Southern Ohio PGA Professionals Raise $238,705 Through Inaugural Play Yellow Birdie Bash

The Southern Ohio PGA, through the charitable PGA REACH Southern Ohio Foundation, announced the inaugural Play Yellow Birdie Bash raised $238,705 in support of Play Yellow! The funds raised will specifically benefit CMN Hospitals in Columbus, Dayton & Cincinnati and PGA REACH Southern Ohio.

“The men and women who came together for the inaugural Birdie Bash had one common cause; to help kids in need,” stated Scott Hilbert of Children’s Miracle Network at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. “Every participant was connected to that cause and it certainly showed! The impact of the funds raised will be felt throughout Southern Ohio in a time when it’s certainly needed.”

On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, 30 PGA professionals from Cincinnati, Dayton and Columbus gathered to play at Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club in Powell, OH to raise money by making as
many birdies as possible throughout 72 holes of golf, playing the Doubles Golf format (two-person scramble). Over the past few months, players recruited pledges from donors to
contribute money for each birdie their team made in the Play Yellow Birdie Bash. Over 650 donors pledged anywhere from $5 to $300 per birdie with five teams total pledges equaling $1,000 or more per birdie.

The Play Yellow Birdie Bash was kicked off by 2016 Memorial Tournament Champion Will McGirt, who hit a ceremonial tee shot to start play. Players made their way around the course making 126 birdies in Round One. The next 18 holes brought a bit more excitement when Scioto Country Club’s Christopher Yoder, PGA Assistant Professional, made a hole-in-one on Kinsale’s par-3 13th hole. His great shot contributed to the 124 birdies made by the field in Round Two. Mike Auterson, PGA Head Professional, from Hickory Woods Golf Course answered Yoder’s hole-in-one with one of his own in the third round on Kinsale’s par-3 8th hole. This shot contributed to Round Three’s 141 birdies. The Final Round added 131 birdies to the event totaling 522 birdies made in the inaugural Play Yellow Birdie Bash.

“What the men and women of the Southern Ohio PGA were able to accomplish today is absolutely incredible”, noted Southern Ohio PGA Executive Director. “To see the energy that
was generated by our PGA Professionals and their donors in support of such a worthy cause in Play Yellow, shows how strong the golf community is here in Southern Ohio.”

Funds generated from the event will go to the three Children’s Hospitals in Southern Ohio (Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati Children’s and Dayton Children’s Hospital) by way of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals as well as PGA REACH Southern Ohio. Contributions to the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals will be presented during a private check presentation on Thursday during the first round of the Memorial Tournament.

2021 Play Yellow Birdie Bash Team Results
46 – Ryan Coll & Chase Wilson (Columbus Country Club)
41 – Mike Auterson (Hickory Woods Golf Course) & Dennis Wells (Little Miami Golf Center)
41 – Joe Falardeau & Chris Yoder (Scioto Country Club)
41 – Jeff Olson & Krissy Austin (Golf Club of Dublin)
40 – Andy Montgomery & Nathan Curtis (Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club)
39 – Jeff Grant & Rob Karnes (NCR Country Club)
37 – Barry Hinckley (Jefferson G&CC) & Danny Sorgini (Blacklick Woods GC)
35 – Chad Gilligan (Losantiville CC) & Doug Wade (Sugar Valley GC)
33 – Brian Jones & Ryne Burnett (Kenwood Country Club)
32 – Sam Arnold & Gregg Cooper (Vineyard)
32 – Ben Bastel & Monte Dyke (Worthington Hills Country Club)
32 – Chris Casto & Dan Gage (Wedgewood Golf & Country Club)
32 – Jimmy Logue (Cincinnati CC) & Jake Houston (Springfield CC)
21 – Dave MacLaughlin & Andrew Oxender (the Club at Little Turtle)
20 – Pat Bernot (GOLFTEC – Easton) & Ashley Thomas (GOLFTEC – Blue Ash)