Nationwide Tour fact sheet

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LEARN MORE: Things you might not know about the Nationwide Tour

Name: Nationwide Tour

Headquarters:
PGA TOUR
112 PGA TOUR Boulevard
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
Phone: 904-285-3700

Commissioner: Timothy W. Finchem (since June 1, 1994)
President/Nationwide Tour: Bill Calfee (since 1999)
Web Site: PGATOUR.com

Overview
As the official proving ground of the PGA TOUR, the Nationwide Tour identifies and transitions those select golfers who are ready to compete and win on golf's greatest stage. In 2007, Nationwide Tour alumni won 21 times on the PGA TOUR. Since 1990, alumni have won 217 TOUR titles, which include a grand slam of the major championships.

Twenty-five PGA TOUR cards will once again be awarded in 2008 at the conclusion of the Tour's season. Prize money will be a record of nearly $19 million.

Recognizing the Tour's growing stature and the PGA TOUR's commitment to charity, Nationwide, one of the largest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the world, has renewed its umbrella sponsorship through 2012. The PGA TOUR, through the efforts of its three Tours and their tournaments, sponsors, players and volunteers, supports more than 2,000 local charities and has surpassed $1 billion in charitable giving. To learn more about the Nationwide Tour, visit PGATOUR.com.

History
1990-2008. The Tour enters its 19th season in 2008.

Charity
The Nationwide Tour and its tournaments are committed to supporting charities in the communities in which events are played. In October 2005, the three Tours of the PGA TOUR and their tournaments reached the $1-billion milestone in charitable giving, dating to the first recorded donation in 1938. In 2007 the Nationwide Tour donated $7.5 million to charity. Two Nationwide Tour events, the BMW Charity Pro-Am and the Albertsons Boise Open, made record $2 million-plus contributions to charity for the year. Annually, the Tour honors its Charity of the Year and Volunteer of the Year.

2008 Schedule

This season there will be 30 events played in 22 states and five countries outside the U.S. (Panama, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia and Canada). The Mexico and Canada events are new to the Nationwide Tour schedule in 2008.

Prize Money
$18.95 million (30 events); the average purse is $631,000. Both are record figures. For the first time, the Nationwide Tour will play for $1 million purses in 2008 (Nationwide Tour Players Cup in West Virginia and Nationwide Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch).

Eligibility
Each Nationwide Tour player has a position on the priority-ranking system that is used to determine full-field, open tournaments. The complete priority-ranking system may be found at the beginning of Section 2 of the 2008 Official Nationwide Tour Guide or in the Nationwide Tour area of PGATOUR.com. The majority of Nationwide Tour events have 144- or 156-player fields.

Membership
Nationwide Tour members hail from around the globe. In 2008, 61 international players with full or partial Tour exemptions will compete, with 18 countries outside the United States represented: Argentina, Australia, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, England, India, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, South Korea, Sweden, Yugoslavia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

2007 Graduates
A record 25 players earned 2008 PGA TOUR cards based on their final position on the money list (in order of 2007 finish they are): Richard Johnson, Roland Thatcher, Nick Flanagan, Jon Mills, Jason Day, Nicholas Thompson, Matthew Jones, Justin Bolli, Patrick Sheehan, Paul Claxton, Ron Whittaker, Michael Letzig, Martin Laird, Kyle Thompson, Omar Uresti, Marc Turnesa, Brad Elder, Chez Reavie, John Riegger, Tom Scherrer, Scott Sterling, Brenden Pappas, Chad Collins, James Driscoll and Jimmy Walker. Johnson was the leading money winner, with $445,421, which earned him an exemption into the 2008 PLAYERS Championship.

"The 25" Program
Introduced in 2007, "The 25" program highlights the season-long chase to finish in the top 25 on the money list and earn a PGA TOUR card for the following season. A caddie-bib program is one element of a broader marketing campaign that tells the story of "The 25" and spotlights the Nationwide Tour's ongoing connection and contributions to the PGA TOUR. Each week, caddies of the top-25 players wear a gold bib designating their player's current position on the money list.

PGA TOUR Impact
Every year, the impact of the Nationwide Tour on the PGA TOUR grows. Since 1990,217 PGA TOUR tournaments have been won by players with Nationwide Tour roots, including all four major championships. Of the 48 official events on the 2008 PGA TOUR schedule, all but two have been won by former Nationwide Tour players. Sixty-seven percent of 2008 PGA TOUR members, nine 2007 Presidents Cup players and nine 2006 U.S. Ryder Cup team members, plus captain Tom Lehman, were former Nationwide Tour members. In recognition of the Tour's growing stature and competitive impact, beginning in 2007 the PGA TOUR Policy Board increased the number of PGA TOUR cards available to a record 25.

TV
GOLF CHANNEL, available in more than 100 million homes worldwide, is the exclusive cable television home of the Nationwide Tour and will provide coverage of 16 events in 2008.

Awards
The Nationwide Tour Player of the Year receives the Jack Nicklaus Trophy, won by Australian Nick Flanagan in 2007. The Nationwide Tour recognizes its Player of the Month (January/February through October).