SYLVANIA, Ohio — What is now the Dana Open has a storied history in northwest Ohio.
The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tournament, then called the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic, started in 1984. It would keep that name until 1997 when Kroger became the title sponsor of the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic.
It became the Jamie Farr Kroger Classic Presented by ALLTEL in 2001, the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger in 2004 and the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic Presented by Kroger, Owens Corning and O-I in 2012.
The iconic Toledo actor's name fell from the tournament in 2013, but his connection to the game of golf and the LPGA secured a lasting legacy at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania.
And it all started with the most-watched primetime television episode in history in the series M*A*S*H.
"We kind of canceled ourselves," Farr said. "We figured all the storylines had been done."
The hit series ended its 11 seasons with “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” on Feb. 28, 1983. Farr said after that, he had to find a way to fill his free time.
"I said, 'You know what? I'm going to take up that game of golf,'" Farr said.
Farr said he wasn't very good at the game and had good reason to spend a lot of time on the course.
"Boy, I'm terrible at this. I don't think I could learn it," Farr said, "So that means I'm going to have to take a lot of practice and that will occupy my time in case I'm not working."
Farr told WTOL 11 that his newfound connection with golf and his celebrity status as the dress-wearing, discharge-desiring Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger from M*A*S*H caught the attention of another Hollywood star: Dinah Shore.
"She invited me to come play, not knowing I was playing with the greatest players," Farr said.
Farr found himself playing alongside Nancy Lopez at the Dinah Shore Classic's pro-am. He said his first round of golf in front of crowds and cameras wasn't up to par.
Lopez's father was watching.
"He says, 'You're going to hit it in the water.' I said, 'I'm not going to hit it in the water.' He said, 'The way you're standing, you're going to hit it in the water,'" Farr explained.
"I swung, I hit that ball, it went taking off," Farr said. "I hit it in the water."
Despite the shot, Farr said the LPGA was paying attention.
"When the LPGA was destined for Toledo, the commissioner knew me from the tournaments," Farr said. "That's how I got involved."
Dana Open tournament history:
- 1984-1996: Jamie Farr Toledo Classic
- 1997–2000: Jamie Farr Kroger Classic
- 2001–2003: Jamie Farr Kroger Classic Presented by ALLTEL
- 2004–2010: Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger
- 2012: Jamie Farr Toledo Classic Presented by Kroger, Owens Corning and O-I
- 2013–2018: Marathon Classic Presented by Owens Corning and O-I
- 2019–2021: Marathon Classic Presented by Dana
- 2022: Dana Open Presented by Marathon
- 2023-present: Dana Open