Andrade Helps Team For First Win at CVS Health Charity Classic

Barrington, R.I._ It was a windy day when golf trio Keegan Bradley, Brooke Henderson, and Billy Andrade won this year’s 19th Annual CVS Health Charity Classic golf tournament at Rhode Island Country Club. The team finished with a score of 15 under par, only one stroke ahead of team Curran, Creamer, and O’Meara.

Bradley – a day after finishing nine over at the U.S. Open in Wisconsin, Henderson – who birdied the final hole to secure victory after taking out the Meijer Classic on Sunday – and Andrade who closed out the tournament strong.

This is the first time tournament co-host and Rhode Island Native Billy Andrade has won the CVS Charity Classic. Billy Andrade and Brad Faxon have hosted this tournament for nineteen years thus far, but Faxon is still looking for his first victory.

CVS Health Charity Classic

Since its inception in 1999, the Charity Classic has donated more than $20 million for Southern New England nonprofit organizations that provide vital funding to a range of programs serving children and families.

Some of golf’s greatest stars like Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Annika Sorenstam and Nick Price have answered the call to come participate in the CVS Health Charity Classic thrilling local golf fans and helping Rhode Island community organizations continue their fine work.

However, the CVS Charity Classic changed things up more than usual this year.

Instead of the traditional two-day tournament with the two-player and best ball format, they hosted a single-day tournament consisting of six teams of three competing for the title. This years organizers agreed to pair players from the PGA, LPGA and Champions Tours and require two of three balls to count toward a score in one round of action. Monday’s tournament was preceded by several other community events organized and hosted by CVS Health, including the Crave RI food festival.

Sunday’s Pro-Am featured Bruce Cassidy, Roger Clemens and Bernhard Langer as just some of the top names that took to the course at the CVS Health Charity Classic Pro-Am tournament and Community Fun Day.

The Trios

There was a great field at this year’s tournament including players like Billy and Jay Hass, Paula Creamer and Smylie Kaufman. The two trios that had the largest followings however were Thompson’s and Pressel’s group.

The fans, Thompson said, brings her special joy.

After finishing up on the 18th hole, Thompson walked down with Horschel and Montgomerie. She was the first one to greet her fans with smiles, pictures and autographs. A group of young boys (two of them were twins with cute mohawks) begged Morgan for her hat, glove and golf balls. She happily took “selfies” and gave them each a signed golf ball. I have a lot of respect for the way she treats her fans, so when she had a chance to talk, I asked her about it.

“I love my fans and seeing the little kids out there rooting for me” Thompson said. “This is a great event and it’s very well run. It’s a great venue and Rhode Island is beautiful so it’s amazing to see all the fans out here today to watch us play and support the local charities.”

Morgan Pressel, like just about everyone involved with the CVS Health Charity Classic, can’t say enough good things about it. This is Pressel’s ninth consecutive year playing at this tournament. When I asked her how we can encourage more juniors to start taking up the game of golf she responded, “Even if they’ve never played golf before just get them out so that they can see golf is fun and exciting and there is a lot of organizations such as the First Tee, USGA and LPGA juniors golf programs they can sign up for.”

Here is a short clip of her response from our interview: 

Tony Finau and Gerina Piller and Germany’s Bernhard Langer finished third on 12-under, one stroke ahead of the trio of Bill and Jay Haas and Morgan Pressel, plus the team of Billy Horschel and Lexi Thompson and Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie. Faxon, Kerr and Kaufman were sixth on eight-under.

The Teams and Finishing Ranks Are As Follows:

• 1 – Keegan Bradley, Brooke Henderson, Billy Andrade
• 2 – Jon Curran, Paula Creamer, Mark O’Meara
• 3 – Tony Finau, Gerina Piller, Bernhard Langer
• 4 – Billy Horschel, Lexi Thompson, Colin Montgomerie
• 5 – Bill Haas, Morgan Pressel, Jay Haas
• 6– Smylie Kaufman, Cristie Kerr, Brad Faxon