The Principal Charity Classic presented by Wells Fargo is pleased to announce the player field for this year’s tournament, which will take place May 31-June 5 at historic Wakonda Club near downtown Des Moines and feature many of the PGA TOUR Champions most exciting stars.

Defending tournament champion Mark Calcavecchia, who won the 2015 Principal Charity Classic in popular fashion while wearing a now-famous pair of bacon-print pants, will be joined by 80 additional competitors, including:

  • John Daly and Miguel Ángel Jiménez, both making their Des Moines debut.

Daly, who became eligible to compete in PGA TOUR Champions events after turning 50 on April 28, is one of the most recognizable players in the game. The two-time major winner and 1991 PGA TOUR “Rookie of the Year” is a favorite among fans for his colorful personality and booming tee shots.

Jiménez, 52, was a fixture on the European Tour for more than 20 years and now has three career PGA TOUR Champions victories, including the recent 2016 Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic presented by C Spire. From his entertaining stretching routine to his signature ponytail and frequent cigar in hand, Jiménez’s nickname as “the most interesting man in golf” is well-known.

  • Past Principal Charity Classic champions Jay Haas (’07, ’08, ’12), Bob Gilder (’02, ’11) and Tom Pernice, Jr. (‘14).
  • Fan favorites Fred Funk, Tom Lehman, Kenny Perry, Fuzzy Zoeller and Jesper Parnevik, who won his first career PGA TOUR Champions event earlier this month at the Insperity Invitational.
  • World Golf Hall of Famer Sandy Lyle, winner of the 1985 Open Championship and 1988 Masters Tournament.
  • Iowa native Jerry Smith, the 2015 PGA TOUR Champions Rookie of the Year.

Also included in the 2016 Principal Charity Classic field are five players who received sponsor exemptions: John Jacobs, the 2003 Senior PGA Champion; Skip Kendall, who made a combined 658 starts on the PGA and Web.com tours before turning 50; Blaine McCallister; a five-time PGA TOUR winner; Scott Parel, a Web.com TOUR veteran and winner of the 2013 Air Capital Classic; and Mike Reid, a two-time PGA TOUR Champions major winner.

This year Principal® is celebrating the 10th Anniversary of its title sponsorship of the Principal Charity Classic, which is focused on raising funds for Iowa children’s charities. The tournament has raised more than $7.7 million for charity in the past nine years – including a record $1.4 million last year.

Ticket prices start at just $20, and may be purchased online at www.principalcharityclassic.com or at the tournament gates. Kids 15 and under may attend the tournament for free if accompanied by a ticketed adult. Complimentary admission is also provided for all active duty, retired and reserve military along with their dependents. For more information, visit www.principalcharityclassic.com.

About the Principal Charity Classic

The Principal Charity Classic presented by Wells Fargo is an annual PGA TOUR Champions event focused on philanthropic giving. This premier golf event raises contributions for the tournament’s “FORE Our Kids” charities, including: 1) Tournament Charity Partners, select organizations that provide a broad level of support to children of Iowa in the areas of education and culture, financial security and stability, and/or health and wellness. These organizations are supported through net proceeds of the tournament; and 2) Birdies For Charity Partners, which includes more than 100 additional children’s charities across Iowa that receive support through individual pledges and contributions made prior to and during the tournament.

The 2016 Principal Charity Classic tournament will be played May 31-June 5 at Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa. For more information on the charities and the tournament, visit principalcharityclassic.com, or via Facebook or Twitter.

About Principal®

Principal helps people and companies around the world build, protect and advance their financial well-being through retirement, insurance and asset management solutions that fit their lives. Our employees are passionate about helping clients of all income and portfolio sizes achieve their goals – offering innovative ideas, investment expertise and real-life solutions to make financial progress possible. To find out more, visit us at principal.com.

About PGA TOUR Champions

PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of golfers age 50 and older, with the most recognizable and accomplished players in the game – including 34 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame, which compete regularly in its events. PGA TOUR Champions is where Legends play, and is home to The Ultimate Clubhouse. Conceived in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour, it started with just four events and purses totaling $475,000. The primary purpose of PGA TOUR Champions is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, protect the integrity of the game and generate significant charitable and economic impact in communities in which it plays. In 2016, the newly-introduced Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs will identify and recognize the Tour’s leading player via a season-long race for the Charles Schwab Cup. The Commissioner of the PGA TOUR is Tim Finchem. Greg McLaughlin is President of PGA TOUR Champions. The PGA TOUR’s website is pgatour.com, the No. 1 site in golf, and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Follow PGA TOUR Champions at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions and on Twitter @ChampionsTour.

2016 Principal Charity Classic presented by Wells Fargo – Final Player Field

Allen, Michael

Andrade, Billy

Armour III, Tommy

Austin, Woody

Blake, Jay Don

Brooks, Mark

Browne, Olin

Bryant, Bart

Byrum, Tom

Calcavecchia, Mark

Chapman, Roger

Coceres, Jose

Daly, John

Day, Glen

Dunlap, Scott

Durant, Joe

Forsman, Dan

Franco, Carlos

Frost, David

Funk, Fred

Garwood, Doug

Gilbert III, Gibby

Gilder, Bob

Glasson, Bill

Goodes, Mike

Goydos, Paul

Grob, Mike

Haas, Jay

Hallberg, Gary

Hamilton, Todd

Hart, Jeff

Henninger, Brian

Huston, John

Inman, John

Jacobs, John

Jimenez, Miguel Angel

Jobe, Brandt

Kendall, Skip

Koch, Gary

Kraft, Greg

Lancaster, Neal

Lehman, Tom

Lowery, Steve

Lu, Chien Soon

Lyle, Sandy

Martin, Miguel Angel

McCallister, Blaine

McCarron, Scott

Mediate, Rocco

Parel, Scott

Parnevik, Jesper

Parry, Craig

Pate, Steve

Pernice Jr., Tom

Perry, Kenny

Purtzer, Tom

Quinn, Fran

Reid, Mike

Remesy, Jean-Francois

Riegger, John

Sauers, Gene

Schneiter, Steve

Senior, Peter

Short, Jr., Wes

Simpson, Scott

Sindelar, Joey

Sluman, Jeff

Smith, Jerry

Spittle, Rod

Springer, Mike

Thompson, Leonard

Toledo, Esteban

Triplett, Kirk

Tway, Bob

Utley, Stan

Wadkins, Bobby

Waite, Grant

Waldorf, Duffy

Wiebe, Mark

Wood, Willie

Zoeller, Fuzzy

Contact:

Lisa Schmitz, Principal Charity Classic
(515) 279-4653
lisa@principalcharityclassic.com