Lopez Hospice Golf Classic set for Friday

ALBANY — The annual golf tournament featuring women’s golf Hall of Fame player Nancy Lopez and held to raise money for Albany Community Hospice is taking place this week.

The 29th Lopez Hospice Golf Classic, named for LPGA Hall of Famer and former Albany resident Nancy Lopez, is set to kick off with a pre-tournament bash on Thursday, with the tournament to follow — including both morning and afternoon rounds — Friday.

“Nancy Lopez lends her name and time to the event,” said Mandy Davis, event coordinator for the Phoebe Foundation. “She is very passionate about it.”

The bash will be today at 6:30 p.m. at Doublegate Country Club at 3800 Old Dawson Road. Both golfers and non-golfers will be able to interact with Lopez at the bash and avail themselves of drinks and and heavy hors d’oeuvres. Entertainment from the Michel Jons Band is planned, along with a live and silent auction.

The tournament, which serves as the local host for the Mercedes-Benz Dealer Championships, will also be taking place at Doublegate. It will start with morning golfer registration at 7 a.m. Friday, with the shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. The tournament luncheon, sponsored by Albany Home Patient and Medi-Save Pharmacy, will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Afternoon golfer registration will begin at noon, with the shotgun start to be at 1:30 p.m. Lopez will host the awards ceremony at 5:30 p.m.

“Nancy will be out with them playing golf. All the golfers enjoy that,” Davis said.

The format for the tournament will follow the four-man scramble scored using the Modified Callaway System. There will be a putt off for the top two spots in each round. Prizes will be awarded to first and second place for the morning and afternoon rounds, as well as for Hole-In-One, Longest Drive and Closest-to-the-Pin.

“We will have four Hole-In-Ones,” Davis said. “There will four separate holes, (and those who get a hole in one) will win a car.”

As part of the Mercedes-Benz Championships, four winners from the tournament will advance to the Eastern Sectional in Pinehurst, N.C.

Blake Clanton of Leesburg was able to advance to the Eastern Sectional after winning last year’s tournament. After coming in second place there, he got the low net score at the National Final in Augusta. That qualified him for the World Final in Germany taking place in October, where he will be competing with two others from Portland, Ore. against golfers in 36 other countries.

Having played in the Lopez the last few years, he got involved because of his love for the sport as well as for the benefit of hospice. He didn’t expect to get so far, but is excited about the opportunity.

“I’m just excited to go to Germany,” Clanton said. “I’m ready to go. It will be a great experience.”

Clanton plans to be at the hospice tournament this year.

“I will be there,” he said. “I hope I win; I always want to win. Even if I don’t, it’s for a good cause.”

The sponsorship levels are Gold ($4,000), Silver ($3,000), Bronze ($2,000), which include one four-person teams, seats at the luncheon, tickets to the bash, tournament gifts, photo opportunities with Lopez, among others. An individual golf slot is $450, which includes a luncheon seat, bash tickets, a tournament gift and the photo opportunity. Those signing up as individuals are being assigned to a foursome.

The event raised $160,000 last year, and coordinators are hoping this year’s event will be just as successful.

“It all goes to Albany Community Hospice,” Davis said. “Albany Community Hospice does such great work. They are so compassionate. Anybody involved with Albany Community Hospice knows what a (good job) they do.”

For those just attending the bash, tickets will be $75. The public can purchase tickets at the door on Thursday, Davis said.

For more information, visit www.lopezhospice.org or call (229) 312-4483.