IT’S WELL KNOWN that golf is a lifelong sport that provides easy exercise and is good for the spirit—excluding the frustration of missing a putt. But golfers and golf fans throughout the region have the opportunity this month to be on a championship course and enjoy watching others playing.
Oh, not just any “others”—the top female professional golfers from throughout the United States and the world.
Welcome to The Dana Open LPGA Golf Tournament, July 10 to 16 (open to the public July 11) at the site where it’s been for the other 38 years of the event’s existence, Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania.
This year’s tournament returns to its traditional dates from last year’s Labor Day-weekend tee-off.
Its two-part mission remains the same.
First, “It’s still a four-day golf tournament bringing in the greatest women golfers in the world,” said longtime tournament Executive Director Judd Silverman. “There’ll be 144 golfers, including defending champion Gaby Lopez. The four rounds will be on national TV. The first three rounds will be on the Golf Channel, the final round will be on CBS.”
Silverman added that such TV exposure “generates lots of positive promotion and showcases the community. It presents a very positive picture of Toledo and Northwest Ohio.”
Second, the tournament “will benefit 16 Toledo area children’s charities. To date, the tournament has raised $13.7 million for more than 200 Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan children’s charities,” he said.
The 16 children’s charities are: Ronald McDonald House of Northwest Ohio, Jamie Farr Scholarship Fund of the Toledo Community Foundation, Habitat for Humanity – Women’s Build, YMCA of Northwest Ohio, Christ Child Society of Toledo, Toledo Elementary Athletics Movement, Toledo Community Service Center – Family Center, The Ability Center, RallyCap Sports, Children’s Rights Collaborative of Northwest Ohio, Children’s Hunger Alliance, Sunshine Communities, the James P. O’Connell Foundation, Under One Roof Foundation, Sylvania Historical Village, and Nationwide Children’s Hospital – Toledo.
The focus on children isn’t just through charities. Every day of the tournament there’ll be children’s activities on the grounds, as there’ve been every other year. This year there’s a theme—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. “There’ll be a Kids STEM Zone presented by Columbia Gas,” Silverman said, for families and children.
Also, the focus on women goes beyond the golfers. Prior to the tournament, there’ll be the Women’s Leadership Summit presented by Owens Corning, now in its seventh year, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on June 28 at the Glass City Center—the former Seagate Centre.
“It’s an afternoon of professional and personal development,” Silverman said. The keynote speaker will be Cynthia Marshall, CEO of the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. “She’s the first African American female to be a CEO of an NBA team,” Silverman said.
“We anticipate about 600 Northwest Ohio businesswomen will attend,” he said. Further information and tickets for the Women’s Summit are available by phoning the tournament office at 419-531-3277.
At the core of the tournament is golf, which Silverman points out is a sport for all ages. “Golf promotes health. It’s great exercise. You definitely get in your 10,000 steps. Just being able to walk the course and play golf is something you can do your entire life.”
On this occasion, he encourages amateur golfers and fans in general to attend the tournament and watch. “The players are from the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, South America, and Australia. They’re extremely talented and fun to watch. They always put on a great show. It’ll be an exciting tournament.”
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