Our Story

Tom Watson, Bruce Edwards, Jeff Julian and the ALS Therapy Development Institute are pleased to announce Driving 4 Life, a fundraising campaign in support of research into a treatment and a cure for ALS. Here are their stories...

Jeff Julian and Bruce Edwards have always been connected by their love of the game. They have walked the same fairways, Jeff as a PGA TOUR professional, Bruce as a caddy for Tom Watson, one of the TOUR's greatest golfers. However, that connection recently took a different course after two frightening discoveries changed both men's lives.

As caddy for Hall of Fame golfer Tom Watson, Bruce Edwards has seen it all: 35 victories on the PGA TOUR including Watson's memorable pitch on the 17th hole at Pebble Beach in 1982. Over the past 3 decades, Bruce and Tom have forged a close relationship and were often called the best golfer-caddy team on the TOUR. But nothing could prepare their friendship for the devastating news they received in January of 2003. Bruce was diagnosed with ALS.

In the middle of the 2001 season, Jeff Julian was experiencing fatigue and slurred speech. He and his wife Kimberly visited specialists for three months to determine the cause of his symptoms. On October 8, 2001, Jeff was diagnosed with ALS. After losing his TOUR card, and failing to qualify for the 2002 season, Jeff and Kimberly decided to make a difference, using sponsor's exemptions to continue playing golf and raise awareness for ALS research.

Says Julian, "In the hours following my diagnosis, Kimberly and I made a conscious decision not to fall victim to this disease. Over the past two years we have searched for and gone after every possible lead. That search led us to the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI). We have not met a more aggressive, motivated, determined organization than the team at ALS TDI. We couldn't be more excited to be giving our energy and support to Driving 4 Life."