Drive Fore Kids golf tournament announces celebrity entrants

Ollie Wright does not take into account himself a lot of a golfer. But when the Drive Fore Kids got here calling with an invite, he had a fast reply.

“I jumped at the opportunity,” stated Wright, a midfielder for the Portland Hearts of Pine. “I see the lineup that I’m (going to be) playing with, and I’m like ‘Wow, some incredible names on there, and just little old me.’”

Wright is without doubt one of the 5 new celebrities enjoying the fourth version of Drive Fore Kids, the fundraising golf tournament that can happen June 25-28 at Falmouth Country Club. Proceeds go towards the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital and The Dempsey Center, the group based by actor and Lewiston native Patrick Dempsey.

Event organizers revealed this 12 months’s subject Wednesday — 38 dedicated gamers, essentially the most but, with some invites nonetheless excellent. The group contains NFL Hall of Famers Jerome Bettis, Ronde Barber, Dwight Freeney and Sterling Sharpe, Red Sox World Series winners Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz and Keith Foulke, and former NBA famous person Vince Carter.

New to the tournament are Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little, skilled skateboarder Sean Malto, Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, Olympic gold medal-winning snowboarder and Maine native Seth Wescott, and Wright, who since becoming a member of the Hearts of Pine has grow to be their main aim scorer and a fan favourite.

“It’s something I really don’t take for granted,” Wright stated of his relationship with the Hearts’ fan base. “(Fitzpatrick’s) a small stadium, only 6,000 can go, a lot of the seats are sold out. I think sometimes it’s important to get in front of those fans that can’t necessarily go to the games and create a relationship with them as well.”

Wright, although, made certain to handle expectations.

“I play (golf) all the time but I’ve just not improved much,” he stated. “I’ve got a couple of months to practice. Hopefully I can keep the ball in bounds, and then we’ll see what happens from there.”

The tournament raised $210,000 final 12 months for the Barbara Bush hospital and Dempsey Center, which assists folks affected by most cancers, up from $108,000 raised for the hospital by the inaugural tournament in 2023.

Shamrock Sports and Entertainment CEO Brian Corcoran, the tournament’s government director, stated the occasion has been growing in dimension and cache, including MasterCard as a main sponsor along with Bangor Savings Bank. He stated he is anticipating 12,000 spectators over the three days this 12 months; the tournament averaged round 10,000 the primary three years.

“We’ve had good numbers at Drive Fore Kids. I think we’re going to have great numbers (this year),” he stated. “I think to realistically have about a 20(%) to upwards of 25% increase is the goal for the team.”

Corcoran stated the celebrities within the subject ought to assist in that endeavor, with Wright, Wescott, NESN broadcaster Tom Caron and Dempsey amongst these with Maine ties.

“You’ve got some real big names,” he stated, “but I’d say (the biggest draw) is on the local front because 80% of our audience at Falmouth Country Club, and even our sponsor base, 80% is really local market.”

Dempsey might be again after being unable to take part final 12 months. He performed in 2024.

“Patrick is a Mainer, through and through,” Dempsey Center president and CEO Brandon Hotham stated. “So anytime he can be back in his home state doing stuff for the center and for his community, he’s always excited about that.”