BOSTON, Aug. 28, 2018 – Tee times have been set for this year’s second annual BJ’s Charity Championship presented by P&G.
Native New Englander Jane Blalock and Allison Finney will kick off the event in the 10 a.m. pairing, which includes the team of World Golf Hall of Famer Donna Caponi and LPGA veteran Laurie Rinker.
Defending champions Patti Rizzo and Michele Redman will share the final pairing at 11:15 a.m. with the 2017 runners-up pairing of Barb Mucha and Massachusetts native Pat Bradley.
The 24-player team event will be held Friday, Sept. 7, at The Ridge Club in Sandwich, Mass. Tournament charity is the BJ’s Charitable Foundation.
“Michele and I had never played together on the LPGA Tour, but when we got paired together last year at this event, we had a lot of fun and ended up winning,” said Rizzo, who is now the women’s golf coach at the University of Miami. “Our strategy this year had better be good because the field looks very strong.”
“We are really looking forward to playing and defending,” added Redman, now the women’s golf coach at the University of Minnesota. “We just had fun all day last year and didn’t think about winning, which is the attitude we try to teach our college players.”
Fan favorite Nancy Lopez will team up with fellow LPGA Hall of Fame member Betsy King this year. King is making her first appearance in the event.
“Betsy is a true champion and I think we can be the team to beat,” said Lopez. “She plays hard and I will, too.”
Californians and San Jose State University alums Juli Inkster and Pat Hurst will make their first appearance together in the tournament.
Former European Solheim Cup teammates Dame Laura Davies and Trish Johnson of Great Britain will make their first appearance together as a team since pairing for The Legends Tour’s 2015 Handa Cup.
Admission to the event is free. Spectators may follow their favorite players on the course that will feature limited roping around the greens and tees. Autographs and photos of players will be available for fans following the round at the official scoring tent near the 18th green.
Free public parking is available at Holly Ridge Golf Course, which includes shuttle service from parking to the tournament venue. No public parking will be available at The Ridge.
Legends merchandise will be on sale near the admissions gate. Additional on-site tents will include: BJ’s Wholesale Club, The Ridge Club, a photo booth, a social-media posting vending machine with prizes, and a make-your-own T-shirt booth.
Spectators are encouraged to bring their own chairs and may enjoy such easy-viewing spots on the course as the 16th tee, the par-three 11th hole, and the opening and closing tees and greens.
Cell phones and cameras are permitted during the event, but spectators are asked to silence their phones and take pictures without flash.
The 12 teams of two Legends Tour members will compete in an 18-hole format that features a best-ball first nine holes, followed by a second-nine-hole scramble.
Real-time scoring will be available on www.thelegendstour.com. Live streaming from the first tee and 18th green at the event will be available by subscribing to The Legends Tour YouTube Channel.
Here are the pairings for the 2018 BJ’s Charity Championship:
10 a.m. -- Jane Blalock | Allison Finney, Laurie Rinker | Donna Caponi*
10:15 a.m. -- Jan Stephenson | Lorie Kane, Gail Graham | Hollis Stacy*
10:30 a.m. -- Elaine Crosby | Nancy Scranton, Michelle McGann | Suzy Whaley
10:45 a.m. -- Liselotte Neumann | Alicia Dibos, Nancy Lopez* | Betsy King*
11 a.m. -- Pat Hurst | Juli Inkster*, Trish Johnson | Laura Davies*
11:15 a.m. -- Pat Bradley* | Barb Mucha, Patti Rizzo | Michele Redman
*LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame
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