SHOWCASE GOLF: Names change, but the cause doesn't
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 3 years, 5 months AGO
JASON ELLIOTT/Press Actress Janet Gretzky and former Major League Baseball pitcher Mark Mulder celebrate following the 2021 Showcase golf exhibition at The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course. This year's event is Saturday starting at 8 a.m.
JASON ELLIOTT/Press Former Major League Baseball stars David Justice, left, and Fred McGriff celebrate after finishing their rounds at the 2021 Showcase golf exhibition at The Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course.
By JASON ELLIOTT
Sports writer
The names might be pretty big, but so are the hearts of those involved with the annual Showcase golf exhibition at The Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course.
The tournament, which raises money for the Community Cancer Fund, raised $5 million, pushing the total to $22 million since the event began in 2014.
“All of the money stays local and goes to all the other organizations that we fund,” Community Cancer Fund Marketing Director Myk Crawford said. “We just made a $3 million commitment to the Ronald McDonald House and all the hospitality rooms at Kootenai Health. There’s a lot of local impact that comes from this event. We pride ourselves on that fact the money stays here to help those in need.”
As for what’s next, it’s going to grow again.
Newcomers for this year’s event include Sean Payton, the recently retired coach of the New Orleans Saints of the NFL, along with former Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders receiver Tim Brown and former Arizona Cardinal Larry Fitzgerald. Also here for the first time is former NHL player Jeremy Roenick.
“Sean’s the first retired or active NFL coach that we’ve had here,” Crawford said. “We’re not going to get anyone that’s active, but it’s nice to have those guys here.”
NHL legend Wayne Gretzky, his wife, Janet, two-time Stanley Cup Champion coach Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Tyler Johnson, the former Spokane Chief and two-time Stanley Cup champion are also scheduled to play.
“The tournament has a lot of momentum,” Crawford said. “The celebs know somebody that knows somebody. It’s a lot of networking between those guys and Wayne has been out recruiting guys to come here.”
Community Cancer Fund works with regional cancer organizations to identify and fund gaps in services provided to cancer patients.
Mark Mulder, the former Major League Baseball pitcher, is unable to attend after winning the title in 2021 and 2019.
Former champions Brenden Morrow (2017, 2016), Grant Fuhr (2015) and Neil Lomax (2015) are also in the field. Former Green Bay, Minnesota and Seattle placekicker Ryan Longwell is the only competitor to compete in each of the previous eight events. In 2015, the team of Lohman and Joel Dahmen and Fuhr and Alex Prugh finished tied.
New this year is a silent auction that is online now at showcasegolf.com.
Items include music and sports memorabilia, as well as vacations and other items.
“It’s a new wrinkle to things and partnership,” Crawford said. “We had an auction at one of the other events we do and it was really successful, so we wanted to give it a try.”
Saturday’s exhibition begins at 8 a.m.
General admission tickets are available for $20 by visiting: www.showcasegolf.com
While there is no parking at the golf course, complimentary shuttle buses are available at The Coeur d'Alene Resort or Lake City High. Shuttles will begin at 7:15 a.m. on Saturday and conclude an hour after the completion of the tournament.
