Article for CVS Classic
Lauren DeLeo
2008 represents the CVS Caremark Charity Classic Golf Tournament's 10th anniversary. Through this three day tournament, Billy Andrade and Brad Faxon, the hosts of the CVS Charity Classic, have raised over $10 million dollars in the past nine years for local charities with the help of numerous professional golfers. Last year alone, the Classic rose over $1.7 million. Some of these charities include Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence, ButtonHole Short Course, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Chapter of March of Dimes, the Special Olympics Rhode Island, and Hasbro Children's Hospital. Co-host Billy Andrade calls this event "a dream come true."
This year's tournament kicked off on June 22, 2008 with the Pepsi Pro-Am at Rhode Island Country Club, where one professional golfer from either the PGA TOUR, LPGA, or the Champions Tour teams up with a foursome of amateurs and plays an 18 hole round of golf. During this "shamble" round of golf, each member drives the ball, chooses the best drive, the plays his/her own ball for the rest of the hole. Amateurs get fifty percent of the handicap, but no more than twenty-four handicap shots. The professional golfer in the group always plays his own ball. The best ball can be used off one player no more than six times. Though not the biggest crowd attracter, the Pro-Am is a fun and relaxed way for amateurs and spectators alike to play with and watch their favorite golfers.
June 23 and 24, 2008 are the two days the profession tournament is played. Play on these days includes ten two-person pairs. The score of each hole is determined by the best score of each player. If there is a tie at the end of 36 holes, the playoff hole is the 18th hole, where the tied groups will replay the hole. The purse of the tournament is a total of $1.55 million plus another $50,000 from the Energizer Skins pool and $5,000 from Neutrogena Suncare Long Drive contest. Each team's winnings are donated to the charities of their choosing. In the Energizer Skins Competition, the purse is divided in half- one half per each day. The team with the lowest hole per hole is given a share of the money and if one team is tied with another for a hole, no skin is given. Once the number of skins that will be given out is decided, the money is awarded. If there are no skins won on Monday, the $25,000 will roll over to $50,000 for Tuesday. The Neutrogena Suncare Long Drive Contest is a $5,000 prize for the individual who drives the farthest shot on the 15th hole. The tournament is concluded after the final team finishes the 18th hole by a Closing Award Ceremony. During this ceremony, awards are given, the winners are presented, players shake hands with and give autographs to lucky spectators, and energy and excitement is at an all-time high.
The competitive, professional two round tournament started Monday, June 23, 2008 with the Opening Ceremony, hosted by Peter Jacobsen. At 8:30 AM, some spectators started filing in slowly and began to fill the stands. No more than forty-five minutes later, though, the stands were almost completely full as players started walking in and taking their seats in their own "director's chairs" that were placed around the fringe of the 18th green. There was excitement in the air as fans cheered and applauded as each player strode in with their caddy. It started with NBC 10's Frank Carpano saying a few words then introducing Peter Jacobsen. Jacobsen then introduced Tom Ryan who also made a quick speech. Jacobsen then took the floor back and introduced each of the players, starting with Billy Andrade, who thanked everyone involved in the Classic. Once the players were announced and each spoke quickly, they moved on to hit some balls at the range, practice putting, and then proceeded to the 1st tee box.
Spectators, reporters, and photographers lined the fairway and tee box of the 1st hole to watch the Standard Bearers parade up the fairway and players tee off and begin the tournament. The first group who teed off was that of Paul Goydos and Tim Herron and Dana and Brett Quigley. The Quigleys have been involved in the tournament since the beginning. This is Herron's seventh year participating and Goydos's first time. This group was followed by two-timers Camilo Villegas and Bubba Waston and first-timers Nick Faldo and Justin Rose. Next was the pair of co-host Billy Andrade who has played ten times and Davis Love III, who has played eight times, with LPGA players Laura Diaz and Nicole Castrale, for both of whom this is the first time playing in the tournament. Diaz and Castrale are also playing in the U.S. Women's Open later this week. Following this group was co-host Brad Faxon and Peter Jacobsen, both of whom have played the tournament since it began ten years ago, paired up with Nick Price and Charles Howell III. This is Price's sixth time playing and Howell III's first. Finally, the last group teed off. This group consisted of fourth time player Rocco Mediate and first-timer partner Brandt Snedeker, paired up with two-time player JJ Henry and four-timer Stewart Cink, who won the tournament last year in 2007.
In its ten years of running, the CVS Caremark Charity Classic has done an incredible amount of work for local charities. In the past nine years, over $10 million has been raised, $1.7 million from 2007 alone. Billy Andrade and Brad Faxon, the co-hosts of the Classic has put in countless numbers of hours putting this event together getting volunteers, professional golfers, sponsors, security, and all other aspects of this golf tournament. The Classic is a dream come true for some, and the perfect way to start off the summer for local residents. Running for its tenth year, the CVS Charity Classic has been extremely successful and will hopefully continue for many years to come.
