Friday, December 17, 2010
Play-by-Play Sportscaster Escorts his Grandson to The Shark Shootout
National play-by-play sportscaster Johnny Holliday was in Florida earlier this week attending The Shark Shootout with his 12 year-old grandson Jack Rolle. Jack and his family were invited to attend the event as the honored guests of the Greg Norman – The Shark - because Jack is a childhood cancer patient and the event benefits CureSearch for Children's Cancer.
In May 2009 at age 10, Jack was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Throughout his brain surgery, 16 rounds of chemo and proton beam radiation therapy, Johnny was by Jack's side. While Jack is not yet considered in remission, he is finished with treatment, has been cancer free for one year and was able to travel to this once-in-a-lifetime event.
The Shark Shootout includes not only the Pro-Am tournament, but also a 5K race and this year, Johnny Holliday served as the Master of Ceremonies. Johnny stepped out of his role of sportscaster and spoke from the heart as the very proud grandfather of Jack, who he lovingly refers to as "The Amazing Jacko." At the event's end, the winners stepped up to shake Jack's hand as they received their awards.
The event was a perfect fit for the family as Jack shares Greg Norman's passion for golf. At just six years old, Jack started playing golf and his passion for the game led him to become a 5-hole division champion and 9-hole Smith Cup runner-up at Congressional Country Club in Maryland. At The Shark Shootout, Jack and his brothers were able to walk all 18 holes with Greg Norman. Johnny was there on the sidelines with a great big smile as he waited for his grandsons to return from their unforgettable day with The Shark.
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The Shark Shootout
The Shark Shootout, created and hosted by Greg Norman, is an annual PGA TOUR sanctioned event that raises funds and awareness for CureSearch for Children's Cancer. This year marked the 10th year of the tournament's 22-year history the event will be conducted at Tiburón Golf Club, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples, FL. The field consisted of 24 professionals paired into 12 two-man teams. The Shark Shootout, widely regarded as the PGA TOUR's premier post-season event, features a modified alternate-shot format during the first round, a better ball Saturday and a final-round scramble. This year, Golf Channel televised Friday and NBC broadcasted the weekend competition. The Shark Shootout is conducted and managed by the Greg Norman Production Company.
CureSearch for Children's Cancer
CureSearch for Children's Cancer funds the lifesaving, collaborative research of the Children's Oncology Group, the largest children's cancer research organization in the world. With more than 5,000 physicians, nurses and researchers at more than 200 hospitals in North America and worldwide, this group treats 90 percent of children with cancer in the U.S.
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