf fans, all of whom played a role in the success of the tournament,” said Executive Director Kip Eriksen. “We know that these results take a coordinated effort from many, and we are incredibly grateful to all who donated their time, energy, and resources to help us raise funds for charitable organizations in central Ohio. We are motivated to build on this success with our 2023 tournament and are excited about the move to September dates and our status as the third of four Korn Ferry Tour Finals events.”
For information concerning tickets, how to become a volunteer, and general tournament news, please visit www.ncc-golf.com or call (614) 764-GOLF.
Stay connected with the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship on Twitter @NCHC_Golf, on Instagram at NCHCGolf, and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NationwideChildrensChampionship.
* The field sizes for the four Finals events will be progressively reduced, starting with 156 players for event No. 1, 144 players for event No. 2, 120 players for event No. 3, and finishing with 75 players in the final event.
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 four Korn Ferry Tour Finals tournaments where players compete for increased purses and points allocations. Featuring a purse of $1,500,000 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 2021-22 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 1.6 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 golf's next stars, preparing them to compete and win on the game's biggest stage. The Korn Ferry Tour, which has served as a path to the PGA TOUR since its inception, will begin awarding 30 PGA TOUR cards based off its points list in 2023, with the No. 1 player earning exemptions into the following year’s PLAYERS Championship and U.S. Open. With more than 600 PGA TOUR titles, 28 major championships and six FedExCup champions, Korn Ferry Tour alumni make up over 80 percent of the PGA TOUR’s current membership. 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 Korn Ferry Tour on social media.
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 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.