TEMECULA -- Minutes before teeing off at the Cancer for College Golf Tournament on Friday, actor Will Ferrell was surrounded by laughter as he held court with members of the media at Temecula Creek Inn Golf Resort.

Whether it was his wacky golf attire -- a light orange striped shirt, matching hat and fluorescent orange golf cleats -- his admission of sporadic golfing "20 times in 24 hours and then not again for seven years," or his wanting to be a putter because "it's the most glamourous of the clubs," Ferrell couldn't be stopped.

Mere feet away, charity founder and longtime friend Craig Pollard proudly smiled as he watched from a golf cart.

Even though this is the 13th time the San Marcos resident has hosted the tournament that benefits cancer-surviving college students, this year's event had more meaning than usual for Pollard, his family and his friends, including Ferrell, a former fraternity brother at the University of Southern California.

In February, Pollard -- already a two-time Hodgkins disease survivor -- was hospitalized after an airborne bacteria got into his bloodstream. In order for him to survive, doctors placed Pollard in a sedated coma for three weeks. During that period, circulation was cut off to both Pollard's hands and his feet, forcing doctors to amputate both legs just below the knees.

But somehow Pollard, who owns Vista-based Global Tour Golf, has maintained his sense of humor to cope with all three of his life-threatening ordeals. And his joke track was only amplified this week as he prepared to play in Ferrell's foursome.

"One thing I realized was I don't have to clip my toenails anymore," Pollard said with a laugh about his new prosthetic feet. "That's great, because I'd leave (clippings) around the bathroom and my wife hated it. … If you don't have your humor it's going to be difficult to get through (this). I've seen some survivors get all depressed. You can't go down that road.

"It's kind of like the joke this year. Now we're going to add an amputee scholarship to the charity, and my wife asked if we were going to give out scholarships to everyone when something happens to me."

Pollard, who missed much of his sophomore year at USC during his second bout with Hodgkins, said the charity began with a business plan he wrote up during his senior year there. Two years later, he held a 24-player tournament after the charity gained nonprofit status.

To date, Cancer for College has donated $67,000 in scholarships to 50 students since 1993. But this year's 10 new recipients will be awarded a combined $53,000, thanks to a large donation from Ferrell and his wife, Viveca Paulin. On Friday, 220 golfers participated in the tournament with an additional 130 people attending the dinner and silent auction.

"Back then, bone marrow transplants were considered experimental," Pollard said. "Parents needed money to cure their kid, not go to college. The first year, I barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs in my backyard. This year, Will has donated $100,000. He had done these Sprint commercials and said he was going to donate the check. He thought it was going to be $10,000 and later called and said, 'I was way off.' "

Said Ferrell, "This is such a fun day for everyone. It's a chance for old friends to get together and badly play golf and celebrate survival. This is the sixth year I've been involved, and there's been rumors (of it being the last). There's been lewd conduct in the past. I shot a guy last year because he picked up my ball."

Ferrell isn't the only big donor. For the past three years, Federal Express has sponsored 70 of the tournament's players and would have added more if Pollard didn't place a cap.

"It's a really great atmosphere," said Temecula FedEx representative Steve Yeager. "We're all looking forward to hearing (Will) at the banquet."

Pollard only added to the festivities on the first tee.

Ferrell started the foursome with a big drive. But two golfers later, Pollard matched the effort with an equally impressive drive down the middle of the fairway. On cue, Ferrell immediately joked "that amputation really hasn't hurt your game" with Pollard replying, "It's actually improved it."

Contact staff writer Dan Hayes at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 6643, or dhayes@californian.com.