Changes mark 11th annual tournament

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The 11th annual Buy.Com Ozarks Open, presented by Ramey/Price Cutter Supermarkets, is marked by several major changes this year, not the least of which is its change of sponsors.|ret||ret||tab|

Buy.Com is this year's sponsor, replacing Nike. Buy.Com is an online shopping locale formed in 1997, and based in California.|ret||ret||tab|

Gerald Andrews, executive director of the event, said Buy.Com has signed on to be the event sponsor for the next five years.|ret||ret||tab|

Another major change to this year's event is that it will be televised on the Golf Channel. In Springfield, that's digital cable Channel 405.|ret||ret||tab|

"The Golf Channel televises 10 events a year," Andrews said. "This is one of the premiere stops on the national (Buy.Com) tour, so it was a natural for them to come here."|ret||ret||tab|

According to Andrews, "an army" of people from the Golf Channel will be in Springfield for the Buy.Com Ozarks Open.|ret||ret||tab|

"While they'll bring their own catering services with them, it's estimated they'll spend over $25,000 on their hotel bill," he said.|ret||ret||tab|

Tracy Kimberlin, executive director of the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau, said he's happy the Golf Channel is televising the Springfield event, both live and tape-delayed.|ret||ret||tab|

"This will give Springfield a lot of promotional value to a nationwide audience," he said. "It's a great event and a popular one for the community."|ret||ret||tab|

This year's Buy.Com Ozarks Open is being dedicated to the memory of Payne Stewart. Volunteers will wear lapel pins that feature a silhouette of Stewart. Andrews said an original painting is commissioned for the event every year, and this year's painting, by local artist Brad Noble, is of Stewart. The original will be sold during a live auction, at the Cadillac Dealers of the Ozarks Pro Am Pairings Party Aug. 8; the party is invitation only. Proceeds from the auction will go to the Ozarks Open's benefiting charities. Limited edition prints of the painting will be given to those participating in the pro am Aug. 9. |ret||ret||tab|

A statue of Stewart will be unveiled and dedicated at the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame at 9 a.m. Aug. 12. While the unveiling and dedication are by invitation only, Andrews said the statue of Stewart will remain at the Hall of Fame for visitors to see. |ret||ret||tab|

"The event committee decided this year's open would be in Stewart's honor because Payne was helpful in getting the first event off the ground," Andrews said. |ret||ret||tab|

The Touchstone Energy Pro Am is another new event this year. The tournament, held at the Marshfield Country Club, begins at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 9. Half of the proceeds will benefit the Webster Electric Foundation (Webster Electric Cooperative is the event sponsor), with the other half benefiting Buy.Com Ozarks Open charities.|ret||ret||tab|

For the 11th year, the Ronald McDonald House in Springfield, the original beneficiary of the Ozarks Open, returns as a benefiting charity.|ret||ret||tab|

The Ronald McDonald House provides a place for the families of seriously ill and injured children to stay when they must travel far from home for medical treatment. According to Bonnie Keller, Ronald McDonald House president and chief executive officer, as many as 14 families can stay in the house at one time. The house serves about 400 families a year.|ret||ret||tab|

"The money raised from this event gives us about 25 percent of our yearly operating expenses," she said.|ret||ret||tab|

The first year of the event, the Ronald McDonald House was the only charity to benefit. That year, $83,000 was raised for the house. Last year, Keller said, the house received $60,000.|ret||ret||tab|

Andrews said a total of $411,000 was raised last year for the charities involved. |ret||ret||tab|

This year's 11 benefiting charities are Ronald McDonald House, Boys & Girls Club of Springfield, Southwest Area Special Olympics, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks, A Sporting Chance, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Children's Miracle Network, Youth Life, Camp Barnabas, Citizens Memorial Health Care Foundation and the Webster Electric Foundation.|ret||ret||tab|

In appreciation of the monetary assistance, the staff and volunteers of the benefiting charities help out with operating the Ozarks Open.|ret||ret||tab|

"We staff the concession stands, media center and take care of public relations for the event," Keller said. "This year, we're staffing half of the volunteers needed to assist the Golf Channel personnel with what they'll be doing."|ret||ret||tab|

Andy Ford, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Ozarks, said he's excited about being involved in the event.|ret||ret||tab|

"The money we receive ($25,000 last year) goes to making matches," he said. "We match a young man or woman with a volunteer. Background checks are run on the volunteers, and that costs money."|ret||ret||tab|

The volunteers and employees of Big Brothers Big Sisters also will assist the people from the Golf Channel and will help keep score, among other duties.|ret||ret||tab|

"I really appreciate what Gerald Andrews and the volunteers do," Ford said. "This is the premiere Buy.Com event in the country."|ret||ret||tab|

The professionals in the Ozarks Open will play the first two rounds Aug. 10 and 11 at Highland Springs Country Club. Then the top 55, plus ties, will play the final rounds Aug. 12 and 13.|ret||ret||tab|

Tickets for the Buy.Com Ozarks Open are available at McDonald's, Ramey/Price Cutter stores and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Prices range from $10, for a single-day, grounds-only ticket, to $200 for a sky box badge. Special ticket packages are available.|ret||ret||tab|

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