Sports icons talk golfing for a good cause in Coeur d'Alene for celebrity tournament to fight cancer

Jul. 27—Hall of Famers, Heisman Trophy winners and even "The Great One," Wayne Gretzky, will converge this weekend at the Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course to raise money to fight cancer — and some of them were there Thursday, eager to talk about switching sports for a good cause.

The Community Cancer Fund's eighth annual the Showcase celebrity golf tournament will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Tickets are available and will benefit the Spokane nonprofit, which invests donated funds in local programs that benefit cancer patients, their families and local organizations that help them. The Showcase has raised over $28 million to battle cancer since its inception in 2014.

The tournament will feature sports icons such as Dustin Pedroia, a two-time World Series champion with the Boston Red Sox; former NFL greats Larry Fitzgerald, Tim Brown, Marcus Allen and Seth Joyner; and former Spokane Chief and current Chicago Blackhawk Tyler Johnson.

The former professional athletes spoke highly of the tournament, its cause and the golf course Thursday.

"To me, its one of the premiere celebrity events in the country," Joyner said.

Joyner and former Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Josh Scobee were driving floating golf balls into Lake Coeur d'Alene Thursday at the golf course's driving range.

Joyner, a former NFL linebacker for the Eagles, Cardinals, Packers and Broncos, said the tournament is not without its challenges and pressure.

"It's one thing to put on a helmet and some shoulder pads. I know what the heck to do there," Joyner said. "But when you put a golf club in your hand, you got a couple hundred people standing around watching you swinging, that's a whole different ball game."

Scobee, who participated last year, said he hopes he is invited back each year to raise money for the cause.

"I've been telling people for a year now that it's the most amazing area that I've been in the U.S. and it blows my mind just coming around here how beautiful everything is," he said.

He said he could play the course every day and never get tired of it.

"This is one of my favorites that I've ever gotten to play," Scobee said.

Former Seattle Seahawks kicker Stephen Hauschka also played last year at the tournament.

"You really feel the spirit of everybody here supporting Community Cancer Fund, and that's what it's all about, and you really feel that on Saturday night when everybody comes together," he said.

He said playing golf, connecting with friends and former teammates, and meeting athletes he's admired over the years is "icing on the cake."

"One of my favorite parts is connecting with those Spokane and Idaho Seahawk fans that are living out here, so that's always a treat too," Hauschka said.

Hauschka said golfing and place-kicking share several similarities, and that golfing even helped his kicking game.

"I think that's why you see a lot of kickers play golf and get pretty good at it," he said.

Joyner, Pedroia and former pro golfer Blair O'Neal live in Arizona, and said they looked forward to golfing in cooler weather.

Joyner said it was 108 degrees when he left Arizona Thursday morning.

"It's not 110 here, so we will take it," O'Neal said.

Ultimately, the tournament is about fighting cancer, which the celebrities said has affected most people in one way or another.

Joyner said he lost a friend of 40 years to cancer last year.

He said he was impressed with the Community Cancer Fund's efforts toward children battling cancer.

"No kid should have to deal with cancer," Joyner said.

Hauschka said his father was a cancer researcher at a children's hospital in Boston. He said he met with several cancer patients, including a young girl, while playing for the Seahawks.

He continues to stay in touch with the girl and her family, who lives in Walla Walla.

"It really gives you an inside look at how devastating it can be," Hauschka said.

General admission tickets can be purchased for $20 online at showcasegolf.com.

All proceeds go to the Community Cancer Fund. Children 13 and under are free when accompanied by an adult with a ticket.

Parking for the event is available at North Idaho College, and spectators will take a bus to the golf course. There is no parking at the golf course.

Entertainment includes food trucks, beverages, a beer garden and an autograph session from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with the Gonzaga men's basketball team.

The Showcase also features a $1 million hole-in-one challenge in which a celebrity golfer wins $1 million if they sink a hole-in-one on the floating green.