SEQUIM — Returning from a pandemic-caused interruption, the Sonny Sixkiller Celebrity Golf Classic will bring out an entire roster of University of Washington Huskies stars of yesteryear to Cedars at Dungeness today.
The 10th annual tournament benefits the Olympic Medical Center Foundation. OMC Foundation Executive Director Bruce Skinner said the event generally raises about $80,000 each year for the foundation.
Sixkiller, who starred as quarterback at UW from 1970-72 and graced the cover of Sports Illustrated and starred in the 1974 movie “The Longest Yard,” said that last year, there were talks of trying to put on the classic.
“My son helped me make the decision to cancel it,” Sixkiller said.
Former UW quarterback Sonny Sixkiller is back at the Cedars at Dungeness to host his celebrity classic golf tournament.
He said that with some very strict COVID restrictions that would have been necessary, they’re wouldn’t have been the high-fives or the hugs or the camaraderie.
“We couldn’t do all of that virtually,” he said.
The event has one of its strongest lineups ever this year, with Huskies such as Bob Schloredt, Robin Earl, Lincoln Kennedy, Jeff Jaeger, Kevin Gogan and Steve Emtman. Several of these players went on to have careers in the NFL.
Former Huskies stars Derrin Doty of Sequim and Matt Lane of Port Angeles are also part of the tournament.
Sixkiller said it’s just fun to get out on a beautiful course like Cedars at Dungeness again with old teammates and other former Huskies.
“It’s going to be fun. If you make a good shot, it’s great. If you don’t make a good shot, you make fun of the guy who hit it,” he said.
Port Angeles’ Scott Jones, who played at UW from 1985-1989 after his Roughriders career and went on to have an NFL career, said it’s great to reconnect with fellow Huskies.
“For most of these guys, golfing is golfing. It’s the fact that you get to see one another again,” he said. “You lose track of people … and you’re meeting people from other Huskies teams.”
Sixkiller, who is from Ashland, Ore., said he came to know Seven Cedars Casino CEO Jerry Allen and Skinner at the University of Washington and has been working with the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe for years to put on the golf fundraiser.
He said one change this year is that Dan Wilder will not be able to participate. Wilder, founder of Wilder Auto, passed away recently.
“I was sad to hear that he had died. He’s been an integral part of the success of this,” Sixkiller said.
Wilder Auto remains one of the main sponsors of the event, along with Irwin Dental Center, Lakeside Industries and Swinerton Builders.
Jones said that, as one of the local Huskies, he sees first-hand what the Olympic Medical Center and Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe mean to the area.
“It’s huge what they’ve done. It’s pretty impressive,” he said.
