50 rounds, 50 states, 50 days: golfer plays Verona course during fundraising escapade

VERONA, Wis. (WMTV) - 66-year-old Clay Phillips is on a mission to play 50 rounds of golf, in 50 states, in 50 days.

The San Diego resident checked Wisconsin off his list Monday morning, playing a round at University Ridge Golf Course in Verona.

While practice is said to make perfect, his goal isn’t to improve his scorecard, but to support a cause near to his heart.

“Every dime that’s donated through my website 50in50in50golf4water.org goes to one of the two charities, whatever the donor chooses,” said Phillips.

He’s footing the bill for all the rounds he plays, while asking others for donations to Project Blue or Water First International. These non-profits work to provide clean and accessible water to communities in need across the globe.

“When people don’t have to walk hours and hours each day they can redirect their time to their families, to their communities, and to the economy,” told Phillips.

Phillips has been involved in this type of work in Honduras and described asking a woman there what it meant to finally have easy access to safe water.

“I didn’t even have to understand anything she said, but just by her reaction I knew that her family was different, her whole life was different, her community was different, and it was all because she had a little spigot of water,” told Phillips.

Monday was day 13 and he has raised nearly $40,000 so far. He hopes to reach $100,000 by day 50.

“You can drill a well for $15,000 and utterly change an entire community,” explained Phillips.

Copyright 2021 WMTV. All rights reserved.