It started with a simple question on a practice range sometime in September.

It ended as a roaring success, underlining the PGA TOUR’s mantra that “these guys are good.’’

Actually PGA TOUR players are good at more than just golf. They also understand the meaning of the phrase “giving back.’’

That was Jerry Kelly’s aim when he started a recent chat with Rules Official Mickey Bradley, a native of the Katrina-ravaged Mississippi Gulf Coast. Kelly asked if there was “anything we can do?’’ to help in the recovery from a destructive storm surge that splintered thousands of homes lining the Gulf.

An idea for a charity pro-am had been germinating in Bradley’s think tank for a while and he took Kelly’s question and ran with it, tossing out some tournament bait that Kelly took.

“I’m thinking about putting on a charity tournament,’’ Bradley said.

Jerry Kelly has won two PGA TOUR events in his career. (WireImage)

“When?’’ Kelly asked.

“How about next week?’’ Bradley shot back.

“How about March?’’ Kelly replied.

“The sooner the better,’’ Bradley said.

Sooner arrived Oct. 30 with the Jerry Kelly-Mickey Bradley Pro-Am Invitational staged at Shell Landing Golf Club in Gautier, Miss., a little coastal town tucked between Biloxi and Pascagoula.

More than 20 TOUR players participated in the sold-out event, raising more than $60,000 to benefit the Harrison County Affiliate of Habitat for Humanity. What’s more, a silent auction of memorabilia, golf and hotel packages and dinners at area restaurants put some additional cash into the till.

“I never dreamed that this would be this successful,’’ Bradley beamed.

Kelly, who turned into a persuasive recruiter, had a huge hand in it. He worked the range. He put notes in lockers.

“I just didn’t wear any red pants,’’ Kelly said, laughing as he referred to the slacks worn by the men who annually recruit for the EDS Byron Nelson Championship. “I was really surprised at how many guys jumped at the chance. They know all about the troubles in that area.’’

Some, like Bubba Watson, Heath Slocum and Joe Durant, hail from the nearby Pensacola, Fla., area. Others participating were Bob Tway, Woody Austin, Tim Petrovic, Kris Cox, Steve Jones, Craig Perks, Kelly Gibson, Jim Gallagher, Doug Barron, Troy Matteson, Wes Short, Jr., Harrison Frazer, Scott Sterling and Chris Smith.

“That’s really giving back,’’ Kelly said.

A big assist will come from the 84 LUMBER Company. It will build several homes near Point Cadet in Biloxi, where Bradley was born and raised and still lives, as do many members of his immediate family.

“I always said you can take me out of Biloxi, but you’ll never take Biloxi out of me,’’ Bradley said. “The place is home. It’s special. I have so many memories.’’

The recent ones aren’t pleasant. Katrina took the homes of Bradley’s father as well as one sister and two of his brothers. Bradley had 8 feet of water in his home and a tree through the roof.

“It wasn’t as bad for me as it was for them,’’ he said. “I was able to fix up my place. They lost everything.’’

Many others supported the event, including landmark restaurant Mary Mahoney’s, Opus Restaurant, Shell Landing and Beau Rivage. But perhaps the greatest contribution came from someone who did not participate in the event. That would be Steve O’Neill, the CEO of Citation Shares, a company that rents and leases airplanes to many of the PGA TOUR players. O’Neill got involved at Kelly’s urging and removed all the stress of traveling from Tampa, where the final event of the 2006 regular season was held.

“Steve didn’t blink an eye,’’ Kelly said. “He offered a plane and I said we might some more. He said, ‘How many?’ I said three.’’

So three it was, spicing up a feel-good and do-good event that had lots and lots of distinctive home cooking, including Bradley’s signature whole roasted pig.

“This truly was an uplifting event for the Coast,’’ Bradley said. “It put the spirit of the Coast and players on display. People around here have never seen so many players of this level play here.’’

Bradley paused.

“It was a great day,’’ he said.