Marcone, a leading North American distributor of home and commercial kitchen appliance, HVAC, plumbing and pool and spa repair parts and equipment, recently hosted more than 1,000 members of the military, first responders and their guests at the Ascension Charity Classic golf tournament.

Marcone, partnering with the PGA Champions Tour, welcomed the heroes with free tickets and shaded specialty seating along the 18th fairway as a way of thanking them for their service. The spectators watched 78 professionals from the PGA TOUR Champions compete for a $2.1 million purse at the renowned Norwood Hills Country Club in St. Louis. Golfer Y.E. Yang collected the prize with his first PGA TOUR Champions title win.

Marcone publicized the complimentary tickets ahead of the tournament by spreading the word within the police, fire, military and health care communities. This is the third year the company has provided tickets to this event, handing out more than 1,000 tickets each time.

“Our first responders spend so much time putting others' needs before their own, it's our privilege to step in and do something for them as well,” said Greg Fleischut, president of Marcone Appliance Parts. “We appreciate the sacrifice they make on the job each and every day on behalf of our community.”

Ascension Charity Classic is produced by Tournaments for Charity, a non-profit corporation based in St. Louis. It features a 54-hole stroke play tournament and includes three official rounds, which were held internationally televised on Golf Channel in early September.