CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — From Raiders and Jazz alumni to players from universities all over Utah, the ninth annual Leavitt Charity Golf Week at Sand Hollow Resort was everything attendees hoped it would be and more.
Byron Linford, brand developer and production coordinator for Golf Week, said the event was a huge hit, not only for attendees and sponsors but also for the DDx Foundation, a physician-run nonprofit that seeks to accelerate progress in cancer treatments by making the sharing of clinical specimens and data seamless.
“It was certainly our best event so far,” he said. “We want to have this fun event, and we want it to be a good experience for everybody. But ultimately, it’s about building for the charity.”
Golf Week teed off Monday, Sept. 11, with the conclusion of the Friendship Cup, a competitive event pairing local golfers against players from Scotland, the birthplace of the game. The Scots were ahead after the first leg, which was played earlier this summer in Scotland, and continued to lead into the Southern Utah event – until the American team came back and took the win by three strokes.
“That was exciting,” Linford said. “It was really, really close.”
The Scottish players had a remarkable time in Southern Utah, Linford added. Outside of the event, they visited Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks and also went to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, where four of the players had the rare opportunity to sing alongside them.
This year’s Golf Week had quite a few firsts, such as the first hole-in-one and the first female player, Arden Locke, the daughter of Utah Jazz radio announcer David Locke.
The University of Utah alumni team was the two-time defending champion heading into the Zions Bank University Cup on Tuesday, Sept. 12, but their streak ended when the BYU players took home the win along with a check for $40,000 to benefit their golf program. The event was closely contested, and Linford said that going into the final round, any of the schools could have won.
The Zions Bank University Cup featured teams representing Utah State University, Weber State University, Brigham Young University, Southern Utah University and Utah Tech University.
Sponsored by WCF Insurance, the Golf Week Gala took place Tuesday evening. With a “Blues & BBQ” theme, the event included food, drinks and live entertainment. Linford said about 350 people attended and raised roughly $20,000 with the auction, plus another $100,000 through sponsorships and donations, all of which went directly to the DDx Foundation.
On Wednesday, Sept. 13, the Leavitt Family Charity Cup kicked off with alumni from the Utah Jazz and the Las Vegas Raiders as well as alumni from BYU. Jazz participants included Bryon Russell, Jay Humphries and Chris Morris, while Raiders Grant Irons and Lamarr Houston also competed. The four-team tournament saw another win for team BYU.
“We’re really excited about the future of this event,” Linford said. “The uniqueness about it, the three tournaments within the tournament, the international component; it’s just all really exciting.”
Linford highlighted Golf Week’s signature sponsor, Intermountain Health, for supporting the event and seeing the value in healthy activities as well as the value in supporting the DDx Foundation. He also showed appreciation for the Jazz and Raiders sponsorships, including the Jazz’s donations, which took place through their cancer charity 5 for the Fight.
RedRock Roadrunners is excited to bring golf enthusiasts from across the globe to Southern Utah every year to play on one of the world’s most spectacular courses and raise money for charity. Planning for next year’s event is well underway, and it’s set to take place from Sept. 10-14, 2024.
“This is the vision of Mark Leavitt and the Leavitt family, and it’s just another way for them to give back,” Linford said. “They’re really committed to philanthropy and really committed to taking a portion of what they make and giving it back. They’ve done it in all kinds of areas, such as education and housing, but this one is also personal to them.”
Written by JESSI BANG for St. George News.
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