On Monday, September 28, 2009, The Galloway National Golf Club hosted the 5^th Annual Bruce Edwards ALS Celebrity Golf Classic, a premier one-day golf fundraising event to raise money to benefit The Bruce Edwards ALS Research Foundation, Inc.  This campaign was started by best-selling author and columnist John Feinstein in recognition of Bruce Edwards, caddie for professional golfer Tom Watson, who passed away from ALS in 2004.  To date, nearly $2.85 million has gone to ALS research at The Robert Packard Center.  The Classic featured a shotgun start “best ball” tournament with a limited field of players. Following golf, a cocktail hour and dinner reception was held at the clubhouse, including a silent and live auction, as well as presentations by guest speakers.

Event Recap:  The fifth annual Bruce Edwards Celebrity Classic, held on September 28, 2009 at Galloway National Golf Club near Atlantic City, New Jersey, was another success.  Celebrity golfers from the worlds of golf, basketball and tennis were paired with foursomes for a great day of golf.   

Celebrity players included PGA golfers Tom Watson, Paul Goydos, John Cook, Andy North, Billy Andrade, and Hugh Baiocci;  NCAA basketball coaches Karl Hobbs (GWU), Lefty Dreissel (Maryland), Jim Calhoun (Connecticut), Fran Dunphy (Temple), Mike Brey (Notre Dame), and George Blaney (Connecticut);  former Davis Cup champion Fred McNair; and Duke standout and former Washington Bullet Mark Alarie. 

The day’s events included an informal discussion featuring Tom Watson, John Feinstein and Mike Brey followed by Q&A.    The winning team in the golf tournament consisted of Kevin Fitzpatrick, Michael Cohen, Gary Padussis, William Sword and Fred McNair.  Full results are available here.

At the conclusion of the best-ball tournament, players and guests participated in silent and live auctions, bidding on one-of-a-kind items such as the chance to caddy for Tom Watson in the Masters’ par-three tournament, a signed Tom Glavine jersey, framed Sports Illustrated covers and golf major flags signed by Tom Watson, and much more. 

Maryland basketball coach Gary Williams provided the keynote speech at the dinner along with remarks from Dr. Piera Pasinelli of the Packard Center at Johns Hopkins University and Tom Watson. 

Please return to this site next spring for more information about the 6^th annual Bruce Edwards Celebrity Classic, to be held in September 2010. 

Golf Channel Feature on the Bruce Edwards Classic
(used with the permission of the Golf Channel) 

Selected pictures from the 2009 Event

Tom Watson shares his thoughts on the game of golf at a panel moderated by John Feinstein

Attendees had the opportunity to ask questions of the panelists .

Jim Calhoun joined the panel and discussed what changes he would make if he was in charge of the NCAA .

Players enjoyed lunch with their celebrities prior to the tournament

John Cook chats with co-host John Feinstein during cocktail hour

This event would not have been possible without the generous support of its sponsors

Dr. Piera Pasinelli of the Packard Center provided an update on recent progress in ALS research

Maryland basketball coach Gary Williams was the featured speaker and regaled the crowd with amusing stories

John Feinstein was a superb host and emcee of the event

Only two months removed from his historic run at the 2009 British Open, Tom Watson spoke about his friendship with Bruce Edwards and his dedication to helping to find a cure for ALS

Tom Watson doesn't sign many magazine covers which made this collection of five signed Sports Illustrated covers a very unique and desirable

Two-time U.S. Open winner Andy North describes the golf major flags up for bid at the live auction

John and Tom proudly display a ceremonial check for $350,000 to the Packard Center