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 The Nationwide Tour began in 1990 when then-Commissioner Deane Beman saw the need to provide up-and-coming young players, along with veterans looking to sharpen their skills for the Champions Tour, a place to ply their trade.
The first year saw 30 tournaments on what was then known as the Ben Hogan Tour that were played for just slightly more than $3 million in total prize money.
Slow, steady growth occurred over the next several seasons before NIKE came on board as the umbrella sponsor for the 1993 campaign. NIKE was eventually replaced by BUY.COM at the end of 1999 before Nationwide Insurance and Financial Services took over umbrella sponsorship for the start of the 2003 season.
Over the first 15 years of the Tour, alums have made their way to the PGA TOUR and demonstrated the quality of the competition on the Nationwide Tour. To date, Nationwide Tour alums have won over 255 PGA TOUR titles, including 10 major championships. Players like Zach Johnson, Aaron Oberholser, Brett Wetterich, Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, David Duval, David Toms, John Daly, Tom Lehman, Shaun Micheel and Stuart Appleby all played the Nationwide Tour before finding stardom on the PGA TOUR.
The Tour has now grown from a circuit of mostly mid-size markets in the U.S. in 1990 to events in the U.S., Canada, Panama, Australia and New Zealand. U.S. markets now include cities like Chicago, Minneapolis, Miami, Phoenix, Raleigh and Salt Lake City, along with international destinations like Toronto, Calgary, Adelaide, Christchurch and Panama City.
The Nationwide Tour has brought incredible TOUR-quality golf to new markets while donating millions of dollars to local charities. Fans have been treated to some of the game's best players who have preformed some remarkable feats.
With the support of Nationwide, one of the world's leading insurance and financial services companies, the Tour continues to grow and prosper with fans treated to spectacular play each week by players who will soon be enjoying success on the PGA TOUR.
The Utah Sports Commission Foundation is a not-for-profit, 501c3 IRS charitable organization, created by the State of Utah to attract amateur and professional national and international sports competition, continue Utah's Olympic sports legacy, market and promote Utah's sports brand, Utah: The State of Sport, and be a catalyst in key sports development endeavors.
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