The 2015 Principal Charity Classic generated a record $1,402,487 for Central Iowa children’s charities, bringing the total contributions to charity from the PGA TOUR’s Champions Tour tournament, sponsored by the Principal Financial Group® and presented by Wells Fargo, to more than $7.7 million over nine years. This is the sixth consecutive year the tournament has broken the previous year’s record for dollars raised for charity.

“We could not achieve these tremendous results year after year without our 342 sponsors, the 81 Champions Tour players who participated in this year’s tournament, the more than 77,000 fans who attended and the 1,100-plus volunteers who helped make this possible,” said Larry Zimpleman, chairman of the board at The Principal®. “And the overwhelming community support gives this great event so much momentum going into next year.”

Donations from the 2015 tournament will be distributed to five “FORE Our Kids” charities, as well as 130 Birdies for Charity organizations. The five “FORE Our Kids” charities are:

  • Blank Children’s Hospital
  • BRAVO Greater Des Moines
  • The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines (tournament host organization)
  • United Way of Central Iowa
  • Variety—the Children’s Charity of Iowa

The Principal also announced a renewed a three-year agreement to remain the title sponsor of The Principal Charity Classic presented by Wells Fargo teeing up a continued benefit to children’s charities in Central Iowa.

"The Principal Financial Group has extended their partnership with the Champions Tour as title sponsor of The Principal Charity Classic through 2018," said Champions Tour President Greg McLaughlin. "The Principal's support of the Des Moines community and the many local area charities has been exemplary and a model for the Champions Tour."

The PGA TOUR and an Iowa State University study estimate the tournament generates an economic impact of $23 million annually for the region, including increased business for area hotels, restaurants, shopping establishments and other entertainment venues. The event also showcases Des Moines to a national television audience.

About The Principal Charity Classic
The Principal Charity Classic is an annual Champions Tour event. The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines plays host to the event, which is focused on philanthropic giving for designated “FORE Our Kids” charities, as well as more than 130 Birdies for Charity organizations. 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 http://www.principalcharityclassic.com, or connect with the tournament on Facebook or Twitter

About the Principal Financial Group
The Principal Financial Group® (The Principal®)1 is a global investment management leader offering retirement services, insurance solutions and asset management. The Principal offers businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services, including retirement, asset management and insurance through its diverse family of financial services companies. Founded in 1879 and a member of the FORTUNE 500®, the Principal Financial Group has $539.9 billion in assets under management2 and serves some 20.1 million customers worldwide from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG. For more information, visit www.principal.com.

About the Champions Tour
Collectively, the Champions Tour has the most recognizable and accomplished players in the game, with many of its 32 members in the World Golf Hall of Fame competing regularly in its events. The Tour also counts numerous other major championship winners among its members. The Champions Tour is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older. Conceived in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour, it started with just four events and purses totaling $475,000. The Champions Tour's primary purpose 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. Points earned in official Charles Schwab Cup events in 2014 determined Bernhard Langer as the Charles Schwab Cup champion, the season-long competition designed to recognize the Champions Tour’s leading player. The Commissioner of the PGA TOUR is Tim Finchem. Greg McLaughlin is President of the Champions Tour. 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 the Champions Tour at facebook.com/ChampionsTour and on Twitter @ChampionsTour.

1 “The Principal Financial Group” and “The Principal” are registered service marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a member of the Principal Financial Group.
2 As of June 30, 2015.