Children get memories of a lifetime at Memorial Tournament pro-am
DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) -- One PGA pro will be crowned champion on Sunday at Muirfield Village, and while the official play doesn't begin until Thursday, the tournament isn't only about who lifts the trophy this week.
As Wednesday's Pro-Am demonstrates, it's about what the tournament does for the community and it's members outside the ropes. "I've been golfing with my dad a few times, and none of them look like this. Like, this is really pretty," said a eyes-wide-open Addy Chaney, standing just off the 18th green.
Hat and shades on, it was the 13-year's first visit to the sun-soaked Muirfield Village Golf Club, where the best of the best outside the pro-ranks also teed it up on Wednesday. "Steph Curry was really cool to see. So was Peyton Manning, those were both really cool people I got to see," Addy admits.
Addy also got the chance to meet Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, and Jason Day as the best of the best took to the course before tournament action begins on Thursday. Addy, was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) over three years ago.
Each year, the Golden Bear Invitational Pro-Am honors patients at Nationwide Children's Hospital, like Addy. "It's really cool. Because not many people, a bunch of my friends, they don't know about arthritis and stuff like that, diseases like that,' Addy says. "I think it's really cool it's a whole thing here."
The Memorial Tournament has supported Nationwide Children's Hospital since it began nearly 50 years ago. Their mission -- to help kids like Addy and fellow Bear Cub Christopher Williams, live happy, healthy lives. '"It's just so great, because without them and all these sponsors and everything, things like this for helping kids like mine, probably wouldn't happen, you know?" asks Jamal Williams.
Jamel's son Christopher was born with Autism and takes part in Nationwide Children's 'Sports Play' program. On Wednesday, the Golden Cub got to sit with the Golden Bear himself. Lifetime memories, for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"It's wonderful that people do care out there and go the extra mile, and Nationwide Children's does do that for us, for my whole family," Williams adds. For the last, nearly five decades, the Memorial Tournament has contributed more than $30 million to Nationwide Children's Hospital and the children they serve there every day.