PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla., March 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The PGA TOUR, tournament host organization Copperhead Charities and EverBank Financial Corp (NYSE: EVER) announced today a one-year agreement whereby EverBank will be the presenting sponsor of the TOUR's upcoming Tampa Bay Championship at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club.
The Tampa Bay Championship presented by EverBank is scheduled for March 14-17 at Innisbrook's Copperhead Course.
"We are extremely pleased that EverBank has agreed to become presenting sponsor of the 2013 Tampa Bay Championship and thank the company for its commitment," said Andy Pazder, Chief of Operations for the PGA TOUR. "With only a couple of weeks before the tournament, we are focusing all of our time and energy on helping EverBank to become fully integrated, including development of on-site signage and the broadcast presentation and implementing a full-scale customer engagement program."
The tournament represents the second major sports sponsorship for the Jacksonville-based company. Since 2010, EverBank has held the naming rights to EverBank Field, home of the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars.
"EverBank is extremely proud to partner with the PGA TOUR to sponsor this premier tournament here in our home state of Florida," said Blake Wilson, EverBank's president and chief operating officer. "Like the TOUR and its players, EverBank is committed to excellence and we share a considerable passion for the game and its fans. We've had a great experience for several years as supporters of THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass and we believe now is the right time for us to step up our PGA TOUR sponsorship with the Tampa Bay Championship. We're looking forward to some exciting golf, and we're particularly pleased the tournament will help support the Copperheads and their efforts to build a better community in the Tampa Bay area."
"We are delighted to welcome EverBank as our presenting sponsor this year and look forward to working with them to ensure a highly successful tournament that will have a profound impact on the Tampa Bay region," said David Robbins, General Chairman of the Copperheads. "Copperhead Charities is proud of our history of excellence with the PGA TOUR and what the tournament continues to do for the local economy and charitable giving."
The Tampa Bay Championship presented by EverBank has been part of the PGA TOUR schedule since 2000. Prior to becoming an individual stroke-play championship, the Copperhead Course hosted the JCPenney Classic from 1977 to 1999, a tournament that featured PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour professionals competing as teams.
The Copperhead Course has been recognized as a favorite among PGA TOUR players, evidenced by ranking 9th among all tournament courses in a 2012 Golf World magazine player survey. Luke Donald won last year's tournament, which attracted 23 of the world's top 50 players.
About EverBank
EverBank Financial Corp, through its wholly owned subsidiary EverBank, provides a diverse range of financial products and services directly to clients nationwide through multiple business channels. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, EverBank has $18.2 billion in assets and $13.1 billion in deposits as of December 31, 2012. With an emphasis on value, innovation and service, EverBank offers a broad selection of banking, lending and investing products to consumers and businesses nationwide. EverBank provides services to clients through the internet, over the phone, through the mail, at its Florida-based financial centers and at other business offices throughout the country. More information on EverBank can be found at www.abouteverbank.com/ir
About The Copperheads
The Copperheads' history of aiding Tampa Bay area charities through professional golf dates back more than 30 years with more than $29.5 million generated for charity in that span. The 2013 Tampa Bay Championship is 13th full-field PGA TOUR event sponsored by the Copperheads on the Copperhead Course at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida.
The more than 150 members of the Copperheads are Tampa Bay area community and business leaders whose two-fold goal is to provide a first-class professional golf tournament and raise funds for area charities. More than 50 Tampa Bay area charities actively participate in the Tampa Bay Championship through Birdies for Tampa Bay Charities and in 2013, the Moffitt Cancer Center was named a charitable partner.
About PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is the world's premier membership organization for touring professional golfers, co-sanctioning more than 100 tournaments on the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, Web.com Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamerica and PGA TOUR Canada.
The PGA TOUR's mission is to entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, generate significant charitable and economic impact in the communities in which it plays, and provide financial opportunities for TOUR players.
Worldwide, PGA TOUR tournaments are broadcast to nearly 945 million households in 225 countries and territories in 32 languages. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations in order to maximize charitable giving. In 2012, tournaments across all Tours generated more than $122 million for local charitable organizations, bringing the TOUR's all-time total of charitable contributions to more than $1.8 billion.
The PGA TOUR's web site is PGATOUR.com, the No. 1 site in golf, and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.
SOURCE EverBank Financial Corp
