Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship Continues Stern Test To Korn Ferry pros

Columbus, Ohio — This week is a special one on the Korn Ferry Tour, not just because it is the penultimate event where 30 PGA Tour cards are on the line, but because of what the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship represents.

Something to prove that point can be seen at 7:15 Thursday morning, for the annual First Shot to Fight Cancer a “patient championship” will hit the first tee ball on the opening hole at Ohio State University’s Scarlet Course.

This year, that honor goes to 18-year-old Cecelia Jalloh of Columbus who is in remission from a battle against acute leukemia.

“It makes me feel a little bit old when you see them as kids and now, they’re almost 30,” AVP of Sports Marketing for Nationwide Jim McCoy stated of past patient champions. “We’ve seen a lot of great kids over the time, a lot of success stories. The change of the hospital in that time and the $25 million raised is having a real impact not only on the kids in central Ohio and their families, but all over the country and world with the research going.”

The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship, which has been a mainstay since 2007, benefits the Nationwide Children’s Hospital and last year set a record with $3.3 million.

“It’s our 18th year with this event and we continue to find new ways to support the hospital,” explained McCoy. “Our business partners are coming out in full force to help fundraise and we’ll be over $3-plus million again. Just trying to find ways in that fall window to get people to come out and support the event. It’s always great golf. You see these competitors and big names in past years now performing well on the PGA Tour. It’s a great place to see these golfers before they become the PGA Tour guys like they are.”

This year, 29 new companies are supporting the event.

Admission is free for any fan interested in attending and there will be an opportunity to select from a partner charity and have them receive a $10 donation from the event.

NCHC Executive Director Kip Eriksen explained that by not relying on ticketing income, it removes an attendance barrier where it keeps the focus on Nationwide Children’s Hospital, but also gives back to other charities doing great work for Ohio, which sign up prior to the tournament.

Other returning activations include Pub 13, where any birdie on the signature par 3 will result in discounted beers, free Graeter’s ice cream on Saturday, the Play Yellow Putting contest and a free pancake breakfast on Sunday.

Eriksen understands that his event starts with Nationwide which aims to be invested in every possible avenue of the tournament. Eriksen is consistently moved and motivated by the way that the Nationwide Children’s Hospital treats patients, helping those, who need it the most.

“Even though we’re 18 years into this, I still feel that we’re building momentum each year,” he examined. “You can measure that in a ton of different ways. Just the crowd, the energy that show up, our sponsorship income and one of the most important things, how much money we’re raising for Nationwide Children’s Hospital. We raised $3.3 million last year and that was a record, so we’re working every day to put on a great event, a great experience for the fans and players but also raise the bar and raise more this year.”

When the dust settles, 75 will advance to the finals and spots are becoming scarcer with Isaiah Salinda, currently ranked 17th becoming Tour Bound as he cannot drop from the top 30. Also, among those who have secured his card are Max McGreevy and Harry Higgs who both have PGA Tour experience and Paul Peterson who won last week’s Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation.

This means that 13 cards still have to be handed out, but in order to do that patience will be a virtue at the Scarlet Course.

Pros who are used to shooting in the mid-60’s will have a difficult time replicating that on a track consistently considered one of the hardest all year on the Korn Ferry Tour.

“You may shoot 70 and be fine,” Eriksen illustrated. “It’s a different mentality, one that they’ll need when they go on to play the Memorial Tournament and other top PGA Tour events. It’s a different mindset and you see it in the players and hear it in their voices that they appreciate it. They like a change of pace.”

LINGMERTH ENJOYS OHIO RETURN, PROVIDES INJURY UPDATE

During the tournament’s media day, an appearance was made by 2022 champion David Lingmerth, who joins Scottie Scheffler as one of two golfers to win both the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship and the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday.

Lingmerth’s lone PGA Tour win to date came in the 2015 Memorial Tournament, when he bested Justin Rose in the third playoff hole. Scheffler won the 2019 edition of the Korn Ferry event and won this year’s Memorial Tournament.

“It’s great coming back here every time,” Lingmerth assessed. “I’ve had some success, great memories. I came here for the first time in 2008 for regionals in college. It’s always been a special place for me. This is a place I will always remember.”

Lingmerth stated that what makes the Scarlet Course have character is its variety. It is the high rough, doglegs in both directions, penal bunkers and having firm greens defending pins to where shots need to be placed in the proper spots, with any miss causing a tricky up and down.

Currently, Lingmerth is out with a back injury which has created a different daily schedule. While he did participate in a chipping challenge with media, tournament staff and past patient champions, Lingmerth is eyeing a return for the start of next year, as he works his way back to being able to swing again.

“This year has been more recovery and spending time with family, which has been a blessing,” said Lingmerth. “We were able to visit my family for a whole month this summer which is something I hadn’t been able to do for the past few years. It’s definitely been a challenging year mentally to reset but I’m doing good, playing the long game and I’ll be back here soon.”

OHIO SHOWS CHARACTER TO GOLF FANS

Ever since the pandemic, Ohio has been able to be on display whether it is at Ohio State, Muirfield Village Golf Club or Scioto Country Club in Columbus, Inverness Golf Club in Toledo, Highland Meadows Golf Club in Highland Meadows or even Firestone Country Club in Akron.

“I’ve told people left and right for many years how impressed I’ve been with the quality of golf you have here,” Lingmerth told assembled media. “Inverness I’ve played and (in) Akron Firestone. You have some really good golf up here in Ohio. You guys are spoiled with that.”

Eriksen agreed and putting a spin on his event, hopes that support continues with a nice turnout throughout the tournament days and can make a lasting difference to so many at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

“It’s super interesting when you think about how strong Ohio is with golf,” concluded Eriksen. “Here in Columbus, we have a number of top golf courses, the Memorial which is a top five tournament in the world every year, Firestone up in Akron. It is part of the culture here; Ohioans love to support golf and certainly Columbus knows how to support these events.”