AUSTIN, Texas – On Giving Tuesday, tournament officials announced that the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play has exceeded $5 million in charitable contributions to the Greater Austin area since the tournament moved to Austin Country Club in 2016.
That total includes funds generated from the 2021 event held last March and brings the all-time total for the tournament’s 22-year history to over $20 million. The funds donated were once again made possible through the unwavering support of the community and have directly benefitted Dell Children’s, the First Tee of Greater Austin, and several other organizations throughout the years.
“We’re honored to help local Austin charities have a lasting impact in our hometown,” said Liz Matthews, Senior Vice President of Global Brand and Creative at Dell Technologies. “Dell Technologies is committed to accelerating access to healthcare, education and economic opportunity in our community – the funds raised for Dell Children’s and First Tee of Greater Austin during the 2021 tournament help make that a reality.”
Earlier this month, tournament officials made visits to both Dell Children’s and the First Tee of Greater Austin to commemorate the announcement and witness the direct benefit of the charitable dollars.
Tournament Executive Director Jordan Uppleger met with Dell Children’s President Christopher Born and Executive Director Susan Hewlitt to celebrate the recent opening of their Specialty Pavilion, which was built with the help of donations from organizations in Austin such as the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
The Pavilion, unveiled in April of 2021, houses world-class cardiovascular, neurosciences, fetal care and cancer programs. The addition of the new site is part of a comprehensive plan to expand and elevate pediatric care in the region over the next five years, boasting 161,000 square feet of additional space for complex care services.
“We’re very excited about the Dell Children’s Specialty Pavilion that will house our centers of excellence focused on cardiac care, fetal intervention, children’s blood and cancer and our neurosciences institute,” said Christopher Born, President, Dell Children’s.
“Community involvement is a major part of what enables us to serve the pediatric population. The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation have been pivotal with their investments and have been amazing at raising the healthcare platform that is currently serving all of Austin. I couldn’t be more pleased that we also get to work with the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play event.
“Their recent donation is an amazing gift for the Dell Children’s Medical Center that helped fund the Specialty Pavilion. We are delighted the tournament is played at Austin Country Club; it’s such a beautiful place for the players to participate in. I can’t say enough about Dell Technologies and their support of the hospital, the tournament, and the other countless ways they serve this city.”
The First Tee of Greater Austin continues to instill core values through youth golf programming since the Austin chapter was first founded in 1999. During the tournament’s visit to their local chapter on November 10, students were greeted by two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw and 19-time PGA TOUR winner Tom Kite who chatted with students, shared swing tips, instructional advice and some motivational anecdotes during one of their Fall Series classes.
Donations from the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play are part of what continues to help fund curriculum, source equipment and aid in long-term projects like the eventual Learning Center at the Harvey Penick Golf Campus.
“Although the pandemic provided some challenges for the First Tee of Greater Austin, we are proud to still have been able to serve over 2,200 youth in our community in the last year with instructional programming,” said Jennifer MacCurrach, Executive Director of the First Tee. “Austin has a great history of golf. We have three World Golf Hall of Fame members associated with our community including Tom Kite, Ben Crenshaw and Harvey Penick. A lot of that started to subside with Mr. Penick’s passing but when the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play came to town it revitalized the entire culture. It brought people back into the game of golf and provided a new avenue for charitable giving.
“To have the top 64 players in the world come to our city was a total revitalization of the sport here. We can’t thank the tournament, Dell Technologies or Austin Country Club enough for all they do for the First Tee of Greater Austin and for our community.”
Tickets for the 2022 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play are still on sale to the general public. Every ticket purchased for the event, set to be held March 23-27 at Austin C.C., will directly benefit Dell Children’s and the First Tee of Greater Austin so fans attending the event are helping to positively impact their community.
“With the help of our incredible partners, Dell Technologies and the Austin Country Club membership, we have been able to continue giving back charitably and are proud to have exceeded $5 million in contributions to the Austin community over the past six years,” said Executive Director Jordan Uppleger. “The buzz surrounding the 2022 event is palpable as we work hand in hand with Austin C.C. to welcome back all our fans and unveil an exceptional next edition of the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.
“Knowing proceeds from each ticket will directly benefit charity, every spectator in attendance is making a difference in the lasting impact we plan to make on the Austin community and to organizations like the First Tee and Dell Children’s.”
Offering a combination of unmatched views, a vibrant atmosphere, and experiences unique to Austin for every fan, a Grounds ticket to the Dell Technologies Match Play is not your average general admission ticket. Grounds tickets provide single-day access to the tournament grounds along with all of the public fan areas; a weekly ticket option is also on sale. Complimentary admission will be available for youth 15 and under when accompanied by a ticketed adult as well as active and retired Military and their dependents.
Since its inception in 1999, the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play has generated more than $20 million for charity (including past locations and title sponsors). With an incredible venue in Austin C.C. and the 64 best players in the world set to take place in a format unique to this city, the 2022 event will be one of the biggest events on the PGA TOUR schedule with the very best players from around the world from the Official World Golf Ranking.
To purchase tickets or for more information visit dellmatchplay.com
