RICHMOND, Virginia – Tournament officials announced today that the 2018 Dominion Energy Charity Classic generated more than $1.2 million for charities in the Richmond region, bringing the event’s total charitable contributions to over $1.8 million since its debut in 2016.

The PGA TOUR Champions tournament, currently in its fourth year, is dedicated to giving back charitably in the local community, with a special focus on military support. As a result of the 2018 event, the tournament will distribute funds to the Virginia Veterans Services Foundation to benefit the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Virginia Values Veteran’s program, the Richmond Fisher House, as well as 144 additional non-profit organizations in Central Virginia.

As its name suggests, the Charity Classic is all about goodwill and good works,” said Dominion Energy Chairman, President and CEO Thomas F. Farrell II. “That is why our company sponsors the event: We believe in helping others. The outpouring of generosity from the 2018 Classic is extremely gratifying, and it will make a lasting difference in the lives of veterans, their families, children in need, artists and countless others.”

The Charity Classic offers area non-profit organizations the opportunity to participate in the Birdies for Charity program presented by TowneBank. This program provides participating 501(c)3 organizations the ability to generate donations that the PGA TOUR bonuses by 10%. Organizations including Mission Gait, Virginia War Memorial Foundation, Richmond Ballet, Boots to Suits, Virginia Repertory Theatre and Louisa Arts Center are just a few of the worthy causes that benefit from the program. The program will return in 2019 and will again be sponsored by TowneBank, one of three Founding Partners of the Charity Classic.  

“As the Dominion Energy Charity Classic continues to grow, so does our pursuit to maximize the charitable impact to the Richmond area,” said Executive Director Steve Schoenfeld. “Our team feels a great sense of pride that the tournament serves as a conduit for charitable giving in our community and it’s encouraging to see the growth of the Birdies for Charity program each year.”

Since beginning three years ago, the Charity Classic has been honored as one of the top performing PGA TOUR Champions events.   In 2016 and 2017 the tournament received the Players Award for being voted the favorite event of the year by PGA TOUR Champions players. The 2018 Dominion Energy Charity Classic   won the Sales Award, due to the outstanding corporate sponsorship support from the Richmond business community as well as the 10-year extension announcement with Dominion Energy and The Country Club of Virginia, solidifying professional golf in Richmond through 2029.

The 2019 event will return to The Country Club of Virginia, James River Course, October 17-20, with the top 72 players competing for a $2 million purse.

For additional tournament information or to find out more about Birdies for Charity, please visit www.deccgolf.com.

ABOUT THE DOMINION ENERGY CHARITY CLASSIC
The Dominion Energy Charity Classic is the first of three PGA TOUR Champions season-ending playoff events to determine the annual Charles Schwab Cup Champion. The 2019 tournament is scheduled for October 17-20 at The Country Club of Virginia, James River Course. A field of 72 professionals will compete for a share of the $2 million purse and a spot in the 54-player field the following week. All three rounds of the event will be broadcast on Golf Channel and aired in more than 180 countries around the world (2:30-5:00 p.m. EDT Friday through Sunday). For information about corporate sponsorship opportunities, to become a volunteer or for ticket information, please visit the official tournament website at www.deccgolf.com, see our pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@DECCGolf) or call the Tournament Office at 804-234-8840.

ABOUT PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 32 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. In 2019, the PGA TOUR Champions schedule includes 27 tournaments across the United States, Japan, England and Canada, with purses totaling nearly $58 million. The Charles Schwab Cup, which includes the Regular Season and the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, is used to determine the season-long champion. All events are televised in the United States, with most receiving complete coverage on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Internationally, telecasts air in excess of 170 countries and territories, reaching more than 340 million potential households, and distributed in 15+ markets via GOLFTV. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour and on Instagram @pgatourchampions.

ABOUT DOMINION ENERGY
Headquartered in Richmond, Va., Dominion Energy (NYSE: D) is one of the nation’s largest producers and transporters of energy, and serves nearly 7.5 million utility and retail energy customers. Dominion Energy is consistently ranked among the top companies in the nation helping veterans and their families find and keep jobs in the civilian workforce. Currently, one in every five new employees hired is a veteran.  Through its Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, as well as EnergyShare and other programs, Dominion Energy contributed nearly $35 million in 2018 to community causes. Please visit www.DominionEnergy.com to learn more.