June 21, 2004

Dean Smith did something last Thursday at UNC Finley which he's been doing since 1989. He took the cover off an enlarged check and revealed the amount which the Carolina Kids' Classic raised this year to help children and their parents. $184,500 will be divided equally between the Chapel Hill Ronald McDonald House, the North Carolina Children's Hospital and the Childhood Trust.

The Hall of Fame coach has been the Honorary Host of this event since its beginning as a fund raiser for only the Ronald McDonald House. It generated $25,000 in each of its first two years before moving to the Governors Club. That's when the significant increases began. The big jump, from $52,000 to $100,000, came in 1994 when the North Carolina Children's Hospital and the Childhood Trust were added to the list of beneficiaries.

After the first two years, the Classic has shown an increase every year and this year's record profit pushed the overall total to $1,885,500.

Thirty-two foursomes or 128 golfers--including Dick Baddour, John Bunting, Roy Williams and Bill Guthridge--competed in the modified two-ball low net event. The golfers in each foursome hit their drives, the best tee shot was selected and then each golfer played his or her own ball into the hole using 75% of their respective handicaps.

Last week's Classic was one of the most competitive ever, and at the end there were two groups at 30-under 114. The par-five 13th-hole was picked as the blind playoff hole, but it took two holes to decide the winning team. Bill Bennett, Dr. Paul Molina and Dr. Lester Kwock representing Siemens Medical Solutions along with David Smith of Golden State Foods made up the winning team.

Second place when to the foursome representing Crown Volvo. Ed Hillis, Ron Hodges, Tommy Tucker and Fred Barakat were the golfers in that group.

In addition to the crystal and assorted prizes for the winners, the other golfers won packages for UNC football and basketball games along with tickets from Delta Air Lines.

Despite the heat and humidity, everybody seem to enjoy the afternoon. Regardless of what happened on the golf course the real winners were the children and their parents.