Wounded Warrior Project Partners with THE PLAYERS Championship for Birdies for Charity Program

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., April 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- THE PLAYERS Championship annual Birdies for Charity program and Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) will partner to raise funds and further the WWP mission to honor and empower wounded warriors. Prior to the May 3-9 tournament at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, Florida, fans nationwide are invited to guess the number of birdies that will be made during THE PLAYERS and select a local charity they would like their pledge to benefit.  WWP encourages its supporters to pledge through the Birdies for Charity program.

The Birdies for Charity program is similar to a walk-a-thon, where participants make a pledge for each birdie made by professional golfers during THE PLAYERS. In 2009, 1,502 birdies were made during the four-day event raising over $216,000, part of the record $4.15 million generated by THE PLAYERS. Supporters can pledge online at PGATOUR.COM/THEPLAYERS and select Wounded Warrior Project in to drop down menu.

One lucky supporter who guesses the exact number of birdies made during the tournament's competitive rounds will win an all-expense paid trip to The Barclays, the kickoff event of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedEx Cup in Paramus, New Jersey in August. The package includes roundtrip airfare for two, four nights accommodations, and VIP tickets for the tournament (more details forthcoming).

"It's been exciting for all those involved with THE PLAYERS to watch how the Birdies for Charity program has grown over the years," said THE PLAYERS Executive Director Jay Monahan. "Birdies for Charity allows the community to take an active role in raising money for organizations that are near and dear to their hearts and is a key component of our overall impact on Northeast Florida charities."

About Wounded Warrior Project

The mission of the Wounded Warrior Project is to honor and empower wounded warriors.  Its purpose is to raise awareness and to enlist the public's aid for the needs of severely injured service members, to help severely injured men and women aid and assist each other, and to provide unique, direct programs and services to meet their needs. WWP is a national, apolitical organization headquartered in Jacksonville, FL. To get involved and learn more, visit www.woundedwarriorproject.org.

About THE PLAYERS and charity

THE PLAYERS Championship annually combines the best field in golf with the world-class venue that is THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass. UBS, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and JELD-WEN are the exclusive Proud Partners of THE PLAYERS. Proceeds from THE PLAYERS benefit Northeast Florida charities. Since 1977, when THE PLAYERS Championship moved to Ponte Vedra, more than $35 million has been contributed to Northeast Florida charities, including a record $4.15 million donation in 2009.

SOURCE Wounded Warrior Project