Boomer Esiason fires away in the Fifth Third Bank/Fox 19 Celebrity Classic. (Mike Simons photos) | ZOOM |

        Every time Boomer Esiason swung his golf club Saturday afternoon, he did it for his son, Gunnar, who suffers from cystic fibrosis.

        Boomer Esiason saw this weekend's Fifth Third Bank/Fox 19 Celebrity Classic as yet another way to fight the disease. He has since 1993 when he founded the Boomer Esiason Foundation, shortly after his son, then only 2 years old, was diagnosed.

        “Nearly 90 percent of my time in the offseason is devoted to trying to raise money for that organization and fight the disease that my son has,” the former Bengals quarterback said.

        Proceeds from the golf tournament at Belterra Golf Club will raise about $300,000 for Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

Esiason signs an autograph for Jonathan Wallington, 16. | ZOOM |

        “The money is so important because we can leverage it against federal funds and match it roughly with 3-to-1 dollars,” said Jim Anderson, president and CEO of Children's Hospital. “So $300,000 here means another $900,000 of research that we can fund.”

        Esiason said his son is doing well. But Esiason knows the disease has a way of creeping up.

        “If he develops a bacterial infection in his lungs that we can't treat with antibiotics, then we're in trouble,” he said. “But that has not been the case thus far, and we feel good about it.”

        Esiason teamed with businessman Dave Pomeroy in the two-man scramble. Former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms and businessman Steve Pomeroy won with a 61.

        In the amateur-professional competition, Tim Krapfel, the golf pro at Dick's Sporting Goods, shot a 68 to take a two-stroke lead over Scott Burnett and Jim Volpenhein. De fending champion Larry King shot a 75.

New Bengals QB Gus Frerotte. | ZOOM |

        Esiason said he picked up golf as a Bengals rookie. One of his playing partners was former Bengals receiver Cris Collinsworth, one of the event's organizers. Esiason said he could easily beat Collinsworth now.

        “He talks more than somebody with that swing should,” Collinsworth said.

        Speaking seriously, Collinsworth said he first became involved with raising money for Children's Hospital because of Boomer and Gunnar.

        “Once you've taken a few laps around the halls of Children's Hospital and met those kids with every conceivable disease and ailment, a lot of them terminal patients, you just know you're doing the right thing,” Collinsworth said.

        Other famous faces playing Saturday included former Bengals coach Sam Wyche, actor Lee Majors, Mayor Charlie Luken and NFL Hall of Famer Deacon Jones, who often complained about the heat.

        “I saw a jackrabbit out here carrying a canteen,” Jones said.

        Local golf news and Tristate course guide

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