November 01, 2011

$2,077,000 Charitable Donation Announced by Shell Houston Open Officials

HOUSTON (November 1, 2011) – Officials today announced that proceeds of $2,077,000 from the 2011 Shell Houston Open PGA TOUR Tournament and the Houston Golf Association’s other golf-related activities has been put to work in our community.

That figure boosts the Houston Golf Association (HGA) charitable contribution total to more than $55.2 million since 1974. This marks the 18 th consecutive year the contribution has been a million dollars or more.

Shell Oil Company president Marvin Odum and Houston Golf Association president Steve Timms jointly made the announcement at One Shell Plaza. Houston Vice Mayor Pro-Tem Ed Gonzalez also officially proclaimed Tuesday, November 1, 2011 as Shell Houston Open – A Chance for Children Day.  At a luncheon after the news conference Joe Louis Barrow, CEO of The First Tee, and Timms also announced that HGA's The First Tee of Greater Houston chapter would be more closely aligned with the Shell Houston Open.

HGA, a 501c (3) non-profit organization, has been promoting golf in the region since 1946. It has been funding local youth-development programs since 1974.
Shell Oil Company has been title sponsor of Houston’s PGA TOUR event since 1992. During that 20-year partnership with Shell, more than 93% of the total funding has been generated. Last spring Shell, the PGA TOUR and HGA announced a 5-year extension on its tournament title sponsorship agreement that will run through the 2017 event.

Shell Houston Open ongoing benefiting charities, which annually supply volunteers for the tournament, are: Acres Home Youth Association, Boys and Girls Harbor, Inc., Cenikor Foundation, Inc., Chinquapin School and Make-a-Wish Foundation of the Texas Gulf Coast & Louisiana. Funding also goes to HGA Youth Programs, which include an academic scholarship program as well as The First Tee ® of Greater Houston chapter, which reaches more than 70,000 young people annually, and HGA Junior Golf. More than 200 additional worthy causes and non-profit organizations also received donations or gifts-in-kind.

The 2012 Shell Houston Open will be played the week of March 28-April 3 at Redstone Golf Club – Tournament Course. Phil Mickelson is defending champion.  Visit www.shellhoustonopen.com for details.