With the U.S. Open approaching, I found myself reflecting on my golfing experience.

My golfing memories began and ended with trying to become the world’s next racecar driver in a golf cart during many spring breaks spent at my Grandma’s house in Florida.

Of all the sports aired on TV, golf is not one that I choose to watch (besides Happy Gilmore, of course). If I happen to catch a couple of holes on ESPN, I mostly concentrate on all of the fancy apparel worn by the pros.

This year, the Oregon Red Cross’ Clatsop Service Center offers a big jackpot reason to pay more attention to the Open (like, ditch the fashion woes and actually follow the game).

The competition goes something like this…

When you buy a ticket for $50, you are entered into a drawing and then “matched up” with one of the pros. If your golf pro takes home the trophy at the end of the tourney, you take home $1,000. If your pro is in second place, you take home $500 (not too shabby…). Third place, $250; fourth place, $125; and 5th place, $75. The ticket proceeds go to help with disaster relief in Clatsop County.

No more than 100 tickets will be sold, so you have a good chance of getting matched with a top-ranked pro. The player drawing/match-up will take place on June 15 at 6:00 p.m. at Fultanos Pizza in Astoria. I recommend grabbing a slice and a beer to ease the nerves, but you don’t have to be present to be paired. To purchase tickets, contact Julie Flues at 503-325-4721.

With Father’s Day fast approaching, this makes a great gift. I know my Dad would appreciate the chance to win some bucks and in my eyes, the chance to win some big bucks definitely makes watching golf that much more interesting.

Now sit back and cross your fingers for the lucky match-up with Phil Mickelson!