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Columbus, Ohio -- Jerry Jurgensen, CEO of Nationwide, announced earlier today that the inaugural Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational, held July 9 - 15, 2007 at the Ohio State University Golf Club - Scarlet Course, raised $482,600 for charitable organizations in central Ohio. The total marks the largest charitable donation raised by a first-year Nationwide Tour event in the Tour's 18-year history.

Daniel Summerhays won this year's tournament. (WireImage)

Preceding a re-dedication ceremony recognizing Nationwide's $50 million philanthropic gift and the subsequent re-naming of the event's primary beneficiary to "Nationwide Children's Hospital," Jurgensen presented a check to the hospital's Chief Executive Officer, Steve Allen, MD, in the amount of $410,000.

"We congratulate the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational on an outstanding inaugural event and are extremely thankful for this generous gift," said Dr. Allen. "These funds will be dedicated to our pediatric cancer program and will help change the lives of our patients and their families for years to come."

"It is our great pleasure to be in position to contribute these dollars to central Ohio charities, principally Nationwide Children's Hospital," said John Aman, president of Champions of the Community, Inc., the tournament's host organization. "We thank our sponsors and golf fans in central Ohio for their support and look forward to next year's event and the opportunity to build on our successes."

"Nationwide's goal was to establish a top-tier event in the first year," said Nationwide Tour president Bill Calfee. "Today's announcement about the Invitational's record-setting charity effort is the clearest evidence that the goal was met and certainly mirrors the giving back spirit of the PGA TOUR. We congratulate tournament organizers for having such a significant impact on the Columbus community."

Other central Ohio organizations receiving a portion of the charitable donation from the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational include: