Sycuan Golf Resort hosts Wounded Marines Fund Golf Tournament

By
Colin Grylls
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WEBGolf.jpg

Cloudy skies did not damper the Wounded Marine Fund Golf Tournament at Sycuan Golf Resort Feb. 27. An afternoon on the links, an evening of food and a silent auction kept smiles on participants’ faces and raised money raised for veterans.

Cloudy skies did not damper the Wounded Marine Fund Golf Tournament at Sycuan Golf Resort Feb. 27. An afternoon on the links, an evening of food and a silent auction kept smiles on participants’ faces and raised money raised for veterans.

Ret. Cpl. Michael Fox and his father, Tweed, founded Wounded Marine Fund in February 2012. A few months earlier, on November 15, 2011, an IED explosion in Afghanistan resulted in the amputation of Fox’s legs. He said his time at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD inspired him.

“Cruising around Walter Reed I saw a lot of Marines in my same situation, if not worse,” he said. “Right then, we knew we had to do something to look after and take care of them because they were doing that for us.”

Michael Fox said the foundation is less restrictive than government funding.

“What we do is we provide grants to Marine amputees that were injured in OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom) and OEF (Operation Enduring Freedom) in the amount of $25,000 each,” he said. “They can use it for anything. It can help them regain their independence, start a business, finish their schooling, things of that nature.”

Golfers did not have to wait long to see the results of their donations. As they chowed down, former Marine Carlos Garcia received his grant as he  fought back tears. 

“This amount of money is a whole lot of weight off my shoulders and a whole lot of weight off my chest,” he said. “We’re sitting on about three and a half acres and we have weeds growing all the time. I’m still trying to figure out how I’m going to mow. This is just going to go straight to the house.”

Garcia received a standing ovation.

Held on the resort’s Willow Glen course and featuring a four-person scramble format, each foursome played the best ball on each stroke, resulting in an absurdly low score of 52 from the winning group. There were smaller competitions within the tournament, such as the long-drive contest on the par-five 17th. Still, the cause and the group set-up encouraged participants to enter the tournament regardless of skill level. Peter Harsch of Caramel Valley said he had never played golf before, but entered the tournament anyway. 

“We’re here to support our wounded Marines, help raise some money,” he said. “Put some money to a good cause, helping them get some homes built for them and their family. Let them know that as American citizens we very much appreciate their sacrifices.”

Several active-duty Marines volunteered to help run the tournament. Cpl. Luis Leon, 21, and Cpl. Andrew Foster, 22, staked out the 18th green to verify any hole-in-ones, though the closest ball to the pin on the par-three hole was six feet away from the pin. Leon said he was glad to help out his brothers-in-arms.

“I think it’s great to come out here and give back to people that have given so much,” he said. “Wounded Marine Fund, I think that’s something a lot more people should be helping out with. It hits close to home, especially with the amount of friends that you know that eventually get hurt while deployed.”

Michael Fox said he was appreciative of Leon, Foster and the rest of the active-duty volunteers.

“Once a Marine, always a Marine,” he said. “I’ll run into 80-something year old Marines at the airport or out somewhere and it just doesn’t change. They’re a brother whether they’re just coming in or they’ve been out for 60 years. It’s great to see them showing their support for us and getting behind what we’re all about.”

Both Michael and Tweed Fox said they thought the tournament was a success and that they hoped Sycuan would be willing to host in the future. The elder Fox also said the turnout from both golfers and volunteers were indicative of San Diego County’s support of the military.

“It tells us that people appreciate what our veterans do and the sacrifices that they make,” he said before turning his head towards Garcia. “This young man is going to be paying the price for serving his country for the rest of his life. I think that we owe it to them to do good for them.”

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