News Sentinel Publisher Patrick Birmingham greets professional golfer Robert Gamez, right, and his wife, Denise.
A festive party at Chesapeake’s last night designed to let the amateur golfers know what professional golfer they would be playing with today marked the official start of the News Sentinel Open presented by Pilot. The Summit Medical Group Pro-Am kicked off this morning at Fox Den Country Club. The News Sentinel Open runs through Sunday.
The golf tournament, part of the the Web.com Tour, has been held in Knoxville for 24 years. The Web.com Tour is important to professional golfers because it is a way for them to earn points that will propel them onto the “big” PGA tour. It’s important to Knoxville because it gives us a chance to check out the up-and-comers and it also raises money for charity. In addition, it has a big economic impact. With more than 100 Web.com Tour players and 40,000 expected attendees, the Knoxville Chamber and Visit Knoxville estimate that the event has had a $3.5 million impact since the News Sentinel took over its operation three years ago.
Moxley Carmichael has a foursome in today’s Summit Medical Group Pro-Am in which four amateur golfers get to play with a professional. Our design director, Charley Sexton, is being joined by U.S. Congressman Jimmy Duncan, Knoxville Vice Mayor Nick Pavlis and Alvin Nance, president and CEO of Knoxville’s Community Development Corporation. Our team’s professional is Dusty Fielding. (Alan Carmichael, our firm’s president, usually plays, but he is out of commission for a few more weeks as he recovers from having a pacemaker put in.) Some of the funds raised today go to the benefit of East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, the reason for Summit Medical Group’s involvement, CEO Tim Young said at the pairings party last night.
We are happy to be working some of the events associated with the Open on behalf of the News Sentinel. We also represent Pilot, the presenting sponsor, and Summit Medical Group, the sponsor of today’s Pro-Am, so we have many reasons to be interested!
If you’d like to see a schedule of events, click here to go to the Open’s website. Tickets are inexpensive and you just may get to see the next Tiger Woods. (Pray that the rain holds off.)
Professional golfer Jeremy Berbert, left, and News Sentinel staffers, from left, Paul Abraham, Bill Osborne, Diana Condon and Marti Townsend. Berbert was discussing his new minimalist golf shoe line, Barefoot B.E.R.B.S.
Dr. Ty Kirby of Summit Medical Group, left, with his wife, Amy; Tim Young, Summit's CEO; and Jennifer Lawson from Moxley Carmichael.
From left, Terri and Bob Zavidil, Tim and Wendy Hamilton. Wendy is with presenting sponsor, Pilot.
Dr. Craig Rylands of Summit Medical Group, with his wife, Sue.
Ashley Morrison offering cucumber martinis.
Katie Hinton was passing sangria.
Musicians, from left, Josh Gaither, Josh Cole and Taylor Coker kept the mood mellow with smooth jazz.
The seafood martinis were cold and fresh!
As were the three kinds of oysters, which were freshly shucked all evening.
A fancy baked brie highlighted the cheese table.
But my favorite thing at Chesapeake's is the crab fingers.
Alan is partial to the key lime pies!
Tim Young made one of the shortest speeches I've ever heard. "I don't want to stand between you and the food and drink!" he quipped.
From left, Jamie Stokes, Sandi Swilley, Rob Hardin, Anita Lane, Robert and Denise Gamez
Adrian Pearce, left, of the News Sentinel, and Dino Cartwright of Prestige Cleaners. They are on the tournament's host committee.
Sonny Bailey, left, and Gene Bailey
Stewart Smith, left, with Cara and Justin Plummer
Gary and Kathleen Cox with Ben Harkins, center
Rocky and Janet Goode
Dr. Wes Dean of Summit Medical Group and Jennifer Lawson
Natalie Lester, left, and Lauren Christ, both of Moxley Carmichael, taking a break from staffing the check-in table.
From left, Brent and Kayla Green and Tracy and Travis Holifield
From left, Patrick Birmingham, Gene Bailey and Patrick Nichol, the tournament director.
From left, Connor Pearce, Dino Cartwright, Kelly Pearce, Adrian Pearce and Valerie Pearce
Jim Wakefield, left, and Rocky Goode
The Moxley Carmichael team teeing off this morning at 11:50. From left, Congressman Jimmy Duncan, Knoxville Vice Mayor Nick Pavlis, pro golfer Dusty Fielding, Charley Sexton of Moxley Carmichael and Alvin Nance of KCDC.
Fore!
There were teams that scored better than us today. But I know no one had more fun than us! Thanks!
Charley: I could tell that by looking at your face! Thanks for representing Moxley Carmichael with such enthusiasm!
Great job by Copper Cellar Restaurants for the pairings parties and a BIG thank you to Summit Medical Group for sponsoring today’s Pro Am. A great time was had by all teams playing! Hope to see everyone out for the
Web.com tournament begiining this Thursday at Fox Den.
Cute pic of you, Marti! Love your skirt!
Looks like a fun party. The pics of that seafood sure got my attention.
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