Principal Charity Classic to Continue Charitable Giving with Rescheduled Tournament

As an avid golfer, I was very excited to be on an investor call with officials of the Principal Charity Classic, PGA TOUR Champions and three-time PCC Champion Jay Haas. Golf courses have remained open — and for me, golf has presented the opportunity to stay active during this pandemic with the game I love.

Of course, this call was really about kids. Together with PCC, we help more than 130,000 Iowa kids every year. In 2019, PCC raised a record $5.7 million, bringing the tournaments total charitable giving to more than $23 million since 2007. These funds benefit organizations that provide a broad range of support to Iowa kids in the areas of education and culture, financial security and stability or health and wellness.

The Community Impact of PCC

The PCC tournament, originally scheduled for May 29-31, has been rescheduled for September 4-6, 2020; this is an important pivot necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Community impact and children’s charities were the greatest drivers behind the decision to reschedule. Miller Brady, president of the PGA TOUR Champions, pointed out that PCC has been able to build a schedule with great sponsor support at world-class golf courses and that tournaments make tremendous impacts on communities, with charitable contributions that grow annually. Greater Des Moines (DSM) is no exception. On the call Miller said, “It’s all about charity and economic impact.” In 2019, the estimated total economic impact was $23 million. That impact is driven by attendance, including 83,422 spectators and 1,200 volunteers.

Jay Haas Career + Love for DSM

Jay answered questions concerning his career and echoed the sentiment about the importance of great sponsors. When asked about what he likes about DSM, he said the friendly people and a Midwest “vibe” that gives the feeling of coming home. “Des Moines people make us feel like they want us here,” he said.

Jay went on to talk about the accomplishment of having a long career. He turned professional in 1976 and has 33 professional victories. One of his fondest memories is being the captain of the 2015 Presidents Cup where he was able to watch his son, Bill, make the last putt to win the cup. Jay offered a few lessons he learned over the course of his career. First, he should have been more into physical fitness like the players are today. He also wished he would have believed in himself more. He said, “Attitude is important, pick a good one.” Perhaps that is the biggest take away from this call. All of the people working on the PCC — from the board, the sponsors, players and volunteers — have sustained a positive attitude during this pandemic, ensuring a successful charitable impact will continue for this beloved DSM event. View the entire webinar below:

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