NEW: CVS Caremark Charity Classic Day 1 Recap

Monday, June 24, 2013

Sean Quinn, GoLocalProv Contributor

 

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The final group to tee off on Monday included 2012 Masters champion Bubba Watson, 2010 PGA rookie of the year Rickie Fowler, 2010 Open Championship winner Louis Oosthuizen and three-time CVS Caremark Charity Classic champion Nick Price.

The 15th annual CVS Caremark Charity Classic kicked off Monday morning at Rhode Island Country Club under some phenomenal conditions. The two-day, 36-hole tournament features 10 two-player teams competing for a $1.5 million purse.

Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, Louis Oosthuizen, Annika Sorenstam, Steve Stricker and Bo Van Pelt were the biggest names to take to one of New England’s finest courses.

Monday morning: Player's clinic + Bubba's hovercraft golf cart

Dan Hicks, the voice of NBC golf and Notre Dame football, entertained the crowd early Monday morning, hosting a player’s clinic on the 18th green that featured Striker, Van Pelt, Lexi Thompson and Juli Inkster among others. Contestants were split into two teams, with co-hosts Billy Andrade and Brad Faxon captaining each. The competition was divided into three sections: a chip shot from the right-side bunker, a series of putts and an accuracy challenge. Stricker and Van Pelt would go on to play together and take the lead after day one, coming in at -12.

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Fans were treated to an up-close-and-personal look at Bubba Watson’s futuristic vehicle; his BW1 hovercraft golf cart. Stationed on a rotating platform adjacent to the 18th fairway, the cart was certainly a conversation starter around the grandstands.

The play

Michael Thompson, Fuzzy Zoeller, Lexi Thompson and Peter Jacobsen were the first foursome off the course, with the M Thompson/Zoeller pair shooting a 7-under 64. Lexi Thompson and Jacobsen were three strokes behind on the day, having shot a 4-under 64.

Legendary female golfer Annika Sorenstam returned to Rhode Island for her second CVS Caremark Charity Classic Appearance. The Hall of Famer has notched 89 total wins (including 10 Major victories) during her 15-year career. Sorenstam paired with the always-stylish Billy Horschel, who opted for a more traditional outfit, instead of one of his notoriously eccentric adornments. The two of them were pitted against Juli Inkster, an LPGA veteran making her sixth appearance at the Classic and Russell Henley, a University of Georgia alum who won his professional debut at the 2013 Sony Open in Hawaii. Inkster and Henley shot a 7-under 64 while Sorenstam and Horschel followed with a 4-under 67.

The father/son duo of Bill and Jay Haas, who teamed up to win the Classic in 2004, competed against one another in the same foursome. This year, the elder, Jay, reunited with Morgan Pressel, the LPGA professional with whom Haas won the Classic in 2012 (the pair became the first co-ed team champions in tournament history). Bill and tournament co-host Billy Andrade made up the rest of the foursome. Bill and Andrade, having shot an -11 60, are sitting two strokes ahead of Jay and Pressel who came in at -9 on the day.

Brad Faxon was paired with six-time PGA tour and two-time CVS Caremark Charity Classic winner (1999 and 2003) Jeff Sluman. The pair shot -5 on Monday.

The final group to tee off was undoubtedly the most talented, featuring 2012 Masters champion Bubba Watson, 2010 PGA rookie of the year Rickie Fowler, 2010 Open Championship winner Louis Oosthuizen and three-time CVS Caremark Charity Classic champion Nick Price. Watson did his part to keep the spectators entertained. As he approached the tee-box on the 361 yard par-4 third hole, the crowd urged Bubba to go for the green with his illustrious pink driver. Watson obliged, and although his tee-shot found the water about ten yards short of the green, the gesture hinted at the nature of the tournament.

Watson and Fowler finished the day tied for second place with Billy Andrade and Bill Haas at -11.

CVS Caremark Charity Classic

Since its inception in 1999, the tournament has raised and donated over $16 million to charities across New England. In addition to the tournament, the Charity Classic also features a Skins game and a Closest to the Pin contest for charity. While the Skins game is divided among teams, the Closest to the Pin competition pairs each professional with a benefiting nonprofit organization, with the winning pro's charity receiving the $25,000 purse.

Follow @golocalprov for live Tweets from the tournament tomorrow. 

 

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