NORMAN, Okla. (CelebrityAccess) — Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic celebrated its 20th birthday this year as it broke fundraising records, raising more than $3.1 Million to support the late country music icon’s philanthropic foundation and the OK Kids Korral.
The event included an opening gala and a silent auction that was followed the next day by a shotgun start golf tournament.
Top selling items from this year’s silent auction included:
• Custom guitars featuring the logo from each year of the event – Year-20 sold twice for $90,000.
• Two paintings by KWTV’s Robin Marsh sold for $125,000.
• Two guitars painted by Johnny Smith sold for more than $100,000.
• A hand-drawn play by former OU head football coach Bob Stoops went for $35,000.
• A VIP experience with baseball Hall of Famer Roger Clemens auctioned for $40,000.
During the gala, Keith’s former classmate Scott Fulkerson brought the crowd when he announced a donation that helped to push the auction past $1 million. With 2024’s event surpassing $1.6 million, Toby and his friends have raised just shy of $20 million since its inception.
Additionally, the Toby Keith Foundation, which was established just this year, announced it had set it sights on creating $10 million endowment and received pledges of more than $1.5 million during the gala.
Hosts Bob Stoops and Jim West welcomed Toby’s family and nine Korral families onstage during the event, which was headlined by the Eli Young Band – who were formerly signed to Keith’s Show Dog Nashville record label.
“Somebody has to carry the torch, somebody has to lead the charge in raising money and making sure that this foundation is able to continue to support the Korral. So, we’ve already started stepping into those roles in making sure that we are helping to build those relationships.” Referencing her sister Shelley and brother Stelen, she noted, “This is the thing that my siblings and I have discussed being kind of our purpose from this point forward,” Toby Keith’s daughter, Krystal Keith said. “This is the thing that my siblings and I have discussed being kind of our purpose from this point forward.”
Toby Keith died in February after a battle with gastric cancer.
