BOISE, Idaho — The annual Albertsons Boise Open is in full swing. The four-day event kicks off with the Jon Pardi concert Thursday night for its 35th anniversary, but the deeper impact reaches far beyond the fairways.
The event is held at the Hillcrest Country Club, which is known for bringing the top talent on the Korn Ferry Tour to Boise. This year is no different. However, it’s not just about who’s on top of the leaderboard. It’s also about giving back to the community.
Since its start in 1990, the Albertsons Boise Open has partnered with dozens of local charities.
“We always want to leave the most. Out of the 30 tournaments on the Korn Ferry Tour across the United States, the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Chevron will give more money to charity than any other tournament,” Executive Director Jeff Sanders told KTVB Thursday.
He refers to this Boise tour stop as “Golf-Chella,” where the community comes together to enjoy golf, listen to music and have food and drinks while ensuring money is left for charity. The Albertsons Boise Open has partnered with Mondelez International snack company to drive all ticket sale proceeds to 40 different local charities this year.
"(It's) also the only tournament that lets the ticket buyer select one of 40 charities on the drop-down menu here, where they'd like their ticket purchase dollars to go," Sanders said. "So, that's very unique.”
With the support of Albertsons, other sponsors and fans, this year’s Albertsons Boise Open raised $3 million, which is a Korn Ferry Tour record. Since its inception, it has raised $39 million.
“Our scorecard, using golf terms, is how many people came out to the tournament, that they all have fun, and how much money went to charity,” Sanders said.
Beyond donations, the tournament brings thousands of people together each year, not just for golf, but also for music, food and a sense of community spirit. The Albertsons Boise Open aims to drive change on and off the course.