McGladrey Team Championship Raises $175K+ for Special Olympics Golfers

PINEHURST, N.C. --- As part of the third annual McGladrey Team Championship, RSM McGladrey, one of the nation's leading tax, accounting and business consulting firms, presented a check for $175,725 to Special Olympics to benefit the organization's golf program.

Special Olympics is the official charity of The McGladrey Team Championship, a nationwide amateur championship that brings together amateur golfers and PGA professionals from across the country for a one-of-a-kind grassroots competition. The year-long event culminates in the fall with a National Championship at the renowned Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina.

"The McGladrey Team Championship is all about teamwork," said RSM McGladrey President C.E. Andrews. "That spirit of teamwork led us to name the Special Olympics golf program the official charity of our Championship. The $175,725 raised through this year's McGladrey Team Championship silent and live auctions, Local Qualifying Event entry fees and other McGladrey-sponsored fundraisers will give Special Olympics golfers across the nation opportunities to enhance their game, play alongside some of the world's best golfers and illustrate that with the right team, anything's possible."

PGA of America President Jim Remy reinforced the importance of working together.

"The strength of the Special Olympics movement has been the wonderful teamwork for many years between its volunteers and sponsor," said Remy. "RSM McGladrey's support of Special Olympics represents another level of teamwork, a giving back to the community that goes beyond this National Championship and continues through the year. We are most pleased to join RSM McGladrey in this effort to connect golf and its value to Special Olympics."

During this year's National Team Championship, LPGA Tour Professional and Team McGladrey member Natalie Gulbis assisted with the live and silent auctions, which raised nearly $35,000 for Special Olympics golf program. Items bid on during this year's auctions included a guitar autographed by Sheryl Crow, PING golf clubs, a basketball autographed by Larry Bird, a Great Wolf Lodge family get-away package, a jersey autographed by Peyton Manning and numerous other unique items.

"I am honored to have helped host The McGladrey Team Championship, and to serve as the official spokesperson for The Team Championship/Special Olympics partnership," said Gulbis. "The Special Olympics athletes I've met through this partnership are some of the most inspirational people I've ever known. I appreciate everything RSM McGladrey and the Team Championship do in support of these extraordinary athletes."

In addition to Natalie Gulbis, PGA Tour Professionals Chris DiMarco and Zach Johnson make up Team McGladrey. All three Team McGladrey golfers joined Special Olympics golf athletes at The McGladrey Team National Championship to conduct a skills challenge and workshop for players.

"Partnerships like the one we have with The McGladrey Team Championship enable Special Olympics to share the message of acceptance and inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities," said Special Olympics North America Managing Director Bob Gobrecht. "We appreciate what RSM McGladrey and The PGA of America are doing to enhance our efforts to reach more Special Olympics athletes and change more lives."