The Cologuard Classic by Exact Sciences returns to Tucson with a new tournament venue, a new local charity and a new concert site.
While the PGA Champions Tour pros begin their official play on Friday, the tournament festivities get underway Monday with the Tom Murphy Memorial Golf Tournament for Special Olympics and practice rounds for the players. Practice rounds continue Tuesday, while the Pro-Am runs Wednesday and Thursday.
The Cologuard Classic’s three-round tournament — a 78-player PGA Champions Tour field will vie for a $2.2 million total purse — officially starts Friday with an opening ceremony featuring special guests and an F-16 flyover.
After Friday’s opening round, the “Under the Stars” concert will kick off at 4:30 p.m., while fans can also get free general admission tickets on Saturday via donations to the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.
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The Cologuard Classic by Exact Sciences PGA Champions Tour event will reside in 2024 at the La Paloma Country Club. The action-packed event will include a field of 78 competing for a $2.2 million total purse ($330,000 to the winner), 330 Charles Schwab Cup points to the winner, and the iconic Conquistador helmet also to the victor. Golf Channel will broadcast the event as well, which runs March 8-10.
After calling Omni Tucson National Resort home since its debut in 2015, the Cologuard Classic moved this year to La Paloma Country Club.
Hill
“We narrowed it down to about five properties,” Cologuard Classic executive director Geoff Hill said. “La Paloma just turned out to be the best fit.
“It’s a more centralized location so we can get an attractive crowd from both the east, west, north and south, which is much better than Omni.”
Hill said the tournament is sold out of hospitality and VIP tickets but that general admission tickets are available.
La Paloma’s course is 27 holes, designed by Jack Nicklaus.
“Daniel (Mayfield), the director of agronomy at La Paloma Country Club is fantastic and he’s got the course in the best shape I’ve ever seen it,” Hill said. “I think it’s going to showcase well on television and the players have had good responses thus far. They like the layout and the format,” Hill said.
“We rerouted the golf course. There’s 27 holes at La Paloma and so we’re using a portion of all three of the different nines to make our 18 holes, which has been pretty neat too.”
The Cologuard Classic by Exact Sciences PGA Champions Tour event will reside in 2024 at the La Paloma Country Club. Golf Channel will broadcast the event, which runs March 8-10.
Hill said a lot of people don’t know what to expect at the private course.
“With the reroute, I’m confident that everyone is gonna have such a good time. You’re probably not going to have to walk more than a par five away from the clubhouse to actually see the last five finishing holes,” Hill said, “and the driving range and first tee box are within a couple hundred yards away, too.
“So the fan experience is gonna be really good, we have a lot of food and beverage options out there — local partners that come out,” Hill added. “A lot of the military program comes out and supports us as well so I think it would be a fun event. It’s going be a new, different style of golf but I think it will be exciting.”
Free parking and a complimentary round-trip shuttle service will be at The University of Arizona Controlled Agriculture Center, located at 2201 E. Roger Road.
“Our parking is pretty easy for the event too,” Hill said. “It’s only just a couple of miles from the golf course, so it’s just a quick 10, 15 minute shuttle rid up the hill and again, it’s centrally located.”
David Toms tries the Conquistador helmet — the championship trophy given to the winner of the Cologuard Classic — on for size Sunday after holding on to win the 2023 event by one stroke over Robert Karlsson. Toms' was the ninth different winner in nine years for the annual three-day tournament previously held at Omni Tucson National Resort, but moving to La Paloma Country Club for the first time in 2024.
The Tucson Conquistadores host the tournament and raised almost $800,000 for local institutions.
This year, the event has partnered with a new charity in the Community Food Bank. Exact Sciences, the parent company of Cologuard, bought general admission tickets for Saturday that will be provided free for those who donate non-perishable food items or $5 to the food bank.
Those tickets are available in exchange for donations at the following locations:
Community Food Bank’s 3003 S. Country Club Road location
Rao’s Plastic Surgery, 7341 E. Tanque Verde Road
Center of Neurosciences, 2450 E. River Road
The event’s main entrance at La Paloma on Saturday
“Exact Sciences, our title sponsor, has partnered with the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona,” Hill said. “We understand that food health and food security is a big issue in Southern Arizona, so they’re basically paying for all of the general admission tickets on Saturday, so you can get a free ticket to event if you just donate a single item to the community food bank.”
Spectators watch Alex Cejka line up his putt on the ninth hole during the final day of last year's Cologuard Classic at Tucson National on March 5, 2023. With the event moving to La Paloma Country Club in 2024, tournament organizers said that by selectively picking which 18 holes are used for the tournament out of the 27 available at La Paloma, spectators are "probably not gonna have to walk more than a par five away from the clubhouse to actually see the last five finishing holes."
The concert will be at Rillito Park on Friday, with the gates opening at 4 p.m. It will feature country group Midland, Arizona-based rock band Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers and Tucson artists The Jons and Drew Cooper.
Originally from Southern Arizona himself, Midland lead vocalist Mark Wystrach is an alum of Salpointe Catholic High School.
Hill said the concert tickets are also popular, adding that “they’re flying fast.”
In 2022, Hill came back to Tucson after working with Formula 1 and the PGA Tour. He attended Rincon High School and the UA.
“I was a recipient of some of the donations that the Conquistadores give back to the community,” Hill said. “All of our tournament proceeds go back into youth sports in Southern Arizona so I was part of Ricki Rarick program, the First Tee growing up and now I’m on the other side of it, now I’m trying to raise the dollars to give back to those same programs I was a participant of.”
Photos: Last two days of play at the 2023 Cologuard Classic
David Toms reacts after finally sinking a bogey putt on 18 to hold onto a one stroke lead over Robert Karlsson and win the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 5, 2023.
Robert Karlsson, left, and Steve Stricker and David Toms lead the gallery onto the fairway at the ninth hole as they play their final round of the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 5, 2023.
Alex Cejka lines up his putt on the ninth hole during the final day of the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 5, 2023.
Mark Hensby, right, and his caddy look over a putt on the ninth hole during the final day of the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 5, 2023.
Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez drives onto the ninth green during the final day of play at the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 5, 2023.
Steve Stricker fights the sun to line up a putt on the first hole during the final day of the Cologuard Classic on March 5, 2023 in Tucson.
Robert Karlsson tries body English but the putt won't drop on the 15th hole during the final day of the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 5, 2023.
David Toms reacts after just missing a birdie putt on the 15th hole during the final day of the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 5, 2023.
Brett Quigley lines up his putt on the 15th hole in the final round of the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 5, 2023.
Brian Cooper hits out of one of the bunkers on the first hold during the final day of the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 5, 2023.
David Toms tries on the championship trophy after holding on to win the 2023 Cologuard Classic by one stroke over Robert Karlsson.
Robert Karlsson watches his putt on the 18th hole to force a playoff just come up short on the final day of the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 5, 2023.
David Toms walks from the pin after dropping a bogey putt to maintain a one stroke lead on the final hole of the 2023 Cologuard Classic in Tucson.
David Toms tries on the championship trophy after holding on to win the Cologuard Classic by one stroke over Robert Karlsson, Tucson, Ariz., March 5, 2023.
Second day leader David Toms gets out of a bunker on the 18th green during the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 4, 2023. Toms shot seven under on the day, a two day total of 11 under.
Robert Karlsson lines up his putt on the 17th green during the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 4, 2023. Karlsson finished the day in second place two shots back.
Steve Stricker hits out of a bunker on the 17th green during the Cologuard Classic at Omni Tucson National resort on March 4, 2023.
Alex Cejka gets out of the back bunker on 18 during the second day of the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 4, 2023.
Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez tees off from one to start his second day of the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 4, 2023.
Scott Parel and Harrison Frazar compare balls before teeing off to start their day from the first box during the second day of the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 4, 2023.
Brett Quigley manages to hit out of the rough on the second hole on day two of the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 4, 2023.
Richard Green mulls over his putt on the eighth hold during the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 4, 2023.
Mike Weir waits for David Toms to finish putting on the 16th hole during the second round of the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 4, 2023.
Jerry Kelly marks his ball on the 18th green during round two of the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 4, 2023.
Y. E. Yang body Englishes his putt into the cup on the 16th green in second round action at the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 4, 2023.
Mike Weir gets out of the sand trap on 18, part of one of the last trios on the course during the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 4, 2023.
David Toms draws a crowd as he hits out of the fairway on the 15th hole, leading on day two of the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 4, 2023.
Willie Wood goes for the high arc on his bunker shot on 15 during the Cologuard Classic, Tucson, Ariz., March 4, 2023.
Photos: Brett Quigley takes the lead after first day of Cologuard Classic Golf Tournament
Brett Quigley hits his ball at the 18th hole in the first round of the Cologuard Classic Golf Tournament at Omni Tucson National Resort on March 3, 2023.
Bernhard Langer watches his ball after teeing off at the second hole in the first round of the Cologuard Classic Golf Tournament at Omni Tucson National Resort on March 3, 2023.
Chris DiMarco hits the ball out of the bunker at the sixth hole in the first round of the Cologuard Classic Golf Tournament at Omni Tucson National Resort on March 3, 2023.
Jerry Kelly reacts to his shot after teeing off at the fourth hole in the first round of the Cologuard Classic at Omni Tucson National Resort on March 3, 2023.
Signs that show the golf pairings wait outside a lounge in the first round of the Cologuard Classic Golf Tournament at Omni Tucson National Resort on March 3, 2023.
Fans watch as golfers hit their balls onto the green at the second hold in the first round of the Cologuard Classic Golf Tournament at Omni Tucson National Resort on March 3, 2023.
Miguel Ángel Jiménez acknowledges the crowd after sinking a putt at the second hole in the first round of the Cologuard Classic Golf Tournament at Omni Tucson National Resort on March 3, 2023.
Retief Goosen tees off at the seventh hole in the first round of the Cologuard Classic Golf Tournament at Omni Tucson National Resort on March 3, 2023.
Jim Furyk hits his ball out of the bunker and onto the green at the sixth hole in the first round of the Cologuard Classic Golf Tournament at Omni Tucson National Resort on March 3, 2023.
A fan takes a photo as golfers approach the sixth hole in the first round of the Cologuard Classic Golf Tournament at Omni Tucson National Resort on March 3, 2023.
Speaking after a press conference on Feb. 1, 2024, ahead of next month's PGA Tour Champions Cologuard Classic event at La Paloma Country Club, pro golfer Jerry Kelly, a Cologuard ambassador, shares that the "mission of this golf tournament is early detection" of colorectal cancer. Thursday's event featured survivors and others impacted by colorectal cancer as organizers prepare to welcome the PGA Tour Champions circuit back to Tucson March 8-10. (Video by Aidan Wohl, Special to the Arizona Daily Star)
