LPGA golfer Morgan Pressel hosts fifth annual Morgan and Friends event to help fight breast cancer

BOCA RATON, Fla. - When she's not playing on the LPGA Tour, Boca Raton's Morgan Pressel is often raising money to battle breast cancer.  

The disease took her mother's life in 2003, when Morgan was just 15 years old.

A few years later, she said she had a dream; Pressel wanted to help others dealing with breast cancer.  

"It was always something that I wanted to do. At that time, I wasn't a professional golfer, didn't have the platform, but once I was able to really make an impact and use golf as a tool, I decided to create this event and the foundation," said Pressel.  

This week at St. Andrews Country Club in Boca Raton, Pressel hosted the fifth annual "Morgan and Friends" event.

The two-day event featured a cocktail party, two rounds of golf, a luncheon and a clinic. LPGA stars Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome and Lexi Thompson joined Pressel.  

"The other girls are just such good friends and I'm very, very grateful that they've come. They generously donate their time and all their energy because they know how much this means to me," said Pressel.  

Before the clinic, Pressel was presented with a check for her foundation in the amount of $457,000.  

As she announced the amount of the check, Ron Gallatin, a long-time supporter of the event, shouted, "Hey, let's change that five and seven to a seven and a five!"  

With his wife Meryl by his side, Gallatin's last-minute, $18,000 contribution raised the total donation to $475,000. 

"The common denominator of everyone that's played in this tournament -- every one of Morgan's friends -- is that, inside of them, there is a desire to help people," said Gallatin.