Golfers Hit the Greens for CF

September 11, 2007

Whether they swing like Tiger Woods or are newcomers to the greens, golfers continue to have a fun time on courses across the country raising money for the CF Foundation.

ESPN radio personality Colin Cowherd, PGA Pro Bob Gilder, Senator Ron Wyden and Event Co-chair Harvey Platt (l to r) all enjoyed a wonderful day of golf during the Bob Gilder's Platt Golf Challenge.

After a 7:45 a.m. shotgun start, participants enjoyed a spirited game of scramble, aiming to be the team with the lowest total score at the end of the round. One foursome, however, got an extra foot up on the competition when team member Gary Lessing hit a hole-in-one. Not only did he get a once-in-a-lifetime golf thrill, Lessing also received a brand new Mercedes-Benz.

After picking up the keys, he and the other guests took part in a lively auction, with a yacht cruise, Boston Red Sox tickets and a “Behind the Scenes” tour of ESPN up for grabs. By the end of the day, the golf tournament raised a tremendous $300,000.

On the same day in Missouri, 180 golfers took in the breathtaking view at the Norwood Hills Country Club for the Gateway Chapter’s 38th annual Bud Select Jack Buck Golf Classic. They, too, began their day early, with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. After 18 holes of golf, guests enjoyed a cocktail hour, a plentiful lunch buffet and a chance to win elaborate golf packages to exclusive courses during the auction. Under the leadership of Event Chair Jim Myer, the golf tournament raised $112,000—38 percent more than last year!

The Central Pennsylvania Chapter also offered the avid golfer a chance to raise money for the Foundation on the east coast. Before hitting the links at the Phillips Group Golf Classic in Harrisburg, 110 golfers were treated to singing of the national anthem by 13-year-old Olivia Berrigan, who has CF. Making a speech at dinner, her father Joe told guests about her life with cystic fibrosis. “I can’t sit back and NOT do anything,” he said. “Being involved with the Foundation is how I help battle this disease.” The crowd rallied, raising more than $10,000 through Bid for a Cure. With the help of Steve McNally, the event’s chair, the tournament raised almost $60,000, nearly doubling the amount raised in 2006.

Whether on the west coast, the east coast or in the Midwest, golfers from every part of the country are pulling out all their clubs in an effort to raise significant funds for CF research.