Press Releases

Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am Selects Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance and Operation Homefront As The 2010 Benefiting Charities

Charities To Share Proceeds of the Champions Tour Event To Be Held April 12-18, 2010 at TPC Tampa Bay

TAMPA, FL, November 18, 2009 – Officials at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am, today announced that Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) and Operation Homefront-Florida will share in the proceeds from the 2010 Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am.

“These two organizations share in our mission to make a difference in the lives of the people in the Tampa Bay community,” said Amy Hawk, tournament director of the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am. “The Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am is honored to partner with these courageous charities as we continue to work towards the same goal.”

“FARA is excited and grateful to be selected as a beneficiary of the prestigious Outback Steakhouse ProAm,” said Jennifer Farmer, executive director of FARA. “Friedreich’s Ataxia is a rare disease so FARA faces challenges in raising awareness and funds to support research; Partnership with the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am gives FARA a significant opportunity to overcome such challenges.”

The Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA) advances research for Friedreich’s Ataxia (FA) and is dedicated to curing FA. Founded in 1998 by FA parents and patients, FARA is a nonprofit, 501c3, whose mission is directing and funding research through a remarkable level of collaboration among the patient, medical and scientific communities. FA is an aggressive neurodegenerative disease that debilitates people of all ages, robbing them of their ability to walk, see, speak and hear and cutting short their life expectancies. Currently, there is no cure or treatment for FA. However, FARA funded research is bringing promising treatments forward fueling confidence in the ability to slow, stop and reverse this disease for patients living with FA today.

“As we prepare for the largest military deployment from Florida since 1942 our organization is most grateful for the opportunity to work with the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am in support of the military community in Florida,” said Simone Velasquez Hoover, president of Operation Homefront – Florida.

Operation Homefront provides emergency and morale assistance for our troops, the families they leave behind and for wounded warriors when they return home. A nonprofit 501(c)(3), Operation Homefront leads more than 4,500 volunteers in 30 chapters nationwide, and has provided critical assistance to more than 45,000 military families in need.

Holiday Golf Packages now on sale

The 2010 Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am will take place on April 12-18 at TPC Tampa Bay in Lutz, FL. Tickets are now available for purchase by calling the tournament office at 813-265-GOLF or visiting www.outbackproam.com. Volunteers are still needed for the event.

About the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am & Tournament Format

The Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am was the first-ever winner of the inaugural Champions Tour President's Award (2006) that is given to the event that best exemplifies the Champions Tour commitment to presenting its product, charity and involvement in the community.

In its first six years, the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am Foundation, Inc. has raised over $3.4 million through corporate sponsorships and other charitable donations. Since its inception 23 years ago, this tournament has contributed over $8.4 million to Tampa Bay area charities. The 2009 recipients were Child Abuse Council, Diabetic Charitable Services, Everyday Blessings, and Judeo Christian Health Clinic.

The Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am Charity Foundation Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization founded in October of 2003.

Nick Price won his first ever Champions Tour event at the 2009 Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am.

The 2010 Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am will be played at TPC Tampa Bay in Lutz, FL, April 12-18 will be broadcast on the Golf Channel (Friday, 4/16) and NBC Sports (Saturday, 4/17 and Sunday, 4/18).

About the Champions Tour

The Champions Tour collectively, has the most recognizable and accomplished players in the game with 15 World Golf Hall of Fame Members actively competing in its events and numerous other major championship winners among its members. Conceived in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour, it started with just four events and purses totaling $475,000.

The Champions Tour will feature a minimum of 26 official events offering $51.4 million in prize money in 2009 and its highest average purse ever of $1.98 million.

The Champions Tour is a division of the PGA TOUR, Inc., a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older and as such operates under the umbrella of the PGA TOUR, which includes the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour.

The Champions Tour’s primary purpose as an entity of the PGA TOUR is to provide significant competitive and earnings opportunities for players age 50 and older; to protect the integrity of the game; and to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world. In addition to providing competitive opportunities for its membership, Champions Tour events also generate significant sums of money for charity.

The commissioner of the PGA TOUR is Tim Finchem. Mike Stevens is president of the Champions Tour. TOUR headquarters is in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.