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