The Presidents Cup

Melbourne, Australia

The Presidents Cup has grown from little more than an idea in the early 1990s to one of the most anticipated events on golf’s global calendar. Along the way, this world-class competition has not only brought together the game’s best, but has also established itself as an event that stands for international goodwill and a positive, charitable impact across the globe.

Unlike most sporting events, players are not paid for their participation in The Presidents Cup; there is no purse or prize money. Instead, each competitor designates charities or golf-related projects of his choice to receive a portion of the funds raised through the staging of each Presidents Cup.

With players, captains and captains’ assistants hailing from dozens of countries, their donations have positively impacted a variety of charitable causes around the world. From providing medical care for neglected animals in Greenville, S.C., to school lunches for underprivileged children in South Korea; from funding for teachers and facilities in earthquake-ravaged Haiti to support for programs that bring golf to the disabled in South Africa; from scholarships for children of fallen California firefighters to addiction-recovery programs in Australia – these are but a few examples of the myriad ways those involved in The Presidents Cup have been able to affect change in their communities, home countries and globally.

In total, more than $23 million has been distributed to at least 380 charities in many countries since the inception of The Presidents Cup in 1994. But more compelling than numbers and dollar figures are the stories from those whose lives have been touched by the generosity of the event’s participants.

It’s often said that The Presidents Cup represents all that is good about the game of golf—sportsmanship, international goodwill and friendly competition. When a sporting event is contested within this framework, there are only winners – on and off the golf course – no matter what the outcome of the competition.

Each week, we'll feature letters sent to past Presidents Cup team members from the charities they support. Please click here to read the letters.