Golf Classic helps support athletes

Golfers line up to tee-off at the Bob Mattos Memorial Golf
Classic, Monday at the Sierra View Country Club.

Golfers line up to tee-off at the Bob Mattos Memorial Golf Classic, Monday at the Sierra View Country Club.

Nicole Bee

Sacramento State’s Stinger Association hosted the second annual Bob Mattos Memorial Golf Classic on Monday at Sierra View Country Club in Roseville to remember the former football coach and raise money for the future of the athletic department.

Mattos won more games than any football coach in the history of the school with a record of 84-73-2. This is the second year the event has been held in his name, to carry out his legacy, since he died of brain cancer in 2010.

“Coach Mattos was the ultimate Hornet because he spent most of his adult life on this campus as a student athlete, coach and later a fundraiser,” said Sac State Media Relations Director Brian Berger. “He enjoyed a high level of success during the 1980s, but continued to give back to the program to help it build for the future.”

Doug Mattos, Bob Mattos’ eldest son and Sac State alumnus, remains involved in all Hornet sports and remembers his dad’s run at Sac State fondly.

“The tournament is definitely bittersweet because obviously my dad isn’t here anymore. But the one message he sent when he was at Sac State to the athletics program and student athletes was that we want to take care of them during their time at Sac State and make sure their experience is very good,” Doug Mattos said. “This is my way of continuing what he started because he started this tournament about six years ago. Today is bittersweet, but it is a good bittersweet.”

The purpose of the event is to raise money for all 20 intercollegiate athletic programs at Sac State. The shotgun-style tournament was filled to capacity.

“Last year the tournament raised over $20,000, so the expectations for this year was to get close to the same amount,” said Stinger Athletic Association member Missy Matzen. “All of the proceeds go straight into the Stinger Foundation.”

The president of the Stinger Association Dan Turner, said anything that supporters can give is appreciated.

“Every little bit helps when it comes to fundraising,” Turner said. “Each year there’s about a quarter of a million dollars that goes into the account.”

People can also make donations at the event through several different types sponsorships. It ranges from the hole sponsor, which is a donation of $150, to a Stinger Level Title Sponsor with the donation amount of $5,000.

“There were 27 hole sponsors and the title sponsor was Plumbers and Pipe Federacy Union, and there was about 35 sponsors in all,” said Stinger Director of Development for Stinger Mark Livingston.

The tournament included a shotgun start, which is when every hole has a foursome group on it and everyone starts at the exact same time. The day included 18 holes of golf, a ball drop and a banquet.

Teams could sign up to play together, or individuals could sign up on their own. Every participant received a cart, lunch, range balls, tee prizes and a post-tournament banquet dinner.

Most supporters pre-arranged their foursome for the day.

“Today I am playing with (Mattos’) best friend as well as two of his older friends,” said alumnus Greg Reed. “We are all just a bunch of old Hornets here today.”

The tournament also offered a ball drop during the event. This is when a helicopter drops 1,500 golf balls onto a particular hole on the course. There was a pay out for the first three consecutive balls that went into the hole.

The first ball paid out $750, second ball paid out $500, and the third ball paid out $250.

“It is a great tournament that goes to a great cause. Bob Mattos was an icon at Sac State,” said alumnus John Gabriel.