PEOPLE USUALLY dread turning 40. Not so the Dana Open golf tournament, which is celebrating its 40th birthday as a Northwest Ohio institution this month by highlighting its mission of helping kids and giving a nod to its original namesake through the theme “Champions for Children.”
The event still will do what it does best: raise money for children-based charities, showcase great women golfers, raise the level of awareness of Northwest Ohio, and exemplify good exercise for all.
The Dana Open will be July 18 through 21 at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, featuring 144 golfers of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), including Linn Grant, who will be defending her 2023 Dana Open title.
“We’ll have four pro-am events and four days of the tournament,” said Tournament Director Judd Silverman. “We’ll be on national TV again—the first three days on the Golf Channel, the fourth on CBS.”
To date, the Dana Open has generated more than $14 million for more than 200 children’s charities in the region, said Silverman, who has been with the tournament from its founding in 1984.
Actually, he’s been more than that. He’s the tournament’s originator. The Dana Open’s website notes that Silverman in 1982 had aspirations to bring an LPGA tournament to Toledo, so he contacted the LPGA commissioner at the time and got approval.
Next, Silverman secured 12 founding sponsors to cover the prize money. “The Toledo McDonald’s franchises underwrote the operating expenses with the agreement that a portion of the money raised would benefit the Ronald McDonald House,” the Dana Open said, referring to a facility that houses families of hospitalized children.
In addition, Toledo native Jamie Farr agreed to lend his name to the new tournament. Farr—who turned 90 on July 1—is best known for portraying Cpl. Max Klinger in the long-running TV series M*A*S*H. The Klinger character identified as a Toledoan.
“Jamie’s commitment to lend his name to the tournament was a game changer in getting the tournament off the ground,” Silverman said. “Jamie was our tournament host for 27 wonderful years. We couldn’t have asked for a better person to host the event.”
Silverman said this year’s tournament will benefit five charities: Nationwide Children’s Hospital-Toledo, ProMedica Russel J. Ebeid Children’s Hospital, Ronald McDonald House of Northwest Ohio, Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity, and the Jamie Farr Scholarship Fund of the Greater Toledo Community Foundation.
New this year is that the two children’s hospitals have identified three patients each to take part in tournament festivities. Silverman said these Patient Champions will greet the golfers as they finish their rounds and talk with fans, telling their stories of treatment. “One will hit the ceremonial first drive off the tee Thursday morning,” Silverman said of one of the six patients.
Silverman said that not only the patients are champions. “Everybody who buys a ticket or is a sponsor or volunteers is a Champion for Children,” he said, carrying through with the 40th anniversary theme.
Silverman reminds that golf is great exercise. “Getting out and walking—when you can walk 18 holes, that’s healthy,” he said.
As the Dana Open turns 40, Silverman looks ahead. “We want to keep growing that $14 million number,” he said, “and supporting kids.”
Dennis Bova is a freelance writer and editor.
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