Celebs lined up for Pro-Am

FRIDAY, OCT. 19: The Pro-Am lineup ahead of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf has a diverse group of few celebrities in it.

Included in the group are a former Open winner, a woman who broke a gender barrier, a TV anchor as well as several other TV personalities.

David Charles, senior director, PGA Championships, said: “We have a great Pro-Am lineup.”

It includes Suzy Whaley, who, in 2003, became the first woman in nearly 60 years to qualify for a PGA Tour event when she qualified for the 2003 Greater Hartford Open after winning the 2002 Connecticut Section PGA Championships.

She will be joined in the Pro-Am lineup by her protégé Robin Meade, a CNN anchor on the Headline News channel.

Charles said: “She has been helping teach Robin to play and we’re excited to have Robin.

He said since it was a team scramble event and that Meade is still new to the sport “she’ll probably contribute the most around the greens with putting”.

He said a couple of Golf Channel celebrities like Gary Williams.

“He talks a lot about Bermuda and golf in Bermuda so its good to have him out here.”

Others taking part include several Government officials, former Government officials, Turner Sports officials and PGA officials. 

Some of those include former Premier Dr Ewart Brown, Deputy Premier Derrick Burgess, TNT analyst Bill Kratzert, and 1991 Open champion Ian Baker-Finch.

Charles said Baker-Finch would be doing the commentary along with Vern Lundquist.

“Ian Baker-Finch is a great addition. He played in the inaugural Grand Slam in ’91 with the new format, which was a televised 36-hole event in Hawai’i. Ian is a good edition to the field.”

Charles said what makes the Grand Slam a great event, is there is just one group, which makes it fantastic for spectators.

“If you were at the Ryder Cup and you’re a spectator there, you barely saw any golf. Here at the PGA Grand Slam of Golf, you’re walking in the fairway with the year’s major champions and you couldn’t have a better view than at Port Royal watching these great guys play.”

Charles said the Grand Slam is a celebration of the major champions.

“We make them feel very special here in Bermuda, but they are here to compete, to play and win a lot of money. There are here to be crowned the champion of champions and get that pink jacket.”

The Pro-Am is on Monday with the Grand Slam proper being played on Tuesday and Wednesday. The players will split $1.35 million in prize money with $600,000 going to the winner.