2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open: What Is the Legends Club, Ft Arnold Palmer, Gary Player & Byron Nelson

The Texas Children’s Houston Open comes with $9.1 million in prize money for the PGA Tour Pros. But there is much on offer for both the spectators and the charities associated with the Texas event. Charities are the bedrock of most PGA Tour events, and the Houston Open, being one of the original four stops in Texas, has upheld the tradition steadfastly.

There are three legend clubs that a patron can become a part of through a donation. Named after the three greats of the game, the community-building initiative recognizes the highest donors to the event. What are these three clubs? And what are the ‘eligibility’ criteria?

Arnold Palmer has the priciest Legends Club at the Houston Open

The first of the three Legends Clubs is named after the two-time champion, Arnold Palmer (1957 and 1966). This recognizes the members who have made a one-time donation of $5000 or more. There are 25 members in this group this year so far. 

The next one is named after the inaugural event champion, Byron Nelson, who edged past another legend, Ben Hogan, in 1946 by two strokes. This eight-member club recognizes those who made a contribution between $3000-$4,999.

The third and last one, named after Gary Player, the 1978 Houston Open champion, is a group of patrons who have donated $1000-$2,999 to the tournament charity. This group has 37 members so far. The three groups are part of the Birdies for Charity initiative, of which the Texas Children’s Houston Open is a part. 

How can you be a part of the Legends Club?

Birdies for Charity is a fundraising initiative for local charities. The total amount generated through the initiative is distributed among local charities that have registered before the event. It is one of the largest fundraisers in the area, the tournament website notes. The patrons can choose to donate to the fundraiser of their choice, with 100% of their contribution going to that particular charity. 

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Furthermore, this year, the organizers announced an additional $25,000 bonus for the top fifteen donation-collecting and four randomly drawn charities. The fundraiser is still open. You, as a patron, can choose to donate a minimum of $20 to participate. While donating, you will be asked to guess the number of birdies to be made for the event. A right answer (maximum 10 guesses are allowed) will earn you a suite night at the Houston Astros game. This year, six of the world’s top 30 players, including the reigning No. 1, Scottie Scheffler, and the defending champion, Tony Finau, are coming to the Texas Children’s Houston Open.

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