“I know what it’s like for junior golfers to have to pay for equipment, pay for golf balls, and pay to practice and play. Golf is expensive. My parents sacrificed a lot to pay for me to be able to play golf. It’s not until we’re pros and we can afford to buy our own equipment that we actually get it for free. Because of that, I am going to continue to do what I can to raise money to help defray those costs and keep kids in the game. No junior should be turned away from golf because of cost. The First Tee was created to help those kids remain active in the game. That’s why I continue to have this event.”
Those were the words of Brittany Lincicome on Tuesday, one day after hosting the 13th edition of her annual Brittany & Friends celebrity Pro-Am benefitting The First Tee of St. Petersburg in Florida.
Coming on the heels of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions, Brittany & Friends was a rousing success. “I haven’t gotten all the numbers yet to see how much we raised but it was a good day,” Lincicome said. “We had 30 groups.”
Joining Lincicome and her husband, long-drive celebrity Dewald Gouws were LPGA Tour players Lexi Thompson, Danielle Kang, Sandra Gal, Cheyenne Knight, Janet Lin, Perrine Delacour, Angela Stanford, Jan Stephenson, Sara Jane Smith, Morgan Pressel, Kris Tamulis, Brittany Altomare, Kristy McPherson, Annie Park and Sophia Popov. There were also television personalities Lisa Cornwell and Lauren Thompson, PGA Tour players Trevor Immelman, Woody Austin, Robert Gomez and Len Mattiace, NASCAR champion Michael Waltrip, comedian Larry the Cable Guy, and baseball great Tim Wakefield.
“The weather was great. It was just a perfect event on a perfect day,” Lincicome said. “Plus, the work is so important. Now, The First Tee offers more than just golf. They have tutoring, and after-school programs, and they give the kids snacks who might need them.
“We were able to help fund one kid’s dream by raising $10,000 to pay for him to go to Admiral Farragut Academy (a private school in St. Petersburg). He was really emotional when he learned that he’d be able to go there.
“Seeing that sort of reaction makes it worth it,” Lincicome said. “That’s why we continue to do this every year.”
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