Both Padraig Harrington and Jerry Kelly are taking the incredible ‘Birdies for Survivors’ initiative to a different level.
TUCSON, Ariz. — Twelve-time PGA Tour Champions winner Jerry Kelly could not care about the state of his game this week in Southern Arizona. Nor did he worry about how he and his team would fare during Thursday’s Pro-Am ahead of the Cologuard Classic, the tournament he hosts.
This event extends far beyond playing golf and competing for a trophy. It’s a week devoted to saving lives, celebrating survivors, and advocating for colon cancer awareness, a topic not discussed enough among the American population. This awful disease is the second deadliest cancer in the United States, a reality that Kelly unfortunately knows all too well. His childhood best friend, Rob Andringa, succumbed to colon cancer in 2020, which led Kelly to take a more significant stand to support colon cancer initiatives and make this tournament stand out among the rest.
“We had two [colon cancer survivors] in our [Pro-Am] group today, and it just means so much to me to be able to give them something because what they’re going through and who they’ve lost, I mean, it hits you pretty deep,” Kelly said.
“To have them out there, you just got to have smiles on the entire time and make sure they have the most fun that they could possibly have on a golf course, show ‘em that that can happen on a golf course.”
This year, roughly 350 colon cancer patients and survivors traveled to Tucson for the Cologuard Classic. Some participated in the Pro-Am. But everyone came to have a good time, escape their challenging realities, and most importantly, mingle with others fighting similar battles and interact with colon cancer advocacy groups. Fighting colon cancer can be a lonely experience. Many patients do not know where to turn for support nor do they want to share their stories.
Which makes the 15th green so incredible.
The stands surrounding the 15th green, with the tantalizing Santa Catalina Mountains in the backdrop, is known as ‘Survivor Central.’ It’s a dedicated area for colon cancer survivors, patients, and their families — a place where they can watch golf, cheer on the tournament, and socialize with other individuals who have been to hell and back.
But the Cologuard Classic is stepping things up this year with an incredible initiative related to this hole.
For any birdie made on this 418-yard dogleg right par-4, the tournament will donate $1,500 to the ‘Birdies for Survivors’ fund. Every birdie made on the 15th hole will sponsor a colon cancer patient to attend next year’s Cologuard Classic, a life-changing week for countless individuals affected by this disease.
When three-time major winner Padraig Harrington learned about this, he decided to up the ante.
“I’ll tell you what, I’ll double it up,” Harrington said.
“If I make a birdie, I’ll give $1,500 on top of what they give.”
Should Harrington birdie the 15th hole at any point this week, he will help send not one but two patients to next year’s Cologuard Classic.
“I’m not letting [Harrington] do that without me, are you kidding me? I’m in, I’m in,” said Kelly, who loved the Irishman’s idea and hopped on board.
“I’m doing $1,501,” the tournament host added, one-upping Harrington.
“I’ve talked with Paddy about this event. He and all the players have bought in that this is so much more than a golf tournament. This movement to get people screened, they see, and they’ve played with people who we have lost. It’s something that we don’t have to go through if we get screened, we don’t have to lose people to this disease. It’s amazing, there’s still 60 million out there that are behind in their screening. I can’t say it loud enough and often enough and I’m going to keep doing it. Yeah, we need to get the awareness out.”
That’s what this week is all about: getting the word out.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.
