Bold Pants, Bigger Impact
Celebrating 20 Years of Ian Leonard’s Bad Pants Open
The pants were bold, the competition was fun, and the impact was bigger than ever at the 20th Annual Ian Leonard’s Bad Pants Open at Rush Creek Golf Club in Maple Grove.
Hosted by Fox 9 Chief Meteorologist Ian Leonard, the event brought together Special Olympics Minnesota athletes, PGA Professionals, sponsors, and supporters for a day filled with laughter, friendly competition, and fundraising for the PGA of America REACH Foundation Minnesota and Special Olympics Minnesota.
The morning belonged to the Special Olympics athletes, who reconnected with friends and had a chance to stop by the UNRL merchandise trailer to gear up with fresh apparel. From there, they headed out alongside PGA Professionals for a fun round of golf.
As afternoon pro-am players arrived, the energy at Rush Creek continued to build. Participants gathered to hear from Ian about the event’s mission before heading onto the course, greeted by high-fives from the athletes to set the tone for the day.
Interactive hole sponsors kept the momentum going throughout the round. Ian hosted a Happy Gilmore long-drive contest on Hole 10, Dick’s Sporting Goods ran a bucket golf challenge, and Hellmuth & Johnson joined the fun on Hole 7, where players took a shot at a $5,000 hole-in-one challenge. Meanwhile, the Oktoberfest crew evaluated and crowned the day’s best-dressed team. As players made the turn from Hole 18, they stopped at the practice putting green for the Hit It to Win It challenge, supported by Gold Sponsor Hornig Insurance Agency, where successful putts earned various prizes placed around the green.
The fun continued off the course with both a silent and live auction. The silent auction featured a variety of items and experiences, while Ian Leonard brought his signature personality and energy to the room as live auction host. The incredible generosity shown during both auctions pushed the event’s impact even further for both benefiting organizations.
An event of this scale relies on extraordinary community support. We extend a special thank you to our Gold Sponsors—Affinity Plus, Hjerpe Family Foundation, and Hornig Insurance Agency. Their generous commitment provided the foundation for a memorable day on the course and critical fundraising for our mission.
We are equally grateful to all of the PGA Professionals, Special Olympics Minnesota athletes, donors, and participants who made the 20th year possible.
At its heart, the Bad Pants Open is about people—creating opportunities for Special Olympics Minnesota athletes, enabling access to the game of golf through the mission of PGA of America REACH Foundation Minnesota, and bringing the community together through the game we love.
During the event, Ian shared a simple reminder: when you wake up in the morning, think about how you can make someone’s day a little better. Sometimes, all you have to do is notice them. It was a fitting takeaway for an event built on community, inclusion, and generosity. Thank you to everyone who supported this year’s event and helped make the 20th Annual Ian Leonard’s Bad Pants Open a day to remember.
Visit the event page to learn more: minnesotapga.com/pga-reach-mn/charity-events/bad-pants-open/.