GRAND BLANC, Mich. - The Buick Open, Michigan's only PGA Tour event, announced that it has donated a record $740,000 to Southeastern Michigan charities from proceeds raised through the 2004 tournament. Held annually at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc, the Buick Open has now raised $7.2 million for area charities since 1982.

"We're very excited to announce another record donation to the Buick Open charities," said Larry Peck, Buick's golf marketing manager. "We know how important these funds are to the operation of these great organizations who do some much for so many people." The previous record donation from the Buick Open was $617,000 from the 2003 tournament.

Among the charities who received donations from the 2004 Buick Open are Easter Seals of Genesee County, which raises additional funds through the sale of Buick Open tickets; the American Red Cross Genesee-Lapeer Chapter, which provides transportation services for the tournament; Whaley Children's Center, which handles the "will-call" booth at the tournament; and the Genesee County regional office of the American Lung Association of Michigan, which provides volunteers to operate the Buick Open telephone center.

Among the other beneficiaries of the Buick Open charity donations are the Children's Home of Detroit and the Boy Scouts. Several other organizations are scheduled to receive proceeds from the 2004 Buick Open.

Buick also announced today that the purse for the 2005 Buick Open, scheduled for July 25-31 at Warwick Hills, will be a record $4.6 million. The defending champion is Vijay Singh, who became only the third player in tournament history to win the Buick Open twice (Julius Boros and Tony Lema).

For Buick Open tickets or information call 1 (800) 878 OPEN or go to www.ticketmaster.com.

Now in its fifth decade of PGA Tour sponsorship, Buick is the title-sponsor of three PGA Tour events in 2005: The Buick Invitational (January 17-23) at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, Calif.; the Buick Open (July 25-31); and the Buick Championship (Aug. 22-29) at the TPC at River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.