2016 Farmers Insurance Open Kicks Off in a Big Way

Returning Champion, Jason Day, to Help Make First Donation of the Tournament

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Jan 18, 2016, 01:00 ET

Farmers Insurance Logo.

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --Today, Farmers Insurance®, The Century Club of San Diego, and The PGA TOUR, kicked off a preview of the 2016 Farmers Insurance Open with a charitable donation of 25 wheel chairs to a local non-profit, Support the Enlisted Project (STEP), with the help of last year's champion, Jason Day.

Farmers Insurance, in its seventh year as title sponsor of the tournament, raised more than $3.1 million last year through its charitable initiatives, and over $32 million for San Diego charities over the lifetime of the tournament.

"We like to say that the Farmers Insurance Open is about much more than golf," said Mike Linton, chief marketing officer for Farmers Insurance. "The tournament gives us an opportunity to make a big difference for many San Diego charities, and we look forward to expanding upon our charitable initiatives this year."

STEP, which provides assistance to military members and their families, and is one of 12 Champions for Youth charities, will compete for the opportunity to earn a portion of the $200,000 Champions for Youth bonus pool. Additionally, the wheel chairs were donated on behalf of Farmers and one of its agents, Bob Herzog, who coordinated the donation through his volunteering with The Wheelchair Foundation, based in San Francisco, California.

"It's an honor to be able to serve those who serve and protect our nation every single day," said Herzog. "I couldn't think of a better charity, or way to kick off the 2016 Farmers Insurance Open."

The Farmers Insurance Open begins January 28 – 31, anyone can follow the tournament at Facebook.com/FarmersInsuranceOpen, on Twitter @FarmersInsOpen or on Instagram.com/farmersinsopen with the use of #FIO16.

Visit Farmers.com/corporate-giving to learn more about the programs Farmers Insurance supports across the country, dedicated to serving and improving communities.

About Farmers Insurance
"Farmers Insurance®" and "Farmers®" are tradenames for a group of affiliated insurers providing insurance for automobiles, homes and small businesses and a wide range of other insurance and financial services and products. Farmers Insurance is proud to serve more than 10 million households with over 19 million individual policies, across all 50 states, through the efforts of more than 48,000 exclusive and independent agents and approximately 21,000 employees. Farmers Insurance Exchange, the largest of the three primary insurance insurers that make up Farmers Insurance, is recognized as one of the largest U.S. companies on the 2015 Fortune 500 list.

For more information about Farmers Insurance, visit Farmers.com, Twitter and Instagram, @WeAreFarmers, or Facebook.com/FarmersInsurance.