The COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t stop the Wayne Pruden Memorial Golf Tournament — a virtual tournament, that is.
Battlefords Union Hospital Foundation announced it wrapped up the 2020 Virtual Wayne Pruden Memorial Golf Tournament on June 12 . The tourney reached Hole 14, raising $40,390.
“We are very pleased with how well the Virtual Tournament did. While we didn’t complete all 18 holes, we still received wonderful support from our sponsors, golfers, and donors, including some new participants who could join due to the new format,” said Claudette McGuire, BUH Foundation Executive Director, in a statement.
This wrapped up the 24th year of the Wayne Pruden tournament, which was changed to a virtual format to comply with safety restrictions put in place due to COVID-19. Proceeds go towards the purchase new, up-to-date medical equipment for BUH.
Officials noted that with the online, virtual format, there was no waiting list to join the tournament for the first time in years, and that participants didn’t even have to know how to golf.
The tourney began May 15 with Master Sponsor Innovation Credit Union “golfing” the first two holes.
To “golf” or complete each hole of the virtual course, $3,000 was raised through sponsorship, golfer registration donations and other donations.
The winning 50/50 jackpot went for $1,070, and Team “Too Much Muscle” was again voted “Best Dressed Team” at the tournament.
“This was definitely a new format for the WPMGT, but we are so pleased that we could still hold the 24th Tournament and continue the legacy of golfing for healthcare and honouring Wayne’s memory. It was wonderful to see the friends and family of the Tournament join in the tradition, in a non-traditional format,” said Sue Pruden-McIvor, BUH Foundation Board of Directors Chairperson and tourney committee member representative.
“We are just so honoured that we could hold the 24th Tournament and not have to forgo it completely, due to the current circumstances,” said McGuire. “It means a lot to us to have everyone recognize the importance of the Tournament and its impact on healthcare in The Battlefords. COVID-19 doesn’t cancel healthcare and we are so pleased it couldn’t stop us from “golfing” together and fundraising for new medical equipment at BUH.”
