The TrueNorth Greater Cedar Rapids Open, presented by Granite City Food & Brewery, is proud to announce that its championship trophy will carry the names of two beloved late friends.
The GCRO will honor former longtime sportscaster and board member Bob Brooks and William “Sam” Farner, another highly-regarded local individual who championed the mission of the tournament, by naming its championship trophy after them.
The new trophy, to be unveiled at the tournament’s 20thanniversary celebration next month, will be called the Bob Brooks-Sam Farner TrueNorth Greater Cedar Rapids Open Memorial Trophy.
Brooks was the voice of the GCRO since its inception and rarely missed a championship ceremony where his distinct voice and his witty commentary would draw laughs and smiles from competing golfers and crowd alike. His signature line about GCRO competitors was “These guys can play, too!” And GCRO alums, which includes the likes of Cedar Rapids’ own Zach Johnson, have gone on to prove that by winning PGA Tour events and competing around the globe in golf.
A 10-time Iowa Sportscaster of the Year who died in 2016, Brooks closed out his legendary career with Cedar Rapids radio station KMRY. Brooks brought many ideas to the tournament committee throughout his tenor on the board and his support of the GCRO was second to none.
Farner, another staunch supporter of the tournament in its infancy, was integral in pulling together the competitors of a University of Iowa-Iowa State 9-hole GCRO shootout in 2001. That year, Farner helped secure the commitments of Iowa State’s Johnny Orr and Fred Hoiberg and Iowa’s Dr. Tom Davis and Brad Lohaus in a match that many still remember.
Farner, who died in 2008, was president of the convenience store food giant distributor Farner-Bocken for 26 years. A devoted supporter of golf, Farner was also an honorary member of the National “I” Club Board and Elmcrest Country Club.
“In different but critically important ways, Sam Farner and Bob Brooks supported and encouraged our GCRO committee throughout the event’s history,” said GCRO tournament director and co-founder Jim McPartland. “Having a captain of business like Sam and a legend in sportscasting like Bob in our corner gave the GCRO credibility with donors and the golf and local community before we deserved it.”
The GCRO, established in 1999, provides a showcase for aspiring professional golfers from around the world while also benefiting area non-profit organizations. To date, the tournament has given back more than $178,000 to many organizations, including The Boys and Girls Club of Cedar Rapids, Camp Courageous, The Salvation Army, The University of Iowa Foundation to benefit the Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center and most recently the Iowa PGA Foundation’s “Swings with Kids” program and the GIVE Foundation (Golf For Injured Veterans Everywhere).
Last year, the GCRO gave a record $20,000 in charitable donations back to the community.
The 54-hole tournament, considered by many to be among the most well-run mini-tour events in the country, is held exclusively at Hunters Ridge Golf Course in Marion, Iowa. More than 100 professional golfers will compete for the record $30,000 first-place prize money from July 24-28.
Come out and possibly see the next set of rising golf stars. Admission is free.