Boise Open: Record Shoot-Out purse will bolster local charities
This year's Kraft Shoot-Out at Hillcrest Country Club will feature a whopping $1 million purse — and all of it will go to local charities.
Four Treasure Valley charities have a chance to win up to $500,000 in the Sept. 17 kickoff event for the Albertsons Boise Open golf tournament.
The record purse, donated by the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation, dwarfs last year's $50,000 purse.
"The players are really excited to come and play for this kind of money," said Boise Open promoter Jeff Sanders, who has managed the tournament since its inception in 1990. "I don't think we've ever had a nine-hole event that had a $1 million purse."
The Boys & Girls Club of Ada County, the
Community Detox Center, the Special Olympics World Winter Games 2009 and the Treasure Valley YMCA each will be represented by a team of two golfers who will compete for the money in two simultaneous competitions.
Half of the $1 million purse will be split up in a nine-hole skins game. The other half will be up for grabs based on either a long-drive or closest-to-the-pin competition on each hole. Each team of golfers will represent two charities, one for each format.
There's no guarantee a charity will win any money.
"Everybody understands going in, this is absolutely pure competition and the ball will end up in the cup when it ends up in the cup and dollars will flow accordingly," Sanders said.
Last year, the Boise Open, including the Shoot-Out, raised $924,500 for local charities. Sanders said the average contribution from Nationwide Tour events was $100,000. The Boise Open has generated almost $6 million for charity since its inception.
Bubba Watson, the longest driver on the PGA Tour, is the only announced participant in this year's event. Three additional players will be announced in the next few days.
Admission to the Shoot-Out is free and the event will be broadcast live on the Golf Channel from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Tom Fox: 373-6618