No fans, new raffle add twists to Charles Schwab Challenge

When the first group of players at the 2020 Charles Schwab Challenge tee off at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, on June 11, they’ll be doing more than simply starting up a round of golf.

The tournament, which was rescheduled from Memorial Day weekend, will be held without fans on site and under strict health and safety protocols for participants and support staff. But that doesn’t mean fans won’t be able to take part in at least some of the action.

As the first U.S. professional sport to resume action following the suspension of play across all leagues in March due to COVID-19, the PGA TOUR and its players will be taking the next, cautious steps toward the resumption of top-level sports in America.

Through a new charitable platform called “Rise to the Challenge,” fans and supporters will be able to make a monetary donation and be entered to win prizes that include signed items and memorabilia from some of the game’s biggest stars. Winners will be announced online throughout the tournament, while PGA TOUR players will support the program with special digital and social media content from Colonial throughout the week.

Proceeds from the program, which is a joint effort between Charles Schwab, the PGA TOUR and the tournament, will benefit the TOUR’s COVID-19 Relief Fund nationally and the 33 local charities the tournament traditionally helps benefit through Birdies for Charity.

Beginning Monday, June 8, those who wish to participate in the raffle can go to schwabgolf.com to make a donation and peruse the list of prizes.

Among other items, the raffle will feature:

• A chance to win VIP access to the 2021 Presidents Cup at Quail Hollow Country Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, and receive a 2019 Presidents Cup pin flag signed by captains Tiger Woods and Ernie Els


• Signed golf memorabilia donated from every player at the 2020 Charles Schwab Challenge


• A chance to walk inside the ropes with Suzy Whaley, president of the PGA of America, during the 2021 PGA Championship


• A custom wedge fitting directly from Bob Vokey, one of the world's foremost wedge designers, at the Titleist Performance Institute in Carlsbad, California


• A round of golf at Bandon Dunes in Southern Oregon with course architect David Kidd


• A round of golf at Sweetens Cove Golf Club outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee, with course architect Rob Collins


• A round of golf with a PGA TOUR pro at Colonial Country Club

According to Mason Reed, Schwab’s senior vice president of Retail Acquisition and Corporate Marketing, changes to the tournament brought about by the pandemic caused the company, as title sponsor, to look for ways to extend the event’s beneficial impact in the community.

He said that what began as a simple request to the players for memorabilia has expanded to much more than that.

“Players, the TOUR and others in the golf community have been incredibly generous in providing items for this raffle,” Reed said. “We have hundreds of prizes that will be raffled off in real time during the tournament, letting fans feel like they’re part of the event.”