The PGA Tour Champions Cologuard Classic has a long tradition of pairing cancer survivors, patients or those who have lost their fight with it with competitors.
Steve Stricker and Steve DiMeglio, a long-time Golfweek/USA Today senior journalist, will be teaming up for the 2023 event.
This year marks the third year players will be “paired up” during the competition, and they will wear ribbons with the honoree’s name on them.
Stricker was asked about DiMeglio’s pairing during his pre-tournament conference on Thursday.
He said that he had been in touch with him since last year when he received his prognosis. “I’ve been in contact with them probably on a monthly base just checking in with and seeing how he is doing,” he added. “Steve, since finding out, I have been in his corner and watching how he is doing. They’ve been talking back-and-forth. It’s been a lot of talking back and forth. He’s always been very kind to me and fair to my needs.
In honor of Steve DiMeglio (who is currently battling cancer), Steve Stricker will be playing the 2023 Cologuard Classic.
“Hopefully, he can also say the same. It’s cool that I can think about him more and wear a ribbon with his name. It’s quite cool.
Stricker also noted how excited DiMeglio was for the pairing.
The @ColeguardGolf golf tournie this week raises awareness about colon cancer. It honors survivors, those who survived and those who died. I’m being honored. Each player is paired with us and wears a ribbon that bears our names. My partner? STRIX! Tune in to the Champions Tour.
— Steve DiMeglio (@Steve_DiMeglio) February 28, 2023
After I discovered that I was playing for him I sent back and forth text messages. Stricker stated that he would send another likely thing to him before we move forward. “I just pray that he is on the mend, and moving in the right direction. It’s hard. He’s in stage IV. I don’t know if it is true that he tells everything. He says he is fighting it. He keeps telling me to keep plugging away and to keep moving butt, and it’s possible.
“Yeah, hopefully it’s going to be beat and he makes it through.”
