Katy Pradella
The Tucson Conquistadores, the tournament management team that oversees the PGA TOUR Champions’ Cologuard Classic, formally announced today that Katy Pradella has been named the Executive Director of the Tucson Conquistadores and the Tournament Director of the Cologuard Classic. The golf tournament is set to be contested February 22-28, 2021 at the Omni Tucson National Resort.
Pradella joins the organization replacing Judy McDermott, who after three decades at the helm of PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions events in Tucson, moves into a full-time role as Executive Director of The First Tee Tucson – a program McDermott and the Conquistadores established in 2003. McDermott will continue to serve in an advisory role for the 2021 Cologuard Classic, assisting Pradella, title sponsor Exact Sciences, the Conquistadores and the PGA TOUR Champions with the transition.
“Judy McDermott has displayed tremendous leadership and dedication in making the Cologuard Classic a success over the years. We are happy she will continue in an advisory role and appreciate the guidance and support she’s provided in welcoming Katy Pradella as the new Tournament Director of the Cologuard Classic,” said Mark Stenhouse, General Manager of Screening at Exact Sciences (the makers of Cologuard®). “Katy’s vast experience and successful track record in golf tournaments continues to position the Cologuard Classic as a premier stop on PGA TOUR Champions and the leading event that generates awareness of colorectal cancer and the importance of early detection through screening.”
Pradella served in an advisory role at the 2020 Cologuard Classic before officially coming on board as the Senior Tournament Services Manager in May 2020. She has more than 17 years of experience managing PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions events, most recently serving as the Senior Tournament Services Manager at the PGA TOUR Champions’ Invesco QQQ Championship at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, Calif. Prior to that role she was the Tournament Manager for the Northern Trust Open golf tournament at the Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif.
A graduate of Georgetown University in 2000, Pradella grew up in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. and began her career in professional golf at the PGA TOUR in 2003 at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship in Sonoma, Calif. She worked her way up the ladder from answering phones and recruiting volunteers to eventually becoming responsible for managing key title, sponsorship and host venue relationships garnering extensive experience in every facet of event management from sales support to operational planning.
“It is with excitement that we announce Katy Pradella as the new Executive Director of the Tucson Conquistadores and Tournament Director of the Cologuard Classic,” said Tucson Conquistadores President Joe Wittmann. “Katy has a proven track record of successfully managing PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions tournaments throughout her career. Since her start date in May of 2020, she has shown the enthusiasm and grit to help support our membership and further our mission to support youth athletics in Southern Arizona. With this transition, we also want to recognize the incredible contribution that Judy McDermott has brought to our organization and the Southern Arizona community in her nearly 30-year tenure with the Tucson Conquistadores.”
“I’m thrilled to join the Tucson Conquistadores and Cologuard Classic team and bring another PGA TOUR Champions event to Tucson in February,” said Pradella. “Although 2020 has been a challenging year, we are dedicated to moving forward to create an event with a concentrated focus on health and safety that prioritizes our players, caddies, staff, sponsors, fans and supports the Conquistadores’ mission to serve and assist youth athletics in Southern Arizona.”
The Cologuard Classic, named after Wisconsin-based Exact Sciences’ noninvasive at-home colon cancer screening test for average-risk individuals 45 years or older, is now in its fourth year and 2021 marks the seventh year the Conquistadores have partnered with the PGA TOUR Champions. Bernhard Langer is the tournament’s defending champion. The 2021 tournament activities are scheduled to take place February 21-28 at Omni Tucson National Resort and will feature a 78-player field competing for a $1.7 million purse with $255,000 and 255 Charles Schwab Cup points for the winner. The no-cut format includes three days of competition (Friday-Sunday) with players participating in pro-am events on Wednesday and Thursday (subject to change). Tournament proceeds benefit youth athletic programs in Southern Arizona and colorectal cancer research and advocacy. For information on the Cologuard Classic, to learn more about volunteering or to purchase Pro-Am or hospitality to the 2021 event, please visit CologuardClassic.com.
About Cologuard
Cologuard was approved by the FDA in August 2014, and results from Exact Sciences’ prospective 90-site, point-in-time, 10,000-patient pivotal trial were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in March 2014. Cologuard is included in the American Cancer Society’s (2018) colorectal cancer screening guidelines and the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2016) and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2016). Cologuard is indicated to screen adults 45 years of age and older who are at average risk for colorectal cancer by detecting certain DNA markers and blood in the stool. Do not use Cologuard if you have had precancer, have inflammatory bowel disease and certain hereditary syndromes, or have a personal or family history of colorectal cancer. Cologuard is not a replacement for colonoscopy in high risk patients. Cologuard performance in adults ages 45-49 is estimated based on a large clinical study of patients 50 and older. Cologuard performance in repeat testing has not been evaluated.
The Cologuard test result should be interpreted with caution. A positive test result does not confirm the presence of cancer. Patients with a positive test result should be referred for diagnostic colonoscopy. A negative test result does not confirm the absence of cancer. Patients with a negative test result should discuss with their doctor when they need to be tested again.
Medicare and most major insurers cover Cologuard. For more information about Cologuard, visit www.cologuardtest.com. Rx Only.
About PGA TOUR Champions
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 35 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. All events are televised in the United States, with most receiving complete coverage on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Internationally, telecasts air in excess of 170 countries and territories, reaching more than 340 million potential households, and distributed in 15+ markets via GOLFTV. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour and on Instagram @pgatourchampions.
About The Tucson Conquistadores
The Tucson Conquistadores are the tournament management team that oversees the operations and the sales arm of the PGA TOUR Champions’ Cologuard Classic. Since their inception in 1962, the Conquistadores have contributed more than $36 million to local and national charities. The Conquistadores comprise of up to 60 active business and professional members, and a total membership of 220 who represent a cross-section of the Tucson community. In addition to their involvement with professional golf, the group has established the Tucson Conquistadores Foundation. Key beneficiaries of the Conquistadores’ fundraising efforts include southern Arizona youth athletic programs, The First Tee Tucson and colon cancer advocacy organizations. Follow the Tucson Conquistadores online atwww.tucsonconquistadores.com and www.Facebook.com/TucsonConquistadores.
