Pros to appear at Fallbrook Pop Warner golf tourney

Fallbrook Pop Warner’s fundraising golf tournament July 23 at Pala Mesa Resort will include several celebrities including former National Football League fullback Lorenzo Neal.

The Lorenzo Neal Celebrity Golf Tournament is also slated to include current and former professional football players Jeff Garcia, Quentin Jammer, Mike Scifres, Mike Goff, James Lofton, Hank Bauer, Billy Ray Smith, Steve Gregory, David Binn, Lupe Sanchez, Jyles Tucker, and Scott Mruczkowski. Actor Anthony Anderson is also expected at the tournament, and additional celebrities are likely but have not yet committed.

Fallbrook Pop Warner coach and board member Doug Berger organizes the golf tournament. Last year was the first such fundraiser.

“It was quite a success. This year I expect it to be twice as successful,” Berger said.

The registration fee for the golf tournament is $135 per player or $500 per foursome, which includes cart rental and the evening banquet as well as 18 holes of golf. Adults wishing to attend the banquet without participating in the golf tournament can do so for $65, and children 12 and younger can attend the banquet for $25. The celebrities will sign autographs at the banquet upon reasonable request, and the banquet will also include live and silent auctions.

“We are really trying to encourage parents or people who don’t play golf and their children to show up for this,” Berger said.

The best-ball format golf tournament will have a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start with lunch at 11:30 a.m. and early registration at 10:30 a.m. Doors open for the banquet at 5:30 p.m.

Donations to the live and silent auctions include real estate property, trips to Hawaii and Florida, and sports memorabilia.

In addition to the golf tournament, banquet, and auctions, sponsorships will also be used to raise money for Fallbrook Pop Warner. The sponsorships will include tee sponsors as well as various levels of tournament sponsorship. The proceeds will be used for equipment, field use fees, and officiating fees. A major portion of the proceeds will be used for scholarships to defray registration costs of needy players.

“It’s an opportunity for us to raise money for these guys and the equipment,” Neal said. “I think Doug does a great job.”

Neal spent 16 seasons in the National Football League, including five with the San Diego Chargers. He helped five different halfbacks reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season.

Those interested in registering for the tournament or banquet, becoming sponsors, or donating items for the auctions can contact Berger at [email protected] and registration is also available at http://www.fallbrookpopwarner.org.

“We’re very thankful and appreciative to the people who are going to come out,” Neal said. “We just thank them for helping us out.”

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