Come next year, the Honda Classic will have a new name and a new title sponsor.
The final event under that name, Honda Classic Cares Week, kicked off with a record $7.2 million being distributed to more than 100 South Florida philanthropic organizations, exceeding the previous record of $6.45 million set in 2022.
The charitable contributions capped a 42-year run of title sponsorship and giving for American Honda. The increase allows The Honda Classic to surpass $68.9 million in charitable contributions during American Honda’s time as title sponsor, including more than $53 million in the 17 years since Children’s Healthcare Charity Inc. became the host organization and moved the event to PGA National Resort.
The tournament, engaged in a search for its next title sponsor, has now set records 16 of those past 17 years, its rapid growth slowed only by the coronavirus pandemic in 2021. The 2023 charity distribution, which took place during Honda Classic Cares Week, June 5-8, includes 53 individual grants and will have an impact on the lives of more than 100,000 children in the local community.
“It is appropriate that as we say goodbye to American Honda after an incredible 42 years of our philanthropic partnership that we celebrate another record impact on the children of our community,” Honda Classic
Executive Director Andrew George said in a news release. “The unwavering support of all our tournament sponsors and fans allows us to remain one of the elite events in professional golf and we intend to continue reaching higher for the benefit of all of our charity partners.”
The Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation once again will receive a grant of $2 million. More than $14 million has been donated to the NCHCF since its inception, much of it in support of pediatric services at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and its 24,000-square-foot Palm Beach Gardens Outpatient Center. The 2023 grant will support inpatient pediatric services established at Jupiter Medical Center through the partnership with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to bring world-class pediatric care to the children and families of Palm Beach and Martin counties.
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Nicklaus Children’s Hospital also will purchase two new ambulances which will serve the tri-county South Florida area and be branded to the tournament once a new title sponsor is named.
And money from the tournament will support the Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Heart Institute and its affiliation with South Florida Project ADAM, a nonprofit dedicated to the prevention of sudden cardiac arrest, the leading cause of death in the young. Together, they will expand their efforts over the next two years to provide lifesaving training and education to all Broward and Palm Beach County public schools.
“Jack and I are incredibly grateful to American Honda for all that it has done over the past 17 years to support our efforts to advance pediatric health care through the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation,” Barbara Nicklaus said in the news release. “Having our foundation serve as the primary beneficiary has allowed us to work in tandem with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and Jupiter Medical Center to touch the lives of so many children and families. We are blessed that the tournament is helping us make such a positive impact in our community.”
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The tournament’s annual Celebration of Philanthropy was held June 8 at PGA National Resort with a drawing taking place among nine finalists in the Birdies for Children program for a new Honda CRV. Fans donate each year for the chance to guess the number of birdies in the tournament. The nine finalists each correctly guessed the total of 1,419 birdies recorded at the 2023 Honda Classic. The program raised $3.5 million this year.
The growth of the tournament’s charitable donations is a testament to ongoing partnerships with PGA National Resort, Palm Beach County, the city of Palm Beach Gardens and the PGA TOUR along with the support from Founders Club sponsor Tire Kingdom, and more than 200 other community minded local sponsors.
“Donating $7.2 million to area charities doesn’t happen without support,” Joe Russo, president of Children’s Healthcare Charity, the host organization of the tournament, said in the news release. “We have to thank American Honda, PGA National, all of the sponsors, volunteers and fans who attend the tournament each year.
“It is the ultimate mission to make this kind of impact on the community. We are proud to set another record and continue improving the lives of youth in need.”
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