| Wells Fargo Championship Tournament Office: Lee Patterson (704) 553-4790 leep@wcgolf.org Wells Fargo: Mary Beth Navarro (704) 374-2292 mary.beth.navarro@wachovia.com |
February 27, 2009Wachovia Championship Renamed Quail Hollow Championship
CHARLOTTE, N.C.—The Wachovia Championship will have a new name when players and fans show up in Charlotte this spring for the April 27-May 3 PGA TOUR event. Starting this year, the tournament will be named the Quail Hollow Championship.
"Wachovia has been proud to support our communities and build our business for the past six years through our involvement with the Wachovia Championship and the PGA TOUR, and we had renewed our contract to sponsor the tournament in early 2008," said David Carroll, head of Wells Fargo's Wealth Management, Brokerage and Retirement Services Group. "Given the merger integration with Wells Fargo and Wachovia, we believe it no longer makes sense to invest in promoting the Wachovia brand via the tournament. In the current environment, we also believe that promoting this event with our brand could send mixed signals about our priorities to many of our stakeholders. Also, as a result, our company will not host any client entertainment events in connection with the Championship."
Wachovia team members will volunteer their time to support this year's event, and the tournament will donate 2009 net proceeds to Teach For America and other non-profit organizations, as in the past.
"We want to ensure the event continues to benefit the Charlotte economy and that fans and players have a terrific experience," said Kym Hougham, executive director of the tournament.
"We support this name change and look forward to working with the tournament in continuing the positive business, charitable and economic impacts that have been generated by this event," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem.
About Wachovia and Wells Fargo
The merger between Wachovia and Wells Fargo closed on Dec. 31, 2008. Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company with $1.3 trillion in assets, providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance through more than 11,000 stores, over 12,000 ATMs and the internet (wellsfargo.com) across North America and internationally. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. has the highest credit rating currently given to U.S. banks by Moody's Investors Service, "Aa1," and Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, "AA+."
About the Wells Fargo Championship
The Wells Fargo Championship is one of the largest, most prestigious sporting events in the Charlotte region. Now leading up to its seventh year, the tournament is intended as an annual tradition that will bring, players and patrons back each year for an unforgettable golf experience. The national and international golf community has recognized it as one of the top events on the PGA TOUR. The 2009 tournament will be held April 27-May 3. A combination of Quail Hollow Club and the spirit of the Charlotte area community are among the reasons the Wells Fargo Championship has and should continue to draw many of the world's top golfers to Charlotte.
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