Dustin Colquitt, left, will be the caddy for his brother, Broncos punter Britton Colquitt, in the celebrity golf tournament. (Jeff Bayer)
Broncos training camp is just a week away, but GM John Elway, coach John Fox and punter Britton Colquitt are gearing up for a different kind of competition – on the green.
The Denver trio is set to play in the golf tournament in Lake Tahoe later this week, a celebrity tournament to raise funds and awareness for charities. Round one of three begins Friday.
Colquitt, no novice on the green, has been questioned in the past for his , but with his brother and Chiefs punter, Dustin Colquitt, serving as his caddy for the tournament, Britton, a first-year participant, enters the tournament as with 10-1 odds of winning, leading the Broncos pack.
Elway, another golfing regular who finished second in the tournament in 2012, holds 12-1 odds this year, while Fox falls behind, at 100-1.
The three will have their work cut out for them in the tournament — which is usually won by baseball, football or hockey players — because this year LPGA great and Hall-of-Famer Annika Sorenstam is decided to take on the guys.
Sorenstam, 43, has won 89 international tournaments for more than $22 million in prize money to earn her keep as one of the most successful and dominant players in the game. It should come as no surprise that she is favored, 2-1, to win it all. Former NFL quarterback Billy Joe Tolliver, a four-time tournament champion, sits behind her, with 9-2 odds of winning it again.
Colquitt, Elway and Fox will also be joined by other active and former sports stars and celebrities, all vying for the $125,000 winner’s share of the $600,000 purse. Among the top names: Charles Barkley, Aaron Rodgers, Jerry Rice, Greg Maddux, Stephen Curry, Steve Young and Martin Brodeur.
Other Broncos have competed in the tournament in previous years. Former quarterback Tim Tebow and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio joined Elway in 2011, but finished 67th and 63rd respectively out of 83.
The beneficiary of this year’s tournament is the , which focuses on innovations in the treatment, diagnosis and prevention of diseases. The tournament will be aired on live NBC, NBCSN and Golf Channel on the following schedule:
Round 1 — Friday, July 18
2 p.m. – 5 p.m. MT, NBCSN
Round 2 — Saturday, July 19
1 p.m.-4 p.m. MT, NBC
Round 3 — July 20
1 p.m.-4 p.m. MT, NBC
Golf channel will re-air the broadcasts Saturday-Money.
