Approximately 70 members of the Northern Ohio Professional Golfers Association and their teams raised a minimum of $140,000 on Monday during the sixth annual Birdies & Charity at Medina Country Club.
The event benefits the NOPGA Foundation, the section’s philanthropic arm that raises funds to help others through golf.
NOPGA members secured donations from their respective club members for every birdie their teams made while playing 72 holes.
All proceeds from the event will be donated to support the NOPGA Foundation’s mission of changing lives through golf.
The $140,000 raised Monday will be added to the $700,000 raised over the last five years. Donations will be made to provide scholarships for high school seniors, to supply financial assistance to youngsters in need to enable them the opportunity to play in NOPGA Junior events, to deliver full sets of clubs and bags to area high school teams and individuals across Northern Ohio and to make sure our Armed Forces veterans can attend six-to-eight week instruction programs designed to aid their physical and emotional needs.
The top fund-raisers were from Kirtland Country Club ($22,760), Firestone Country Club ($8,730), Westwood Country Club ($8,304), Glenmoor Country Club ($8,100) and Barrington Golf Club ($7,970).
Barrington Golf Club Head Professional Todd Ekstrand made 30 birdies to lead the field. Westbrook Country Club Head Professional Ben Olewiler was second with 29 birdies and Matt Kiehl, a member of the Westwood Country Club team, was third with 28.
