(THE COLONY, Texas) – Old American Golf Club and a stable of local PGA TOUR and Web.com Tour professionals converged today for a great time and even greater cause — hosting the Rod Pampling Charity Classic and raising more than $140,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Former British Open champions Justin Leonard and Todd Hamilton, 2014 Valspar Championship winner John Senden, 2014 Valero Texas Open champion Steven Bowditch and other pros all played golf and took part in the festivities. Leonard co-designed Old American with Tripp Davis as a tribute to the “Golden Age” of golf course architecture.
Pampling, who will have PGA TOUR status next season and showcase the Old American logo on his bag, hit shots for every group at the par-3 sixth hole. Pampling and his fellow pros raved about Old American’s strategic layout, shot values, and the overall experience.
“The golf course was in spectacular shape and the staff was helpful in every way possible,” says Pampling, who holds the Old American course record, 65. “Old American is a pure golf experience – it’s challenging and a solid test for anyone’s game. With its location on the lake, it’s truly a unique golf experience in the DFW market.”
A pre-tournament cocktail reception and live auction took place on Sept. 28 at the Cactus Glass at the Gaylord Texan Hotel with local television personality John Rhadigan as emcee. Items up for bid included a dove hunt for 10 with Pampling, a golf getaway for four to The Players Club at TPC Sawgrass, and a “ski with an Olympian” package. An auction to play with a TOUR pro in the tournament alone raised $34,000.
For the past nine years, the Rod Pampling Charity Classic has generated more than $1 million for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Tournament Director Dave Andersen, who lived in the same community as Pampling and has a daughter with the debilitating disease, asked the Tour player to help with the cause nine years ago.
“We’re fortunate to have Rod and his family involved,” Andersen says. “He brings a PGA Tour pro element that makes our event unique. From start to finish, his home club, Old American, organized everything and made the efforts of running a golf tournament seamless.”
Old American General Manager Mike McCabe was thrilled the club was an integral part of such a wonderful event that benefitted a noble cause.
“We’re honored Rod and Dave chose Old American as the site of this year’s Rod Pampling Charity Classic,” McCabe says. “This event enabled people from around the country to visit our course for the first time and see it in action as a tournament venue while also raising funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.”
For more information: 972.370.4653, www.oldamericangolfclub.com.
About Old American Golf Club
Inspired by the “Golden Age” of golf course architecture between 1911 and 1937, Old American’s natural contours, hazard styles, native grasses and green shapes were influenced by such masterpieces as Shinnecock Hills, National Golf Links, Prairie Dunes and Crystal Downs.
Acclaimed architect Tripp Davis, an accomplished amateur player and former All-American at the University of Oklahoma and PGA TOUR/Ryder Cup star Justin Leonard, who played golf at the University of Texas, toured and played a handful of America’s classic Golden Age golf courses prior to starting the design process for Old American.
The result is a golf course that emphasizes strategy and shot-making and flows with a natural rhythm from first tee to 18th green. Old American features six sets of tees, ranging from the 5215-yard forward markers to the 7174-yard “Leonard” tournament tees. Davis and Leonard conceived the routing and layout with both medal and match play in mind, as golfers are required to hold “steady to par” through a number of holes, but enticed to gamble on birdie or better during select stretches of the course.
Contact:
Shane Sharp
704.519.8381
Buffalo Communications
ssharp@buffalocommunications.com
Robert Rodriguez
210.451.0952
Buffalo Communications
rrodriguez@buffalocommunications.com
