Celebrities, golfers turn out for annual Warburton golf tournament

Celebrities and local alike tee’d off Saturday morning for the ninth annual Warburton Celebrity Golf Tournament.

A lot of swings are being taken at the Classic Club in Palm Desert with another tournament kicking off.

It’s not just any tournament but the Warburton, bringing in about 300 golfers with many celebrities included trying out their game.

“It’s all about progress, and I make a little progress everyday, so if you’re doing that, you’re doing something right,” Dennis Haysbert, an actor with roles in the show 24 and Allstate commercials, said.

He’s participating in helping raise money for the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in helping battle childhood cancer.

“The success rate gets better every year. I think it’s up to 80 percent. Let’s see if we can get that up to 90,” Haysbert said.

That’s the same for other celebrities like actor Kevin Dillon, participating for the fifth time.

“I’m going to keep doing this as long as I can and as long as they’ll have me,” he said.

A total of $2.5 million was raised last year for the hospital and the fundraiser expects to get to $10 million in overall money raised since it began nine years ago. Actor Patrick Warburton says the event is for the kids.

“It seems to be epic every year and for us to be able to deliver what we promise to deliver and what everybody knows or expects after each year, that’s a great feeling,” he said.

Warburton says there were initial concerns of rain but is glad the weather is cooperating.

“Right now it’s perfect. There’s definitely a moisture in the air, some humidity. We’ll see what happens, I forecast perfect,” he said.

The fundraiser will continue with a soiree dinner Saturday night and will finish Sunday afternoon with a final round of golf and check presentation to St. Jude’s.