Clinton Foundation to end role with Career Builder Challenge

The Clinton Foundation announced it will end its official role with the Career Builder Challenge golf tournament, which it partnered with for the past five years.

Tournament officials said World Golf Hall of Fame member professional golfer Phil Mickelson will begin serving as an official ambassador of the Career Builder Challenge beginning in 2017.

Mickelson will promote the tournament and participate in various functions during tournament week. The CareerBuilder Challenge traditionally is the PGA TOUR’s first tournament on the mainland following two weeks in Hawaii to start the calendar year, officials said in Wednesday’s release.

“I’m very excited to undertake the role of tournament ambassador and look forward to doing what I can to help with the continued growth of the CareerBuilder Challenge,” Mickelson said. “Our family loves the area and we have a home in the Coachella Valley, so this is a natural fit for me.”

“Phil Mickleson is a big golfer and he has a lot of fans and he’ll draw a lot of fans and players,” said Steve Sparks of Palm Desert.

Although the Clinton Foundation is ending its partnership with the tournament, officials said the foundation and the Health Matters initiative will remain committed to the Coachella Valley to improve the health and wellness of local residents.

“I have treasured the opportunity over the last five years for the Clinton Foundation to be part of this storied tournament that honors Bob Hope’s legacy of service in the Coachella Valley,” said President Clinton, Founder of the Clinton Foundation and 42nd President of the United States. “I’m honored that we could build on that legacy by working with dedicated partners to bring great golf to the desert and improve the health and wellness of nearly 400,000 local residents. I look forward to continuing the Foundation’s work in the Coachella Valley, and to seeing the exciting new chapter of the tournament’s history that will be written with Phil Mickelson joining on as a partner with the PGA TOUR, Desert Classic Charities, and CareerBuilder.”

Tournament organizers say they were told by Clinton that he would be focusing his time on Hilary Clinton’s run for the presidency.

The Health Matters Annual Activation Summit will continue in a new location in 2017.

In place of the health conference, a new annual labor market and job skills conference will be held during the tournament beginning in 2018, officials said.

“Core to CareerBuilder’s mission is helping workers find their passion-in good-paying jobs that enable them to provide for their families and raise up their communities,” said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder. “We are thrilled to have a long-term partnership with Phil Mickelson as we underscore this mission through the tournament. In addition to being a Hall of Fame golfer, he is a great humanitarian and the personification of what the CareerBuilder Challenge is all about. His foundation’s commitment to education is well-aligned with our focus on empowering employment, and we look forward to working together to make a difference in the lives of others.”

With the Clinton Foundation no longer part of the tournament, local charities might be able to make more money during the tournament.

“We had a share, and they had a certain share for some of the work they were doing, so yes depending on how successful we are in the tournament we hope to be more and more successful,” said John Foster, president of Desert Classic Charities.

News Channel 3 and CBS Local 2 will have more information leading up to next year’s tournament as events begin to take place.