The Sour Mash Open Golf Tournament was founded in 1972 to benefit charitable needs in the Parkersburg area. Since its founding, the event has been raised funds to benefit a wide variety of local charitable organizations, including the Red Cross, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, SW Resources, and the YMCA. Since 1975, the tournament's lead sponsor has been the Parkersburg Rotary Club.

In 1994, the Sour Mash Open Golf Tournament Committee established the Sour Mash/Rotary Donor Advised Fund to assist charitable causes in the community. The purpose of the fund is to respond to emergency needs of area nonprofit organizations, outside of the time period when grants are normally made by the Sour Mash Open Golf Tournament Committee and the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation. The first grant from this fund was made in 1998 to
assist flood disaster relief through the Mid-Ohio Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross.

The Bryce-Lietzke-Martin Scholarship Fund was the first fund established by the Sour Mash Open Golf Tournament Committee in 1990 in honor of the late Dr.
John Coyle Bryce, PGA Golf Professional Bruce Lietzke, and Larry Martin. The earnings of the Bryce-Lietzke-Martin Scholarship Fund are used to provide scholarships to worthy Wood County students who have shown an interest in golf.

The Sour Mash Open Golf Tournament's commitment to charitable giving is reflected in the establishment of both of these funds at the Foundation.