Speaker Recap: Don Padgett III, Bridgestone Senior Players

Posted by Terrence Dalton
The Rotary Club of Akron had the pleasure of listening to Don Padgett III, Executive Director of the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship, a major on the PGA TOUR of Champions during our Tuesday, May 31st Club meeting.  Padgett began his PGA TOUR career at TOUR headquarters near Jacksonville, Florida in 2000.  In 2007, Padgett returned to his hometown of Akron, Ohio and has led the last fifteen professional golf tournaments at Firestone Country Club.
 
 
Since Padgett took over as executive director, over $15 million has been raised for worthy charitable causes throughout Northeast Ohio from proceeds from the golf tournament.
 
Mr. Padgett gave a brief overview of the history of the Firestone Country Club.

Firestone Country Club’s rich history began in 1929 as the vision of Harvey Firestone, founder of Firestone Tire and Rubber Company.  In 2022, the club marks its 69th consecutive year of professional golf tournaments.  Only a short list of three other clubs can boast such a tradition.

Firestone Country Club has long been synonymous with tournament golf. The first tournament hosted at Firestone was The Rubber City Open in 1954. The tournament was held yearly until 1959. Notable champions like Arnold Palmer and Tommy Bolt staked their claim to fame at this storied venue. The PGA Championship came to Firestone for the first time in 1960, then returned in 1966 and 1975.  Firestone is the only club to have hosted three nationally televised professional events in one year. In 1974, these events were the CBS Golf Classic, American Golf Classic and World Series of Golf.  In addition to being the current site of the SENIOR PLAYERS Championship, Firestone has hosted the World Golf Championships and Senior PGA Championship.

Through 2021, Firestone Country Club has hosted 91 professional golf tournaments on an international level.  Champions at Firestone include nineteen World Golf Hall of Fame members and forty-two major championship winners.

The Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship tournament will take place July 6th thru the 10th. The Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS Championship is a major on the PGA TOUR Champions. Each summer, 78 professionals compete on Firestone’s South Course for a $3 million purse.  Past champions include Retief Goosen, Jerry Kelly, and Steve Stricker.

Mr. Padgett stated that proceeds from this community event help worthy charitable causes throughout Northeast Ohio. Tournament proceeds are generated when fans support and attend the festivities during tournament week.  In addition to the competition, fans and sponsors enjoy Pro-Ams, the Ambassador of Golf Event, tournament hospitality venues, concerts, and special events. 

Tournament week is staged with the help of hundreds of volunteers in partnership with Northern Ohio Golf Charities. To date, professional golf tournaments at Firestone have generated over $30 million for numerous area charities.  Key charities supported include Akron Children’s Hospital, LeBron James Family Foundation, Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, First Tee of Greater Akron, UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital, Cleveland Clinic Akron General Challenge Golf Program, and United Way Summit Medina.

To learn more about the activities planned for the July 6th – July 10th as well as the Bridgestone SENIOR PLAYERS, check out the website at BridgestoneSeniorPlayers.com.

Yours in Rotary Service

Terry Dalton
Akron Rotary Club Secretary and Scholarship Chair

 

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