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January 18, 2006
 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 28, 2005
Greater Kansas City Golf Classic set for June 26 - July 2 Tournament tradition continues through generosity
of local companies
Overland Park, Kansas - The Pride of Kansas City Foundation today announced that Kansas
City's annual Champions Tour event has secured a sponsorship and a new date. The event has been named the Greater Kansas City
Golf Classic and will be held June 26 - July 2, 2006. Sprint Nextel, HCA, Garmin and Cerner have agreed to co-sponsor the
event. The Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate in Overland Park, Kan., will remain as the host facility. The Kansas City stop
is one of the longest running events on the Champions Tour schedule.
"This is wonderful news for golf fans, the Greater
Kansas City area, and most of all, the children who will benefit from this event," said Bob Burris, Executive Director of
the Greater Kansas City Golf Classic. "Many people have been working diligently over the past several months to make this
happen. Throughout the highs and lows, I was confident we would get this done. We are thrilled to have this partnership with
Sprint Nextel, HCA, Garmin and Cerner. Without their support, we would not be able to continue this strong event."
The
2006 event will mark the 16th consecutive year for the world's best golfers, age 50 and above, to showcase their talent in
the Greater Kansas City area. The Champions Tour has become very competitive and the product has strong appeal for spectators
and sponsors alike.
"Kansas City is a very important market for the Champions Tour, so we're thrilled to be able to
make this announcement today," said Champions Tour President Rick George. "Last year's move to Overland Park and the
Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate was an excellent one for the tournament and we look forward to returning in June.
With the partnership of Sprint Nextel, HCA, Garmin and Cerner now in place, the Greater Kansas City Golf Classic is poised
to become one of the very best events on the Champions Tour. We thank these four Kansas City companies for their commitment
to the Champions Tour, their city and the benefiting charities and adding to the momentum the event clearly has."
Clearly,
the history of the event, and its charitable mission, made an impression on the new sponsors.
"We are pleased to join with three other great local companies, the Pride of Kansas City Foundation and the PGA Tour to
continue to bring the Champions Tour to Kansas City," stated Len Lauer, Chief Operating Officer, Sprint Nextel Corporation.
"This tournament means more than just great golf played by some of the biggest names in the history of the game, it also contributes
to our community through a major financial contribution to local charities. Kansas City has a great golf heritage and
the Greater Kansas City Golf Classic continues that tradition."
Legendary golfer Tom Watson is pleased the tournament
will return to Overland Park with the support of the new sponsors.
"This is very good news for golf fans of Kansas City and the area charities that benefit from the Champions Tour playing
here," said Kansas City native and popular Champions Tour star Tom Watson. "The collective investment of Sprint Nextel,
HCA, Garmin and Cerner have made it all possible. On behalf of my fellow Champions Tour players, I would like to thank
these four companies for their commitment and support."
The PGA Tour, which recently hit the $1 billion mark in charitable
donations, started its charitable giving in 1938.
Coincidentally, that's the same year professional tournament golf
began. Kansas City's long history of tournament golf dates back to the first PGA Tour event held here in 1938. The city has
also hosted several LPGA events, a Hogan Tour event (now the Nationwide Tour), and since 1991 has hosted both Senior PGA and
Champions Tour events.
"As Kansas City's largest healthcare provider and third-largest employer HCA Midwest Health
System has become a valued community partner by giving back to the communities it serves through public service efforts, volunteering,
and serving on area boards," Bryan R. Rogers, President of HCA Midwest Health System stated. "We have demonstrated our commitment
to the community numerous times and this is another example. We are stepping up to the plate to ensure we do not lose this
exciting Champions Tour tournament and the charitable donations it makes towards the betterment of the Kansas City community."
"Kansas
City has both a storied heritage of world-class sports and private sector support for key civic interests," said Cliff Illig,
Vice Chairman, Cerner Corporation. "Cerner Corporation is pleased to play a small role in the continuation of that rich tradition
through our sponsorship of this important event."
That sentiment is echoed by Jon Cassat, Director of Marketing Communications
for Garmin. "We're thrilled to be able to join with these great companies to support what is one of the top Champions Tour
events on the schedule and its mission to provide opportunities for those in need throughout the community."
The date
change provides both the opportunity for a more stable weather pattern and one of the strongest fields on the Champions Tour
schedule. The latter part of June is traditionally a drier time of the year in the Kansas City area. In addition, the U.S
Senior Open is scheduled for the following week in Hutchinson, Kan., and should enhance an already stellar field the Kansas
City event has been able to attract throughout the years.
"The Greater Kansas City Golf Classic, with the commitment
of the community, the Champions Tour, and countless others, personifies the spirit and dedication of the Greater Kansas City
area," said Steve Palermo, Chairman of The Pride of Kansas City Foundation. "Our mission is to enrich and enhance the community
through our charitable endeavors. In 2005 we donated more than $400,000 to local charities, including more than $200,000 to
Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics. This commitment by Sprint Nextel, HCA, Garmin and Cerner provides us the opportunity
to continue to help those in need."
The Pride of Kansas City Foundation is in the process of determining the beneficiaries
of the 2006 Greater Kansas City Golf Classic. The unique format of the Greater Kansas City Golf Classic offers
golf fans the chance to see 76 Champions TOUR professionals team up with 76 amateurs in a two player team format, similar
to the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. The low 12 teams with scores posted during
the Friday and Saturday Pro-Am will advance into Sunday's final round. The Tournament is managed by The Pride of Kansas City
Foundation and benefits local children's charities.
About The Pride of Kansas City Foundation The Pride of Kansas
City Foundation is a not for profit 501.C.3 private charitable organization initially formed to produce Kansas City's annual
Champions TOUR event and disburse the charitable proceeds raised. Ultimately, the Foundation will produce enriching community
activities all-year-long that enhance the lifestyles of those who live in Kansas City, work in Kansas City and play in Kansas
City. The Executive Board is made up of corporate and civic community leaders whose job will be to develop the guidelines
for distributing charitable funds to the named charity.
About Sprint Nextel Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services to consumer,
business and government customers. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative
technologies, including two robust wireless networks offering industry leading mobile data services; instant national and
international walkie-talkie capabilities; and an award-winning and global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information,
visit www.sprint.com.
About HCA HCA Midwest Health System operates 12 hospitals in the Kansas City metropolitan area, including Allen County
Hospital, Menorah Medical Center, and Overland Park Regional Medical Center in Kansas; and Baptist-Lutheran Medical Center,
Cass Medical Center, Independence Regional Health Center, Lafayette Regional Health Center, Lee's Summit Hospital, Medical
Center of Independence, Research Belton Hospital, Research Medical Center, and Research Psychiatric Center in Missouri. Nashville-based
HCA (NYSE: HCA) formalized its $1.13 billion acquisition of Kansas City's Health Midwest network of hospitals in April 2003.
You may visit us online at www.HCAMidwest.com.
About Garmin Based in Olathe, Kansas, Garmin International is a worldwide leader in the design, manufacture, and sale
of GPS (Global Positioning System) navigation, communication, and information equipment. The company has built and sold
millions of products that serve automotive, consumer, wireless, marine, aviation, recreation, and fitness markets. From
its StreetPilot line of portable and easy-to-use automotive navigators - to the nuvi, a groundbreaking personal travel assistant
- to the Forerunner family of wrist-worn GPS training gear for fitness enthusiasts - Garmin makes products that improve people's
everyday lives. For more information visit www.garmin.com.
About Cerner Cerner Corp. is taking the paper chart out of healthcare, eliminating error, variance and waste in the
care process. With more than 1,500 clients worldwide, Cerner is the leading supplier of healthcare information technology.
NASDAQ: CERN www.cerner.com.
About The Champions Tour The Champions Tour is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and
older. Conceived in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour, it has grown to 29 official events offering a minimum of $52.7 million in
prize money in 2005 and its highest average purse ever of $1.82 million. The Champions Tour's primary purpose is to provide
significant competitive and earnings opportunities for players age 50 and older; to protect the integrity of the game; and
to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world. In addition to providing competitive opportunities for
its membership, Champions Tour events also generate significant sums of money for charity. On Oct. 30th, the PGA TOUR, Champions
Tour and Nationwide Tour and their tournaments announced they had reached the $1 billion milestone in charitable donations
dating back to the first recorded donation in 1938. The commissioner of the PGA TOUR is Tim Finchem. Rick George is president
of the Champions Tour. TOUR headquarters is in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Our web site address is www.PGATOUR.COM.
MEDIA CONTACT Brian Wright Media Director email: brian@prideofkc.org
phone: 913-484-7861
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