UPDATED: AUGUST 20
NORTON, Massachusetts – As part of the PGA TOUR’s return to TPC Boston in Norton this week, The Northern Trust announced Monday that four PGA TOUR players participated in a charity exhibition match Wednesday to benefit First Tee of Massachusetts, as well as three other organizations committed to education and youth services in the Greater Boston area.
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Abraham Ancer, Cameron Champ, Charley Hoffman and Marc Leishman played THE NORTHERN TRUST Charity Challenge, a charity exhibition match scheduled for Wednesday, August 19 at TPC Boston. Hoffman played for the First Tee of Massachusetts, the state’s chapter of the nationwide program that teaches the game of golf and its core values to youth and annually impacts about 30,000 children statewide.
Cameron Champ won the $125,000 first prize, but Hoffman tied for second place to take earn a split prize of $62,500 for The First Tee.
“We are thrilled about the inclusion of The First Tee of Massachusetts in the Charity Challenge,” said Jesse Menachem, Executive Director/CEO of Mass Golf. “We thank The Northern Trust for their generosity and more importantly their commitment to the community during these difficult times. Golf has been a safe haven for many and through this financial commitment we will be able to provide this safe recreational opportunity to our youth well into the future.”
Hoffman, 43, who has been on the PGA TOUR since 2000, earned his second career victory at the 2010 Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston. He shot 22-under overall that year, besting the field by five strokes. Outside of golf, Hoffman runs the Charley Hoffman Foundation, which raises money and awareness for children’s organizations that provide a positive environment to better their future through education, sports, and health. According to Hoffman’s website, the foundation has raised over $2.8 million for charities in San Diego and Las Vegas.
In 2003, Mass Golf was selected by The First Tee to join its national network with the goal of bringing an affordable junior golf program to youth and communities that did not have them. Since that time, Mass Golf has introduced seven program locations – D.W. Field Golf Course (Brockton), William J. Devine GC at Franklin Park (Boston), Hyannis Golf Course (Cape Cod), Cranberry Valley Golf Course (Harwich), Fenway Golf Center (Springfield), KOHR Golf (Natick) and The Links at Mass Golf (Norton).
With increased health and safety protocols, The First Tee of Massachusetts has been able to run many of its summer programs this year and provide an outlet for youth to learn the game and the inherent core values and life lessons that come with it.
“We’re extremely proud that at the First Tee we have been able to run our programs this year in spite of the challenges we’ve all faced, said Kyle Harris, Director of Operations, The First Tee of Massachusetts. “With opportunities for safe outdoor recreation so limited, our program has been more important than ever for the youth in our communities. The support we are receiving from The Northern Trust and the PGA TOUR allows us to further our mission of being able to deliver the First Tee life skills curriculum to anyone regardless of financial circumstance. A donation such as this will solidify our promise to make golf affordable and accessible to as many kids in the Bay State as we can for years to come.”
TOURNAMENT FORMAT
All four players will competed in the ‘Wolf’ format, which is rarely seen on the PGA TOUR. Each player rotates to become ‘The ‘Wolf’ and that player tees off first. After the tee shot of each player, the ‘Wolf’ decides whether to take that player on his team or to wait to pass on that player and take his chances with the next to be his teammate. Or, after all three players have teed off, the ‘Wolf’ can play as a ‘Lone Wolf,’ if he feels he can beat all three other players. As the ‘Lone Wolf,’ the player plays alone and tries to shoot the lowest score on the hole.
Each player on the team with the lowest score on a hole gets one point. If a player chooses to be the Wolf on a hole and beats the other three players, the Wolf gets up to five points for that hole depending on when they choose to “go alone”.
Here’s a closer look at the four players who competed:
Abraham Ancer
• FedExCup rank: No. 13
• Best finish at THE NORTHERN TRUST: Runner-up/2019 at Liberty National Golf Club
• Best finish at TPC Boston: T7/2018
Cameron Champ
• FedExCup rank: No. 20
• Best finish at THE NORTHERN TRUST: T21/2019 at Liberty National Golf Club
• Best finish at TPC Boston: N/A (first career start)
Charley Hoffman
• FedExCup rank: No. 111
• Best finish at THE NORTHERN TRUST: T10/2011 at Plainfield Country Club
• Best finish at TPC Boston: Won/2010
Marc Leishman
• FedExCup rank: No. 14
• Best finish at THE NORTHERN TRUST: T32/2011 at Plainfield Country Club
• Best finish at TPC Boston: 3/2017
