Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational

PRESS RELEASE

Columbus, Ohio - September 24, 2007 -

Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational Announces
Largest First-Year Charitable Donation in Nationwide Tour History

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.

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:

? Aladdin Shriner's Hospital Association
? The First Tee
? The Ohio State University - Jack Nicklaus Museum
? The Upper Arlington Foundation

ABOUT THE NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL INVITATIONAL

The Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational is owned and operated by Champions of the Community, Inc., an Ohio non-profit corporation. The event is the only tournament on the Nationwide Tour to operate as an "invitational", providing a unique platform in which the best players on the Nationwide Tour will be joined by a select number of the country's top collegian/amateur golfers in a limited field of 144 players. The tournament is conducted to showcase the best golf on the Nationwide Tour on one of the most challenging venues in the world 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.nchigolf.com.

ABOUT NATIONWIDE

Nationwide, based in Columbus, OH, is one of the largest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the world, with more than $160 billion in assets.  Nationwide ranks No. 104 on the Fortune 500 list.  The company provides a full range of insurance and financial services, including auto, motorcycle, boat, homeowners, life, commercial insurance, administrative services, annuities, mortgages, mutual funds, pensions and long-term savings plans.  For more information, visit www.nationwide.com.

Nationwide and the Nationwide Framemark are federally registered service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.  On Your Side is a service mark of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.

5/1/07

ABOUT THE NATIONWIDE TOUR

As an extension of the PGA TOUR, the Nationwide Tour identifies and transitions those select golfers whose games are ready to compete and win on golf's greatest stage.  In 2007, Nationwide Tour alumni reached the 200th PGA TOUR win milestone, which includes a grand slam of the major championships.  Twenty-five PGA TOUR cards will be at stake over the course of 32 Nationwide Tour tournaments this season, with a record $18 million in prize money available.  Recognizing this growing stature and the PGA TOUR's commitment to charity, Nationwide, one of the largest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the world, renewed its umbrella sponsorship of the Nationwide Tour through 2012.  The PGA TOUR, through the efforts of its three tours and their tournaments, sponsors, players and volunteers, supports over 2,000 local charities and has surpassed $1 billion in charitable giving.  To learn more about the Nationwide Tour's rich history and the PGA TOUR's next stars, visit www.PGATOUR.com.

5/1/07

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 nearly 900 student-athletes with a quality, life-changing experience at Ohio State. 

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