ATLANTA - The second annual 4Kay™ Golf Classic presented by Nike, was a huge success as 153 women’s basketball coaches, administrators and supporters of the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund®, in partnership with The V Foundation for Cancer Research, gathered in Greensboro, raising over $175,000 for women’s cancers research.
Team Harper, made up of NC State head basketball coach Kellie Harper, assistant coaches Jon Harper and Richard Barron, and the Wolfpack Club’s Chris Combs, finished third on the Grandover West Course with a total team score of –11.
In addition, Jon Harper won the men’s longest drive on hole #6.
“The Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund is very grateful to the ACC and the City of Greensboro for hosting the 2009 Classic,” said Marsha Sharp, Executive Director of the Fund. “The positive response from our sponsors and coaches resulted in a record $175,000 being raised for the Fund, an increase over last year’s $142,000.”
The celebration began with a charity auction and gala on Sunday night. Silent auction items donated from organizations around the nation raised nearly $10,000, but the real fireworks flew during the live auction.
The first item was a pair of tickets to the 2010 Orange Bowl, subject of a bidding battle between the Virginia Tech and Auburn coaching staffs. As the bid grew, the lot was sweetened by Miami head coach Katie Meier offering a dinner for four at Shula’s.
The next three items up for bid were Kay Yow signature items, designated by Coach Yow to benefit the Fund. First, a pink N.C. State jersey autographed by Coach Yow went to Debbie Leonard (former Duke coach), then a pink hat worn by Coach Yow at the inaugural Classic went to Kristina Johnson, United States Under Secretary for Energy and longtime women’s basketball supporter. Finally, Coach Yow’s director’s chair led to a bidding war between Fund board members Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma and board President Stephanie Glance. Auriemma prevailed with a generous $5,000 bid, then doubled his generosity by giving the chair back to the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.
Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt stepped up to volunteer her pink sparkly cowboy hat for an impromptu live auction item, complete with an autograph to the winning bidder. After the bidding exceeded $1,000, Summitt stepped in and offered $2,000, on the condition that Texas assistant Mickie DeMoss wear the hat during a 2009-10 regular season game. Virginia Tech head coach Beth Dunkenberger volunteered to increase the bid if Texas head coach Gail Goestenkors would wear the hat to coach a televised game. Further negotiations and generosity from the assembled coaches led to a total $10,000 contribution, and Goestenkors and Summitt agreeing to each wear a similar hat to coach their December 6 ESPN2 televised match-up in Knoxville, Tenn., in continued public support of the Fund.
Monday morning dawned into a glorious Greensboro day as 39 foursomes kicked off an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start on the Grandover East and West courses. The format was a four-player captain’s choice, with separate tournaments on the East and West courses. Awards and Nike prize merchandise, including golf bags, putters, sunglasses, and apparel were presented to each of the top three teams as well as to winners of longest drive, closest to the pin, and longest putt.
Team ACC, led by ACC Commissioner John Swofford, won the East Course tournament, while Team Robuck, captained by Frank Robuck, took top West Course honors. Full results are included below.
The day ended with an awards luncheon and speeches from ACC Associate Commissioner for Women’s Basketball and Senior Woman Administrators Nora Lynn Finch and Sharp. “It’s apparent that today’s weather was ordered especially for the coaches by Kay Yow,” Finch said to those assembled.
This year’s event was hosted at the Grandover Resort and Conference Center - thanks to support from the Atlantic Coast Conference, the City of Greensboro, the Greensboro Coliseum, the ACC Tournament Host Committee, and the Greensboro Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). All proceeds benefited the Kay Yow/WBCA Cancer Fund.
Local Greensboro women’s basketball coaches and administrators, led by UNC Greensboro head coach Lynne Agee and Associate AD Kathy Roberts, also gave of their time and resources by serving as the Classic’s welcoming committee. The Fund’s founding partners, including The Hartford, Nike and GlaxoSmithKline were also in attendance in support of the cause.
Special thanks go to the following sponsors of this year’s Classic: Nike (presenting sponsor), Harrison Turner and the Bryan Foundation (breakfast sponsor), Guilford Sports Hall of Fame (hole sponsor), Touchstone Energy (hole sponsor and beverage cart sponsor), Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (hole sponsor) and the Big XII Conference (beverage cart sponsor).
East Course Results
1st place – Team ACC (-11) – ACC Commissioner John Swofford, Chad Swofford, Jeff Elliott, Amber Elliott.
2nd place – Team Conradt (-8) – Jody Conradt (former Texas head coach), Billie Moore, Mimi Griffin, Chris Plonsky.
3rd place – Team Pepsi (-7) – Brad Corbin, Jimmy Burns, Bob Rusher, Joey Rusher.
Individual Awards: B.J. Chockley (closest to the pin #3), Debbie Leonard (former Duke coach)(closest to the pin #7), Tom Newcome, Sr. (closest to the pin #12), Lynn Davidson (closest to the pin #16), Amber Elliott (women’s longest drive #1), Krista Kilburn (women’s longest drive #10), Jimmy Burns (men’s longest drive #6), Brian Ewald (men’s longest drive #15), Debbie Ryan (Virginia head coach)(longest putt #5), Lulu Eure (longest putt #18).
West Course Results
1st place – Team Robuck (-14) – Frank Robuck, Billy Daniel, Gerry Herakovich, Bruce Ballard.
2nd place – Team Blair (-12) – Gary Blair (Texas A&M head coach), Steve Stevens, Vic Schaeffer, Charlie Milstead.
3rd place team – Team Harper (-11) – Kellie Harper (N.C. State head coach), Jon Harper, Richard Barron, Chris Combs.
Individual Awards: Charlie Hughes (closest to the pin #3), Jackie Ansley (closest to the pin #5), Dan Delmatro (closest to the pin #11), Kathleen Kunkler (closest to the pin #15 & longest drive #12), Nikki Caldwell (UCLA head coach)(women’s longest drive #2), Jon Harper (men’s longest drive #6), Rob Rayl (men’s longest drive #16), Charlie Milstead (longest putt #7), Marc Bush (longest putt #18).
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