As an extension 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 reached the 200th PGA TOUR win milestone, which includes a grand slam of the major championships.  Twenty-five PGA TOUR cards are at stake over the course of 30 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.

Every year, the impact of the Nationwide Tour on the PGA TOUR grows.  Since 1990, 212 PGA TOUR tournaments have been won by players with Nationwide Tour roots, including all four major championships…of the 47 official events on the 2007 PGA TOUR schedule, they won all but two of them…65 percent of this year’s PGA TOUR members, seven of this year’s U.S. Presidents Cup team and nine of last year’s U.S. Ryder Cup team members, plus captain Tom Lehman, are former Nationwide Tour members…In recognition of the Tour’s growing stature and competitive impact, the PGA TOUR Policy Board increased the number of PGA TOUR Cards available to 25.

www.pgatour.com