June 30, 2008 -- CHICAGO -- Capt. Dan Rooney delivered a perfect strike Thursday afternoon in Wrigley Field.

But, the pitch he made off the mound meant much more.

The 35-year-old PGA Professional from Broken Arrow, Okla., and founder of Patriot Golf Day and the Folds of Honor Foundation, Rooney will be serving his country once again this fall by making his third tour of Iraq as an F-16 fighter pilot.

PGA Professional Dan Rooney delivered a perfect strike at Wrigley Field - both on and off the mound. (Photos: Nick Novelli & Mike Schoaf/Illinois PGA)

Rooney was the guest of his favorite baseball team, the Chicago Cubs, as he promoted the upcoming second annual Patriot Golf Day (Aug. 29 to Sept. 1) over the Labor Day weekend.

Dressed in his U.S. Air Force flight uniform and wearing a Cubs cap, Rooney took the mound prior to Chicago's game against the Baltimore Orioles and threw a strike to Cubs catcher Matt Morton.

"You aren't given a warm-up, and as I stepped on the mound, I couldn't hear my name, and it was like the world had gone silent. I took about 15 seconds to look around and soak it all in," said Rooney. "For me, being a huge Cubs fan, it was one of the great thrills of my lifetime. But, at the same time, for me to be in a great metropolitan area like Chicago, I felt we also were serving a great purpose."

Rooney later spent time as a guest on WGN radio, which has a broadcast reach of some 500,000 listeners, and spread the messages of how Patriot Golf Day is one person's easy process to play the game of golf and donate to the families who have suffered either the loss or severe injury of men and women serving in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan.

"I played baseball as a youth all the way up to my freshman year in high school," said Rooney, the managing partner of Rooney Golf Group of Stillwater, Okla. "But, I have not thrown a baseball in about 10 to 12 years. I warmed up a bit in my yard before making the trip, but it wasn't like being on the mound."

Rooney was joined at the game by his wife, Jacqy, father, John, an aunt, uncle, grandparents and friends from Grand Haven (Mich.) Golf Club, where he is a majority owner.

Though the Cubs lost, 11-4, Rooney was not that deflated.

"Maybe they could have left me in the first two innings," said Rooney. "The important thing is that we got more people aware of the cause we are working hard to promote."

Patriot Golf Day, a nationwide fundraiser jointly supported by The PGA of America, United States Golf Association (USGA), the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).

In 2007, the fundraiser produced more than $1.1 million in donations nationwide which benefits The Folds of Honor Foundation. The Folds of Honor Foundation's mission is to provide scholarships to the spouses and children of troops injured or perished in conflict.

For more information, find a participating facility or make a donation, visit www.patriotgolfday.com or www.foldsofhonor.org

Since 1916, The PGA of America's mission has been twofold; to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf.

By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, the Association enables PGA Professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the $76 billion golf industry.

By creating and delivering dramatic world-class championships and exciting and enjoyable golf promotions that are viewed as the best of their class in the golf industry, The PGA of America elevates the public's interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere. The PGA of America brand represents the very best in golf.