PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Anne Bogenrief, a volunteer with more than 21 years of service at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (Dublin, Ohio), was honored Thursday as the 2021 PGA TOUR Volunteer of the Year. With the award, the PGA TOUR will donate $5,000 to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, where Bogenrief’s daughter, Caitie, was treated at birth. Bogenrief has been a volunteer at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday since the mid-1990s. In 1992, when Caitie was born, they spent the first two months of her life in the Memorial Tournament Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Caitie was eight weeks premature and rushed to the hospital at birth, where she underwent lifesaving surgery just days after her delivery. Anne began volunteering at the hospital, and, with the hospital’s connection to the tournament, at the Memorial shortly thereafter. She is currently a Captain of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Committee in charge of Spectator Services – a top leadership position. “Anne has been an incredible contributor to the Memorial Tournament for over 20 years and counting,” said Dan Sullivan, Executive Director, the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday. “She is always ready to support the tournament and serves as a bright light that perfectly represents the thousands of volunteers that help make the Memorial one of the top tournaments on the PGA TOUR each year. I speak for the entire tournament team when I say that it is a wonderful feeling to be surrounded by people that are caring and selfless and want to give to others. The Memorial is indebted to Anne and all of our volunteers for their dedication and willingness to help this event raise critical funds for Central Ohio charities, specifically Nationwide Children’s Hospital.” Tournaments would not be possible without the support of volunteers, who not only help events operate, but also contribute to the overall charitable impact. With the support of more than 100,000 volunteers annually, the TOUR assists approximately 3,000 charities each year. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations to maximize charitable giving, and to date, tournaments across all Tours have generated more than $3.2 billion. “I am immensely humbled by this amazing recognition,” said Bogenrief. “My involvement initially stemmed from a desire to give back to Nationwide Children’s Hospital for the wonderful care our daughter received in the NICU, but over the past two decades, it has blossomed into a passion for the Memorial Tournament, it’s patrons, staff and volunteers. I’ve always felt that I receive far more than I give to this great cause and am eternally grateful to the Nicklaus family and the Memorial staff for continually seeking ways to create exciting new tournament-related events that expand the impact on Nationwide Children’s Hospital, both from increased funding as well as community awareness and support. I accept the PGA TOUR Volunteer of the Year Award on behalf of each of the 2,500-plus volunteers who make the Memorial Tournament a world-class event. Without their dedicated service, the ever-growing impact the tournament has on the Central Ohio community would simply not be possible.” The Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, won by Patrick Cantlay in 2021, will be played May 30-June 5, 2022.
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