The 3rd Annual Els for Autism Charity Pro-Am Golf Tournament

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The third annual Els for Autism Charity Pro-Am Golf Tournament was held March 20th-21st at PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The event raised more than $720,000 for the Els for Autism Foundation, which is dedicated to finding a solution to the epidemic of autism in young children.

“We are closer today to where we want to be than ever before. And, it’s because of the support of the professional golfers and all the amateurs here who are supporting us that we can say that. I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”

The organization was founded by Ernie Els and his wife Liezl, in conjunction with Marvin R. Shanken, the chairman of M. Shanken Communications, and the publisher of Wine Spectator and Cigar Aficionado magazines. The Els announced to the world in March 2008 that their son, Ben, now 8, suffered from autism.

PGA Tour professionals including Els, Robert Allenby, Mark Calcavecchia, Adam Scott, U.S. Open Champion Graeme McDowell, K.J. Choi, Justin Leonard, Dustin Johnson, Luke Donald and Steve Marino among others played in the event at the Champions Course. Golf legend Jack Nicklaus also took part in the Pro-Am tournament along with approximately 65 amateurs.

The Els for Autism Foundation has embarked on a capital campaign to raise $30 million for a 300-student school and research facility, the Center for Excellence, to be built in Florida. The research center will be dedicated to all aspects of autism treatment and study, and will put together innovative programs for education, therapy and research for children across the autism spectrum.

Els said that, “We are closer today to where we want to be than ever before. And, it’s because of the support of the professional golfers and all the amateurs here who are supporting us that we can say that. I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart.”

The event’s co-sponsors are M. Shanken Communications and the Richemont Group, with its chairman Johann Rupert. Corporate sponsors included Bacardi USA, Barnes and Noble, Brown-Forman, Callaway Golf, Diageo, Moet-Hennessey, Pernod Ricard, PGA National, Royal Bank of Canada, SAP, Skyy Spirits, and the PGA of America, among others.

Four cigar companies joined in the fund-raising effort including Alec Bradley cigars, La Flor Dominicana, Rocky Patel Premium Cigars, Oliva Cigar Company.