How a Day of Golf and Beer Raised Money for Cancer Immunotherapy Research

Rob Royall tragically lost both of his parents, Sherry and David Royall, to cancer within a three-year time span. To both honor their memory and contribute to charity, Rob and his wife Leah decided to create a unique fundraising event that embraced the Royalls’ love of great beer and golfing. This is how the Birdies & Brews Charity Golf Tournament was born. All proceeds from the golf tournament were awarded to the Cancer Research Institute.

The event was hosted at noon on March 21, 2022, at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary, North Carolina. The Prestonwood Country Club is famously home to the SAS Championship, a golf tournament on the PGA Tour Champions. Birdies & Brews featured a scramble format, where each member of the four-person teams would hit a driving shot off of the tee and would subsequently play from the most well-placed shot.

During the tournament, golfers had the chance to sample local beers at a few of the golf holes, with the opportunity to trade in pre-purchased tickets for their favorite brews. The brewery that earned the most tickets was crowned the Birdies & Brews Best Brewery and received an award. Additionally, the golf tournament included two contests: one for a closest-to-the-pin shot and one for the longest drive. Participants enjoyed a cocktail reception and silent auction at the conclusion of golf.

The winning team included Rob Royall and Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, Ph.D, the CEO and Director of Scientific Affairs at the Cancer Research Institute. The tournament earned nine sponsors, with six local breweries participating as well. Birdies & Brews raised over $11,000 for the Cancer Research Institute for its programs that support lifesaving cancer immunotherapy research. Rob and Leah Royall were moved by the turnout of their friends and family and commented, “Dave and Sherry would be so honored to know that businesses and people are coming together to support cancer research in their memory. Their legacies will now live on forever.”

The Royalls’ have demonstrated how the power of individuals, businesses, and communities can be harnessed for good to raise money for cancer immunotherapy research. In the case of Birdies & Brews, the Royalls’ combined a love of golf and local breweries for a fun, heartwarming charity event. With spring now fully in bloom, you, too can host or create a fun, meaningful charity event to raise money for cancer immunotherapy research. Think about what your hobbies are and what might speak to your local community. You can host a bike ride, a 5K race, a hike, and so much more.

Create a fundraiser for the Cancer Research Institute