– Nation’s largest online mortgage lender also expands TOUR relationship through Official Marketing Partner program –
WASHINGTON, D.C., and PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla., March 24, 2014 – The PGA TOUR and tournament host organization Tiger Woods Foundation today announced Detroit-based Quicken Loans, the nation’s second largest retail mortgage lender, has signed a multi-year agreement to become title sponsor of the Quicken Loans National beginning this year.
The Quicken Loans National will be held Monday, June 23 – Sunday, June 29 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. The tournament, now in its eighth year, has quickly become one of the premier sporting events in the Washington D.C. area, welcoming more than 150,000 fans to witness 120 of the world’s best golfers compete for a $6.5 million purse.
In addition to the title sponsorship, Quicken Loans will join the PGA TOUR’s Official Marketing Partner program and receive the exclusive designation as “Official Mortgage Sponsor of the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour.”
“On behalf of the PGA TOUR, I am extremely pleased to welcome Quicken Loans as the new title sponsor of the National,” PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem said. “Quicken Loans has established itself as a highly respected company, a leader in the mortgage lending business and a company that has a strong commitment to charitable giving. We look forward to working with their team to maximize its experience and impact as tournament sponsor, as well as an Official Marketing Partner.”
“Quicken Loans is looking forward to partnering with the PGA TOUR and Tiger Woods Foundation to bring a world-class golf experience to players and fans alike,” Quicken Loans CEO Bill Emerson said. “Quicken Loans has a strong tradition of honoring and supporting military personnel and we look forward to continuing that tradition in conjunction with the PGA TOUR and Tiger Woods Foundation.”
To celebrate the sponsorship, three D.C.-area military families participated in a putting challenge alongside Tiger Woods and Emerson. With a little help from Tiger and Emerson, the families won a total of $4,800 towards their mortgage payments from Quicken Loans. In addition to the winnings, Quicken Loans also donated a total of $30,000 to the Tiger Woods Foundation, Troops First Foundation, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America.
“It was a dream come true to putt alongside Tiger Woods with my whole family watching,” said Lieutenant Colonel Glenn L. Laird, a D.C. resident and one of three Quicken Loans clients to be selected to participate in the putting challenge. “It was an honor to meet a golfing legend.”
Quicken Loans replaces AT&T, which has sponsored the tournament since its inception in 2007. AT&T’s sponsorship was through 2014, but agreed to evolve its role to become a “Founding Sponsor” of the tournament and allow Quicken Loans to assume title sponsorship this year.
“This tournament has raised nearly $15 million, providing college scholarships, learning centers and grants for thousands of low-income young people in the region,” Tiger Woods said. “I’m grateful to AT&T for their ongoing support of my foundation, and I’m thrilled this partnership with Quicken Loans will help further our charitable outreach and provide a great tournament for D.C. area fans.”
The Quicken Loans National will continue to raise funds and awareness for the college-access programs of the Tiger Woods Foundation. Currently, the foundation operates three Tiger Woods Learning Centers in Washington, D.C., and the nearby Marine Corps Base – Quantico. This innovative educational program provides interactive STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) curricula to students in Wards 6 and 7 and through a partnership with Marine Corps Community Services. Additionally, the foundation has welcomed 25 Washington, D.C.-based students into the Earl Woods Scholarship Program, where 100 percent of scholars graduate with a bachelor’s degree or better. The Quicken Loans National will also continue to serve as a leader on the PGA TOUR for recognition and support of U.S. military personnel during tournament week.
About Quicken Loans
Detroit-based Quicken Loans Inc. is the nation’s second largest retail home mortgage lender. The company closed a record $80 billion of volume across all 50 states in 2013. Quicken Loans generates loan production from web centers located in Detroit, Cleveland and Scottsdale, Arizona. The company also operates a centralized loan processing facility in Detroit, as well as its San Diego-based One Reverse Mortgage unit. Quicken Loans ranked #1 in customer satisfaction among all home mortgage lenders in the United States by J.D. Power for the past four consecutive years; 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010.
Quicken Loans was named among the top-30 companies on FORTUNE magazine’s annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list for the last 11 consecutive years, ranking #5 in 2014. It ranked in the top-15 of Computerworld magazine’s “100 Best Places to Work In Technology” for the past nine years, ranking #1 in 2013. The company moved its headquarters to downtown Detroit in 2010, and now more than 8,500 of its 10,000-plus team members work in the city’s urban core. For more information about Quicken Loans, please visit www.quickenloans.com, on Twitter at @QLnews, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/QuickenLoans.
About the Tiger Woods Foundation
Where you come from shouldn’t mean failure. At the Tiger Woods Foundation, it doesn’t. Our programs break the cycle of poverty with college-access opportunities for low-income students. At Tiger Woods Learning Center campuses across the country, scholars in grades 5-12 are immersed in an interactive STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) curriculum. Here, they make the connection between school and career, while planning a road map to college. Tailored to the needs of the first-generation scholar, the Earl Woods Scholarship Program provides four-year college scholarships coupled with an unyielding support system. But we don’t stop there. Through dedicated mentors, professional development workshops and internships, our one-to-one philosophy ensures the success of our students in college and beyond. See how our scholars are smashing the cycle of poverty at tigerwoodsfoundation.org and @TWFoundation.
About PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR is the world’s premier membership organization for touring professional golfers, co-sanctioning more than 130 tournaments on the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour, Web.com Tour, NEC Series-PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, PGA TOUR Canada and PGA TOUR China.
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 more than 1 billion 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 2013, tournaments across all Tours generated more than $133 million for local and national charitable organizations and in early 2014 the TOUR’s all-time charitable contributions surpassed $2 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.