Friends of Golf to honor Rickie Fowler and Kay Cockerill at 46th annual tournament

Friends of Golf will recognize PGA standout Rickie Fowler and golf broadcaster Kay Cockerill at its 46th Annual Charity Golf Tournament on Oct. 19 at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles. The event underscores FOG’s long-running mission to support junior golf, with Konica Minolta returning as title sponsor.

Why it matters: - Friends of Golf uses the annual tournament to fund junior golf access, scholarships, equipment and team support. - The 2026 honorees are two high-profile golf figures with deep ties to competition, coaching and broadcasting. - Konica Minolta’s return as title sponsor extends more than 15 years of support for junior golfers.

What happened: - Friends of Golf will honor Rickie Fowler and Kay Cockerill at its 46th Annual Charity Golf Tournament. - The event is scheduled for Oct. 19 at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles. - FOG President Peter Best announced the honorees. - Fowler and Cockerill are expected to attend and be interviewed at the event.

The details: - Fowler is a five-time U.S. Ryder Cup team member and former PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. - Fowler has won six PGA tournaments, including THE PLAYERS Championship in 2015. - Fowler’s estimated career earnings top $55 million. - Fowler won the 2008 Ben Hogan Award while playing for Oklahoma State. - Fowler launched The Rickie Fowler Foundation in 2011 to help make golf more accessible to young people who may not be able to afford the game. - Cockerill began as a walk-on at UCLA and became the first female golfer inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame. - Cockerill won the 1986 and 1987 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championships. - Cockerill was inducted into the Women’s Golf Coaches Association Players Hall of Fame in 1996 and the Northern California Golf Association Hall of Fame in 2013. - After her LPGA Tour career, Cockerill became one of Golf Channel’s first commentators when the network launched in 1995. - Cockerill has more than 30 years of television experience as a commentator and analyst for Golf Channel, NBC Sports and ESPN. - Friends of Golf was founded in 1979 by Eddie Merrins and other philanthropic Los Angeles-area golfers. - FOG says its mission is to help aspiring junior golfers, regardless of economic background, play, compete and excel. - FOG says it has donated more than $11 million over four decades to colleges, universities, high schools and golf-focused organizations. - FOG has honored many major golf figures, including Jack Nicklaus, Sir Nick Faldo, Annika Sorenstam, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Lorena Ochoa, Collin Morikawa, Max Homa, Amy Alcott and Juli Inkster. - FOG works with the Golf Coaches Association of America and Colonial Country Club to honor the top collegiate male golfer with the Ben Hogan Trophy Award. - FOG works with The LPGA Foundation and Women’s Golf Coaches Association to recognize the top collegiate female golfer with the Dinah Shore Trophy each year.

Between the lines: - The honorees reflect FOG’s mix of competitive excellence and broader impact on the game. - Fowler brings current PGA Tour star power, while Cockerill adds coaching, media and women’s golf credibility. - The event also reinforces FOG’s long-standing position as a junior-golf philanthropy with ties to elite amateur and professional competition.

What's next: - Fowler and Cockerill will appear at the tournament in Los Angeles on Oct. 19. - FOG will continue its annual fundraising and recognition work tied to junior golf development. - The organization will keep partnering with golf groups to spotlight collegiate excellence through the Ben Hogan Trophy Award and Dinah Shore Trophy.