The Presidents Cup has grown from little more than an idea in the early 1990s to one of the most anticipated events on golf's global calendar. Along the way, this world-class competition has not only brought together the game's best, but has also as established itself as an event that stands for international goodwill and a positive, charitable impact across the globe. Unlike most sporting events, players are not paid for their participation in the Presidents Cup; there is no purse or prize money. Instead, each competitor designates charities or golf-related projects of his choice to receive a portion of the funds raised through the staging of each Presidents Cup. With players, captains and captains' assistants hailing from dozens of countries, their donations have positively impacted a variety of charitable causes around the world. From providing medical care for neglected animals in Greenville, South Carolina, to school lunches for underprivileged children in South Korea; from funding for teachers and facilities in earthquake-ravaged Haiti to support for programs that bring golf to the disabled in South Africa; from scholarships for children of fallen California firefighters to addiction recovery programs in Australia -- these are but a few examples of the myriad ways those involved in the Presidents Cup have been able to affect change in their communities, home countries and globally.
Since the inception of the 1994 Presidents Cup, more than $49.1 million has been raised for charity from event proceeds, including a record-breaking $10.7 million for charitable causes around the world following the 2017 Presidents Cup. Over the past 23 years, the Presidents Cup has impacted more than 450 charities in 16 countries worldwide and 35 states in the U.S. But more compelling than numbers and dollar figures are the stories from those whose lives have been touched by the generosity of the event's participants.
It's often said that the Presidents Cup represents all that is good about the game of golf sportsmanship, international goodwill and friendly competition. When a sporting event is contested within this framework, there are only winners -- on and off the golf course -- no matter what the outcome of the competition.
