Texas Wesleyan Men’s Golf, NAIA Golf National Champions 2019, hosted their fundraising event, 23rd Annual O.D. Bounds Golf Classic, Monday Sept. 28.
Men’s Golf has hosted this event every year in honor of former Head Coach O.D. Bounds. The money raised from this event will be shared with the women’s golf team, due to their fundraising event getting canceled because of COVID-19, said Assistant Coach Bobby Cornett.
“It’s a full event. We had to turn away teams,” Cornett said. “Last year, we made about fifty-thousand-dollars net income off of this tournament, and I think we’re kind of on track for something close to that this year, which is surprising with the virus.”
The event is not a competitive tournament, said Cornett, it is just “hit and giggles” golf that is used for the players and donors to get to know one another, as well as come out to the course and have fun while raising money for the golf program.
“[The event] is a way to remember Coach Bounds, who was a faculty member and a mentor to so many, he was my coach when I went to school here, and he’s such an outstanding member of the community and to pass on his legacy is what it truly means to me,” said Cornett.
This fundraising event is used to provide scholarships, travel funds, equipment and other enhancements for the program according to ramsports.net. It is a highly anticipated event. Along with the Texas Wesleyan golf team’s members, volunteers from the Alumni Relations office were also volunteering their time to come out and make sure the event went smoothly for the donors and other participating.
Associate Director-Alumni Events and Communications, Christian Garcia-Wommack, said “O.D. Bounds is a very long-standing tradition at this school, and it’s a great way to raise money for our golf team. We like to make sure we meet and greet all these wonderful people who have donated to the golf program and connect with alumni.”
Garcia-Wommack said, the former golf team members have a great “infinity” [long-term relationship] with Wesleyan so along with the leadership of the program the tournament is a great was to raise money for their program.
Most of men’s team player do not participate in the tournament as players because they are there to help run the event, but they still enjoy being able to come out to events such as this one. They see it as a great opportunity, as well as an important annual event said 2017 State Golf Champion Will Gilster.
“I think it’s a great thing [the event] honestly because we need to get out of the house and enjoy each other’s company because we haven’t been able to for so long. It brings together all past players and people who like to support this program,” Gilster said. “We all just have a good time together and play some golf.”
