Keys Fillauer
In 35 years, the annual Keys Fillauer Invitational Golf Tournament and Clambake has raised $653,000 for the Ronald McDonald House in Knoxville, a press release said.
This year’s tournament is this weekend—on Friday, Aug. 2, and Saturday, Aug. 3—and it will be the last.
The press release said the inaugural KFI was in 1978 with nine participants at Southwest Point in Kingston.
“Four of us were playing golf the weekend after Bing Crosby died, and someone asked whether or not the Crosby Clambake, a golf tournament at Pebble Beach, would continue,” the press release said. “We didn’t know, so we decided to have our own tournament. One of the members of the group said that since I (Keys Fillauer) was teaching school and didn’t have anything to do in the summer that I should start the tournament. So I said okay, and the first year we had nine golfers and a cookout in my backyard. At that time, we never intended it to be a fundraiser.”
In 1983, organizers decided to try to get sponsors to help defray the costs of a growing tournament. They were able to get several and they purchased some poster board to list the sponsors’ names, but it rained and the poster board was ruined.
In 1986, organizers had $400 left over from the tournament. Jan Hudson, a friend and tournament participant, was also a volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House, which had just opened.
“She suggested we look at the Ronald House for a donation,” the press release said. “We did and made our first donation of $400.”
In 1987, organizers incorporated, formed a board of directors, and got their charter.
“We had now grown to 100 players, and our donation to the Ronald House begins to increase,” the release said.
In 1990 the Oak Ridge Country Club became the home course of the KFI, and today there is a full field of 120 players. Participants travel from across the United States to play in the tournament and to support the Ronald McDonald House.
The tournament begins with a pre-tournament party on Friday with the golf tournament on Saturday, and a dinner, auction, awards, and dancing on Saturday night at the Oak Ridge DoubleTree Hotel. The tournament is always held on the first weekend in August.
“While much has changed about the Tournament over the years, the concept is still the same,” the release said. “One of the things we have always said is that we wanted to do what Bing Crosby had done: bring friends together, play golf, and raise money for a good cause.
“All of this would not have been possible without the support of many volunteers and sponsors. Even though this will be our last year, our love and support for the Ronald McDonald House will continue.”
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