Sports
Kuchar-Johnson Set Classic Record
Matt Kuchar and Zach Johnson fend off late challenges Tuesday to capture the championship of the 2011 CVS Caremark Charity Classic at the Rhode lsland Country Club with a tourney-record score of 118.
Blistering scores matched blistering weather conditions on the Rhode Island Country Club course Tuesday as the CVS Caremark Charity Classic golf tournament concluded a 13th run.
The first-day leaders, Matt Kuchar and Zach Johnson, held off several late charges to post a tournament-record 118 score in the two-day, best-ball event. Thousands of spectators lined the holes on the scenic course bordering Narragansett Bay despite soaring temperatures.
After finishing with a 58 on Monday, the winning team settled for a 60 on Tuesday, finishing at 24-under par and edging Morgan Pressel-Davis Love III (60-60-120, 22-under-par).
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David Toms-Camilo Villegas (62-59-121, 20-under par) and J.B. Holmes-Ricky Barnes (59-62-121, 20-under par) shared third place, while Brad Faxon-Gary Woodland (62-60-122, 19-under-par) claimed fifth place.
The other competing professional duos were Paula Creamer-Brandt Snedeker (63-60-123, 18-under-par), Juli Inkster-Peter Jacobsen (65-62-127, 14-under-par), Brett Quigley-Suzann Petersen (64-63-127, 14-under-par), Billy Andrade-Bill Haas (67-63-130, 11-under-par) and Ben Crenshaw-Jhonattan Vegas (65-69-134, 7-under-par).
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The Kuchar-Johnson pairing shattered the previous best score of 119 turned in by the twosomes of Mark Calcavecchia and Nick Price and Brad Faxon and Gary Player, both in 2001. Under ideal weather conditions both days, the 20 participating professionals ravaged the 6,800-yard, par-71 course with brilliant shot-making.
Kuchar and Johnson led from start to finish Tuesday, but were forced to withstand stiff challenges from Pressel-Davis; Barnes-Holmes, who started the day just one stroke behind, and Villegas-Toms, who produced the day’s low score at 59.
Kuchar and Johnson received the championship trophy during a brief awards ceremony at the 18th green. But the true winners were the thousands of youngsters who will benefit from the tourney’s proceeds, which will be distributed to charitable organizations benefitting children in Rhode Island and Massachusetts through the Billy Andrade-Brad Faxon Charities for Children.
Since the inception of the CVS Caremark Charity Classic in 1999, more than $14 million has been distributed to qualifying nonprofit organizations in southern New England.
Kuchar and Johnson received the championship trophy from Larry Merlo, CVS Caremark president and CEO, the tournament’s chief corporate sponsor. Co-hosts Andrade of Bristol and Faxon of Barrington thanked all the corporate sponsors and spectators on hand for supporting the classic again this year.
“We couldn’t do this without our sponsors and our spectators,” Andrade said. “Thanks to you, we’ve had another great success this year and we look forward to even better things in the future.”
Tuesday’s victory was especially sweet for Kuchar, who was celebrating his 33rd birthday. Wife Sybi and sons Cameron and Carson presented Kuchar with a birthday cake on the 18th green at the tourney’s conclusion.
“This is a beautiful course to play on and I always look forward to coming here,” said Kuchar, who made his third appearance. “It feels good to win this one.”
While grateful for the triumph, Johnson took the opportunity at the tourney’s closing to praise the charitable efforts of Andrade and Faxon.
“Billy and Brad know what it means to give back to the community,” said Johnson, who also made his third appearance in Barrington. “This is a wonderful tournament for a wonderful cause and they deserve a lot of credit for hosting it every year.”
