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BMW Charity Pro-Am continues at Furman Friday, Saturday

||Comedian Larry the Cable Guy defied the usual golf attire during last year’s tournament.|Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is back at the BMW Pro-Am for a second year.|Last year’s tournament brought out a good crowd to the Furman golf course.|Last year’s tournament brought a good crowd out to the Furman golf course

Last updated May 16, 2018

By News administrator

Pairings and Tee Times

A group of celebrities that included Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, “black-ish” actor Anthony Anderson and comedian Larry the Cable Guy were at the Furman University Golf Club Thursday as the the 2018 BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation got underway. And while the weather forecast for Thursday didn’t look promising, the players had no trouble at all getting in their 18 holes.

For the second year in a row, lots of Green Bay Packers fans came to Furman to follow their favorite NFL quarterback.

The four-day Web.com tournament takes place May 17-20 at three courses in the area. The other venues are Thornblade Club in Greenville and Cliffs Valley in Travelers Rest.

All the pros, amateurs and celebrities in the field play one round at the Furman Golf Club Thursday, Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, the 10 lowest scoring pro-amateur teams and six lowest scoring pro-celebrity teams will advance to play in the final round at Thornblade Club.

Other notable celebrities in this year’s field include Don Cheadle (actor, “Hotel Rwanda,” “House of Lies”), Jose Alvarez (former Major League Baseball player), Ron Perlman (actor, “Hellboy,” “Sons of Anarchy”), Jay Demarcus (musician, Rascal Flatts), Brian Baumgartner (actor, “The Office”), and Sterling Sharpe (former National Football League player).

Here is the complete list of celebrities who are scheduled to play at Furman Friday and Saturday:

Friday, May 18—Jose Alvarez (former Major League Baseball player), Josh Beckett (former Major League Baseball player), Matt Hamilton (Olympic curler), C. Thomas Howell (actor, “The Outsiders”), Dan Jansen (Olympian), Karen Palacios-Jansen (Golf Channel announcer), Ed Marinaro (actor, “Hill Street Blues”), Russ Ortiz (former Major League Baseball player), Kevin Rahm (actor, “Lethal Weapon”), Jim Rice (former Major League Baseball player), John Shuster (Olympic curler) and Paula Trickey (actress, “Pacific Blue”).

Paige Mackenzie, co-host of Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive,” is in the field of this year’s BMW Charity Pro-Am and played at Furman Thursday.

Saturday, May 19—Don Cheadle (actor, “Hotel Rwanda,” “House of Lies”), Jay Demarcus (musician, Rascal Flatts), Bill Engvall (comedian), Brian Grubb (wakeboarder), Oliver Hudson (actor, “Splitting Up Together,” “Nashville”), Chris Lane (country music artist), John O’Hurley (actor, “Seinfeld”), Lisa O’Hurley (fashion designer), Ron Perlman (actor, “Hellboy,” “Sons of Anarchy”), Patrick Peterson (NFL’s Arizona Cardinals), Rob Riggle (actor, “The Daily Show”), Joe Don Rooney (musician, Rascal Flatts) and Tim Wakefield (former Major League Baseball player).

The inaugural “All-Star Celebrity Softball Game” will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at Fluor Field following the 3:30 p.m. Greenville Drive game against the Augusta Greenjackets. Celebrity co-captains Larry the Cable Guy and John O’Hurley will take on fellow co-captains Alfonso Riberio and Rob Riggle, and their respective teams of athletes, actors and entertainers. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online at GreenvilleDrive.com, and each ticket will grant access to both the Greenville Drive game and the Celebrity Softball game.

The following evening (Friday, May 18) from 7 to 10 p.m., Phil Vassar, who landed 10 No. 1 songs on Billboard’s Hot Country chart as an artist and songwriter, will perform on the TD Stage at the Peace Center Amphitheater. Best known for performing hits like “Just Another Day in Paradise” and “Carlene,” Vassar also achieved success penning songs for other artists, including co-writing Tim McGraw’s “My Next Thirty Years,” Jodee Messina’s “Bye Bye” and Alan Jackson’s “Right on the Money.”

Vassar’s performance is part of an evening featuring beverages and food by Larkin’s on the River. Tickets to the event ($250) may be purchased through South Carolina Charities director of sales Linda Johnson (864.517.2383; ljohnson@sccharities.org).

Funds raised through tournament volunteerism will benefit four featured charities: Children’s Hospital of Greenville Health System, Cliffs Residents Outreach, Mobile Meals of Spartanburg and Upstate SC STEM Collaborative.

Visit BMWCharityGolf.com for updates and information about the tournament.

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Clinton Colmenares
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