New venue, same mission.
The Cologuard Classic, Tucson’s PGA Tour Champions event since 2015, officially launched a new era Thursday.
Officials representing the city, the tournament and Exact Sciences — the company that makes the Cologuard cancer-screening product — conducted a ribbon-cutting ceremony at La Paloma Country Club, which will host the Cologuard Classic for the first time March 8-10 of next year. It had been held at Omni Tucson National Resort since its inception.
The press event also featured colorectal cancer survivors, who will have greater access to the tournament than ever before through the “Sponsor a Survivor” program. Individuals and/or organizations can donate money through the tournament’s website to offset travel costs and enable more colorectal cancer survivors, patients and loved ones to attend.
“I’ve heard people be like, ‘What is the significance of being able to send people to a golf tournament?’ You heard it from them: It’s the community they build,” said Bryan Goettel, director of advocacy and alliance relations for Exact Sciences.
Cologuard Classic officials and colorectal cancer survivors — including Jason Randall, far left, and Kim Adair, far right — participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at La Paloma Country Club to celebrate the tournament’s move to the Jack Nicklaus-designed course.
One of the survivors who spoke Thursday, Navy veteran Jason Randall, described the many challenges he faced — physical, emotional, psychological and financial — after being diagnosed with Stage IV colorectal cancer at age 35. The Cologuard Classic provides him and other survivors with an opportunity to share those experiences.
“It’s very lonely sometimes with a diagnosis,” Randall said. “The tournament allows you to meet these other people that are going through very similar life experiences as you. You get to bond over it. It’s such an important event to see other survivors in person and to see that you’re not alone.”
Another survivor, Kim Adair, who lives in Tucson and, in addition to is the president of the nonprofit support group Butt Check Inc., added: “This program, I could cry over it — to make sure that everyone gets this experience and that we do all get to hang together. It actually keeps us going all year.”
The Cologuard Classic announced on the final day of the 2023 tournament that it would be moving to La Paloma. The event’s executive director, Geoff Hill, and his team have been working on the logistics ever since, from parking to hospitality structures to grandstands.
“When there’s no blueprint to go off of, the logistics are always challenging,” Hill said. “Every golf course presents different challenges. ... So we always have to figure out some of the little nuances.”
Tucson's PGA Tour Champions event, the Cologuard Classic, begins its run at La Paloma Country Club in 2024. The facility, featuring 27 holes designed by the legendary Jack Nicklaus, is located off Sunrise Drive between Campbell Avenue and Swan Road.
La Paloma features three nine-hole courses, and all three will be utilized for the Cologuard Classic. The Ridge Course will serve as the front nine. The back nine will be a combination of holes on the Canyon and Hill courses, with Hill No. 9, a par 4, serving as the finishing hole.
Looking down from above the green, David Stout, regional director of agronomy for Troon, which manages La Paloma Country Club, said: “It’s going to finish right here. So that’s gonna offer awesome amphitheater seating.”
La Paloma Country Club is private, so many Tucsonans — even golf enthusiasts — have never seen it up close. The audience watching on The Golf Channel will get to see the desert-style course for the first time as well, similar to how golf fans were introduced to The Los Angeles Country Club during this year’s U.S. Open.
“I’m looking forward to having people out here that have never been to the course,” Stout said. “So many Tucsonans know it’s here. They know it’s on top of the hill. But I think it’s just good to welcome people and showcase what the entire property is about — the club, course, hotel, spa, all the things.”
Hill said “multiple” properties were under consideration by the PGA Tour before La Paloma was chosen. At no point was moving the event out of Tucson seriously considered.
The Tucson Conquistadors have provided invaluable support for the tournament, and it’s been a popular event, with about 38,000 spectators attending this past year. The ’24 pro-am is nearly sold out, Hill said.
“From our perspective,” said Goettel, “we were very committed to keeping this event here.”
