Pro Golfer DeChambeau Revives Birdie Challenge with NKF Konica Minolta Golf Classic

 

New York – Friday, March 30, 2018 – PGA Tour star Bryson DeChambeau has rejoined forces with the prestigious National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Konica Minolta Golf Classic to lead his own Birdie Challenge during April - National Donate Life Month – and into May, to help raise funds, as he first did last year, to promote the need for life-saving organ donations and to support kidney health. Last year’s efforts raised close to $20,000, and his sights are set on exceeding that this year.

 

Kidney transplantation is the best treatment for end-stage renal disease, more commonly known as kidney failure.  Studies show that the best-functioning, longest-lasting type of transplant comes from a living donor, and the waitlist for a kidney from a deceased donor is long.  In the United States, more than 100,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant right now, approximately 18,000 will get transplanted this year, and more than 4,000 people will die waiting. 

 

For DeChambeau, the numbers are very personal. For years, his father, Jon DeChambeau relied on lengthy dialysis treatments just to stay alive. Yet, last year, he received a kidney from a living donor, a high school friend. “Receiving a kidney has completely changed my father’s life, and he has been doing very well since the transplant,” Bryson DeChambeau said. “I’m very proud to do another Birdie Challenge in his honor, and to help others have better lives through living donations.”

 

The Birdie Challenge is a social media and web-based event in which DeChambeau will pledge to donate $250 per birdie and $500 per eagle that he makes on the PGA Tour during the month of April and early May.  He also will challenge his social media followers and fans to make their own pledges and make a difference.  To make your Birdie Challenge pledge, visit https://pledgeit.org/brysons-birdies. You can join the conversation via the hashtag #BrysonsBirdieChallenge.  As an added boost and show of support, NKF and DeChambeau’s sponsor, Bridgestone Golf, are participating in his Birdie Challenge. DeChambeau will put his Birdie Challenge in action at the following events on the PGA Tour: The Masters, Augusta, GA, April 5-8; RBC Heritage, Hilton Head, SC, April 12-15; and the Wells Fargo Championship, Charlotte, NC, May 3-6.

 

“We’re excited that Bryson has renewed his Birdie Challenge in support of our ongoing fight against kidney disease,” said National Kidney Foundation CEO Kevin Longino, who received a kidney transplant more than 13 years ago.  “Bryson’s Birdie Challenge will raise funds and awareness for our cause. We hope others will join his efforts and watch him as he birdies his way through National Donate Life Month.”

 

DeChambeau, a Fresno, CA, native, had his first full season on the PGA Tour in 2017 after a very successful amateur career.  He won the National Collegiate Athletic Association individual title and the U.S. Amateur Championship, both in 2015.  He is one of only five players in history to accomplish this feat, joining Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ryan Moore.  DeChambeau turned professional in April 2016. Learn more on his web site at www.brysond.com.

 

“Bryson DeChambeau is not just a great golf professional, he’s also a great humanitarian,” said Rick Taylor, Konica Minolta’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “His efforts to make a significant difference in people’s lives on behalf of the National Kidney Foundation line up perfectly with our core vision.  As a company, we’re constantly looking for ways to improve the quality of society and it's an honor to support Bryson's Birdie Challenge.”

 

The NKF Konica Minolta Golf Classic, a nationwide series of close to 30 golf tournaments held in major cities across the country, is The Premier Amateur Golf Event for Charity™ raising $3.5 million each year and exceeding $100 million to date. The event also works to raise awareness about kidney health by prominently displaying posters with key kidney facts and figures along the golf courses. NKF urges Golf Classic participants and the public to make an explicit commitment to “Heart Your Kidneys” by learning about the kidney’s vital functions and help elevate the kidneys to the status of other vital organs such as the heart.

 

In 2017, NKF welcomed Konica Minolta as the national title sponsor of the Golf Classic. The national corporate partner is Insurance Auto Auctions / One Car One Difference. National promotional partners are Bridgestone Golf, Global Golf Post, the Greg Norman Collection, and PING. For more information about the NKF Konica Minolta Golf Classic and the next opportunity to qualify for the National Finals at Pebble Beach (January 17-20, 2019), please visit www.NKFKonicaMinoltaGolfClassic.com.

 

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the Future^™ (www.reshapework.com) with its expansive smart office product portfolio from IT Services (All Covered), ECM, Managed Print Services and industrial and commercial print solutions. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for 11 consecutive years and is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2017 America's Best Employers list. The World Technology Awards recently named the company a finalist in the IT software category. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for six consecutive years. It partners with its clients to give shape to ideas and work to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit: www.CountOnKonicaMinolta.com and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter@KonicaMinoltaUS. 

 

30 million American adults are estimated to have chronic kidney disease—and most aren’t aware of it. 1 in 3 American adults are at risk for chronic kidney disease. Risk factors for kidney disease include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and family history of kidney failure. People of African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander descent are at increased risk for developing the disease. African Americans are 3 times more likely than Whites, and Hispanics are nearly 1.5 times more likely than non-Hispanics to develop end-stage renal disease (kidney failure).