Attention, golf fans.
If you’ve ever wanted a close encounter with one of the game’s legends, now is your chance.
In early August, eight-time major winner Tom Watson will participate in a two-day charity event at The Legends Golf Club in Franklin.
On Aug. 4, Watson — along with PGA Tour pro Steve Stricker and PGA Commissioner Tim Finchem — will take part in “An Intimate Evening with Golf Legends” dinner at The Legends. The following day, the course will host the Mulligan Open, a golf outing for players of all skill levels.
Organized by the Horizon Planning Group in Indianapolis to commemorate Ted Bishop’s tenure as 38th president of the PGA of America, the two-day event is open to the public.
Featuring Watson, Stricker and Finchem, the Aug. 4 dinner will include a VIP hour, silent auction and a “fireside chat” emceed by Alex Miceli, senior writer for Golf Week. Watson, Stricker, Finchem and Bishop will answer questions from guests.
Among other distinctions, Watson was the captain of the 2014 U.S. Ryder Cup Team. He was selected on the recommendation of Bishop, the director of golf and general manager at The Legends who was then president of the PGA of America.
Stricker is a 12-time winner on the PGA Tour. He joined the Tour in 1994 and was at one time the second-ranked player in the world.
Following the banquet Aug. 5, The Legends will host the Mulligan Open.
A fundraiser for a host of causes, including the Little Red Door Cancer Agency, the Steve Stricker Foundation, the Indiana Golf Foundation and the PGA Tour Wives Association’s initiatives for Blessings in a Backback and Goody Two Shoes, the outing will offer individual stroke play competition and a four-person scramble.
What does it cost, you ask?
A $1,000 contribution covers everything — a ticket to the Evening with Golf Legends, which includes a $250 gift pack and a spot in the Mulligan Open.
If you are interested in doing only one or the other, admission to the dinner is $250. The Mulligan Open fee is $125.
For more information, including how to register, visit mulliganopen.com.
Upwardly mobile
Having picked up two invitational victories the past two Saturdays, the Center Grove boys golf team has moved up to No. 2 in the state poll.
Center Grove entered the season ranked No. 3.
Two weeks ago, the Trojans won the Rock Hollow Hall of Fame in Peru with a tournament-record team score of 292. Dominant from start to finish, they breezed past runner-up Carmel by 11 strokes in the 17-team field.
This past Saturday, Center Grove won the Trojan Classic at Hickory Stick Golf Club with a tournament-record score of 283. The nearest challenger was Plainfield with a 309 — 26 strokes off the pace in the nine-team field.
Consistency has been the Trojans’ hallmark thus far. Everyone in the starting lineup has, and does, post impressive scores.
For example, sophomore Ethan Shepherd led the Trojans with an even-par 72 at the Hall of Fame tournament. Seniors C.J. Heck and Zach Carrabine were right behind with a 73 and 74, respectively.
At the Trojan Classic, Heck fired career-low 66 to earn medalist honors. Shepherd shot a 71, and freshman Noah Gillard had a 72.
Center Grove finished sixth at last year’s IHSAA Boys Golf State Finals and appears on pace to accomplish its stated preseason goal of contending for the state title.
Grizzlies earn HCAC honors
Franklin College senior Chris Arnold has been named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Golfer of the Week, and freshman baseball pitcher Christian Sullivan has been named the HCAC Pitcher of the Week.
Arnold carded a season-best 72 at Saturday’s Manchester Invitational, where the Grizzlies finished second.
Sullivan fired a one-hitter in Saturday’s 4-2 win against Transylvania University on Saturday. He retired 15 of the first 16 batters, then retired the final 11 batters after yielding a single in the sixth inning.
