Top-ranked teen golfer Max Margolis fundraises for St. Jude in cousin’s memory

Max Margolis had accomplished just about everything possible on the golf course, but never anything quite like this. 

The 16-year-old arrived at dawn to the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California, on Sept. 30, 2023, to begin his 100-holes-in-a-day golf challenge for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. 

It was a feat of endurance, and he was doing it solo.

Scratch that. Margolis had a gallery of friends and family there for support, many of whom had donated to the high school junior’s fundraising page. 

And then there was Constantino, his constant motivation. 

Separated by time and space, but never far from Margolis’ heart, was his cousin Constantino, who died from leukemia as a teenager when Margolis was only 7 years old.  

“Constantino was very funny, outgoing, nice and super friendly. He was just a great cousin, really,” said Margolis. “Everyone in the family, you couldn’t help but love him.”

If every person who gives to St. Jude has a “why,” then Constantino was his.

Constantino had never been a St. Jude patient, but Margolis said it felt great knowing the $20,000 raised through his St. Jude fundraiser would help other families affected by pediatric cancer.

“I was just enjoying myself really the whole day, which always makes it easier when you have a smile on your face. Because I knew I was raising money for such a great organization. Yeah, I was just happy to do it.”

Margolis — ranked the second-best high school golfer in California — certainly isn’t the first person to parlay a love of golf into a fundraiser for St. Jude. But the way he did it was a rarity and no small feat. 

“I’ve heard of people doing marathons for charity before, and this idea was kind of like a golf marathon for charity, so I thought it was a great idea,” said Margolis.

Happy to do it

Margolis has spent most of his life looking forward to his next big challenge on the golf course. But as he finishes high school and looks forward to college, he can’t help but think his cousin Constantino deserved the same chance to live and pursue his passions.

“He had just gotten into university [when he died],” said Margolis. “And it was just really hard to see him struggle and battle it, and very sad.”

So, Margolis has been using his talent for golf to help right the terrible wrong of childhood cancer.  

And to have fun doing it.

Margolis’ efforts made the local newspaper, which in turn attracted the attention of the committee that puts on The Warburton Celebrity Golf Tournament for St. Jude. He got an invite to their gala.

At The Warburton gala, he got to meet Patrick Warburton himself, the golf tournament’s namesake who has starred in such movies and TV shows as The Tick, Seinfeld, The Bee Movie and A Series of Unfortunate Events. 

Warburton’s tournament has raised nearly $32 million for St. Jude. But here Warburton was taking the time to acknowledge Margolis for his efforts on behalf of St. Jude.

Warburton “was just very supportive and nice,” said Margolis, even letting Margolis take the stage to talk about his fundraiser.

A spoiled kid?

Margolis, now 17 and a senior at Palm Desert High School, recently committed to attend Santa Clara University to play golf. He dreams of joining the PGA TOUR someday. 

The path to the PGA TOUR will be grueling. The odds are stacked against anyone who tries it.

But there’s something about the understated way Margolis talks about his game that makes a person think he just might do it. 

He might go all the way to the PGA. It could happen. And a person could say they knew him when.

Soon, he will play the FedEx St. Jude Championship Pro-Am during the week of the FedEx St. Jude Championship in Memphis. He said he’s excited he’ll get to learn even more about St. Jude and perhaps even meet a St. Jude family or two.

“It’s an honor to help these families out, and I’m going to continue to do everything I can to help them out even more,” said Margolis.

Because he says he knows he has it good. 

“I see myself as somewhat of a spoiled kid,” said Margolis. “I get to play golf every day, and I live a good life.”

But what kind of spoiled kid thinks so much about others that he’s already held one high-profile fundraiser for St. Jude with plans to hold another one next year?

And what kind of spoiled kid couldn’t wait to tell Constantino’s parents about his fundraiser, knowing what it would mean to them?

“They cried tears of joy,” said Margolis.

Max Margolis, that’s who. 

Remember that name.