A day of golf, a pledge to those battling breast cancer and a surprise visit from a former NFL player summarizes the 13th annual Pink Ribbon Golf Tournament Fundraiser held recently at the Quail Run Golf Course in Sun City.

This year, the golfers, who challenged the bunkers and the water holes, raised more than $15,000 for Breast Believe, a breast awareness campaign of The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation. Fitzgerald, a star NFL football player with ties to Arizona, surprised the duffers with an appearance at their luncheon after the tournament. Fitzgerald, whose mother died of breast cancer, launched Breast Believe in 2022. The organization’s goal is to educate communities about early detection, prevention, symptoms, treatments, resources and access surrounding a breast cancer diagnoses.

For more information about the foundation and its co-founding partners visit thelarryfitzgeraldfoundation.org/pages/breast-believe.

Each year, the Quail Run Ladies 9-Hole Golf League has sponsored a Pink Ribbon Tournament and since 2011 has raised more than $80,000 to help people in their fight against this mind and body-crippling disease. Throughout those years, the country has seen positive results with early diagnoses and treatment and the Quail Run Ladies 9-Hole Golf League is proud of the role it has played in drawing attention and much-needed donations to the cause.

The morning began with a parade of golf cars followed by a round of nine-hole golf. There were plenty of challenges with everything from the drive closest to the pin, the most accurate drive and the longest first putt on the green. New this year was the opportunity to win a new golf cart if the successful players hit a hole-in-one on hole 3; the golf car is safe for another year.

After a morning of golf, the tired played had a catered lunch provided by A.J.’s Catering. After the luncheon, Fitzgerald arrived and praised the participants for the role they played in helping raise the funds for his foundation. He also brought along a signed jersey that the auctioneer quipped had been washed. It was auctioned off for $450, a sum matched by the football star. Two tickets to the Cardinals/Seattle football game also brought a hefty price.

During the luncheon, tournament officials recognized the women and men who have survived breast cancer. The longest survivor, at 35 years, was Sandy Sery. She had her picture taken with Fitzgerald and Danielle Frost, executive director of the foundation, who is also a breast cancer survivor.

In addition to cash prizes for all golf champions, there were gift boxes and cards to win, a 50/50 raffle and a silent auction of world class experiences. This year’s sponsors included Royal Oaks Life Plan Community, which also provided staff members to register players, Timney USA, A.J. Fine Foods and the Sun City Independent newspaper. Edward Jones Financial services sponsored the hole-in-one competition.

Sponsors of the various holes included Big O’Tire, Cheryl O’Brien and Sandy Minkler, Diana Graettinger, Lakes East 9-Hole Ladies and Richard Plattner, who sponsored three holes.

The silent auction donors included Setterberg Jewelers, which donated a diamond pendant set in sterling silver; Total Wine and More, which provided a private wine class for 20 people; PGA Superstore, which donated a lady’s golf car bag; and Richard Plattner, who donated a men’s golf car bag. The Casa Marina Resorts in Key West, FL, donated a two-night stay for two at its resort; the Arizona Biltmore, a Frank Lloyd Wright designed luxury hotel, donated a one-night stay for two at its resort; Mountain Shadows Resort donated a foursome golf outing at their club in Scottsdale; and Big O’Tires provided four golf car tires.

Sue Madden, of Sun City, who along with her Quail Run volunteers organized the day, said, “We are already looking to make the tournament even bigger and better next year.”