SANDY — Some good news for both fan bases emerged from the annual charity golf scramble pitting a team led by BYU football coach Kalani Sitake against a team led by Utah coach Kyle Whittingham on Monday at Hidden Valley Country Club.
Instead of spending a beautiful early summer day knocking the golf ball around or schmoozing with boosters at the luncheon that followed the 36th annual Coaches Legacy Tournament, the coaches were hard at work building their rosters for future seasons.
“I am sure (Kyle) didn’t want to miss out on golf and I didn’t want to miss out on lunch. I am pretty sure Kyle is meeting with recruits right now that I met with this morning.”
— BYU coach Kalani Sitake
Sitake spent the morning with recruits and missed out on golf, while Whittingham played in the event but had to skip the luncheon.
“I am sure he didn’t want to miss out on golf and I didn’t want to miss out on lunch,” Sitake quipped after lunch. “I am pretty sure Kyle is meeting with recruits right now that I met with this morning.”
The “dead period” for recruiting when coaches are not able to contact prospects ended Friday, and coaches are now able to make in-person contact on their respective campuses. So Monday kicks off a very busy couple of weeks for these guys, and the fact that they showed up at all just shows how dedicated they are to the get-together that has happened yearly since 1989, said Deen Vetterli, CEO of the National Kidney Foundation of Utah and Idaho.
With the coaches not engaging in the usual battle for supremacy on the links this year, the real winners Monday were the thousands and thousands of kidney patients the foundation benefits. Vetterli said this year’s tournament grossed around $60,000 for charity, up a bit from previous years.
The tournament was revitalized this year, with attendance from Utah and BYU cheerleaders, Miss Utah 2024 Paris Matthews (from nearby Cottonwood Heights), former Utah coach Ron McBride, former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, master of ceremonies Wesley Ruff of ABC4 Utah, and better prizes and organization.
“We are going to make more money this year than we have in the past, because we have had such tremendous support from our sponsors,” Vetterli said. “It is very exciting to us that it continues after all these years, and it is due simply because this is Utah, and our coaches are not only amazing coaches, but they are outstanding humanitarians.”
Vetterli said she spent a half-hour chatting with Sitake before the luncheon and BYU’s 10-year coach assured her that he always wants to be a part of the event because his mentors — former BYU coach LaVell Edwards and Whittingham — also made it a priority on their busy June calendars.
“I think the main thing to remember is that this is only possible in Utah. Other Kidney Foundation affiliates call me and want to know how we do this,” Vetterli said. “They tell us they reach out to their coaches, and are told, ‘Are you kidding? We don’t do that.’”
But in Utah they do, continuing a tradition established by Edwards and Jim Fassel.
“The amazing thing is it is not done anywhere else. No one can do it. And it is because of Kalani and LaVell and Urban Meyer and Bronco (Mendenhall) and Gary Crowton and Kyle,” Vetterli continued. “It is really phenomenal. And it is the talk of the Kidney Foundation nationally because everybody wants to do it, and they are just fascinated with the people of Utah, and how fortunate we are.”
National sponsors such as Nebraska-based Applied Underwriters Insurance are also key supporters, along with local sponsors such as 2025 hole sponsors Pulsipher Investments, Lawrence Wealth Management, TB Electrical and Intermountain Children’s Health.
Monday’s major local sponsors included Black Clover Live Lucky golf apparel (Utah’s team) and Zions Bank (BYU’s team).
“I am really happy to be here for the cause, and to see all the fans from both sides, BYU and Utah,” said Sitake, who stayed long after the luncheon was over visiting with fans, signing autographs and taking pictures. “It is a really good event and I am just really proud to be a part of it every year. … Maybe next year I will be able to golf and you guys can see how my game has improved. … It is a great cause and I am happy to support it.”
Who won the competitions?
Technically, BYU won the competition against Utah, although without pomp and circumstance because Sitake didn’t play.
In fact, the team of Gary and Brad Herbert and former BYU golfers Keanu Akina and Rhett Rasmussen shot the day’s best score, a 19-under 53.
“No governor pardons, no funny stuff, just some good golf,” Gary Herbert explained.
New BYU athletic director Brian Santiago teamed with former BYU national championship quarterback Robbie Bosco and Vaughn and Brandon Pulsipher to shoot a 56.
“The biggest thing is we are just out here for a good cause. We have been in this Kidney Foundation tournament for I don’t know how long — back when I used to have hair,” Santiago said. “It is great to see the two schools come together for a common good. We are talking about some of the great coaches who have been a part of this, with LaVell and Ron McBride and now you have Kalani and Kyle. Those are four of the best ever to do it.”
Vaughn Pulsipher won the closest to the pin (No. 2 on the Lakes Nine), while Nate Ouimette had the longest drive on No. 1 on the Lakes Nine).
Moving on to Applied Underwriters National Invitational
Four teams in the scramble were “qualified” teams in the competition to move on to the national tournament at Big Cedar Lodge Golf Resort near Branson, Missouri. That means they had a combined handicap over 43 and could only have one golfer with a handicap below 8.
They also had to use at least three tee shots from every golfer in their foursome.
Monday’s winning team was comprised of Dan Hansgen, John Hansgen, Jasmine Hansgen and Quentin Chipman. They shot a 56 to win by four shots over a team sponsored by NKFUI president David Trimble and will advance to the national tournament the first week of May 2026.
A spokesperson for Applied Underwriters was on hand Monday and said the company sponsors 85 similar golf tournaments around the country and raised $14.1 million for charity last year and hopes to surpass $16 million in 2025.
