Drive Fore Kids is headed back to Falmouth Country Club from June 25-28, and organizers said Wednesday the fourth edition will bring in 38 committed players, the largest field yet for the charity golf tournament tied to Patrick Dempsey.
The event, which raises money for the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital and The Dempsey Center, drew $210,000 last year. Its inaugural tournament in 2023 raised $108,000 for the hospital, and organizers say the growing field has become one of the tournament’s biggest selling points.
Shamrock Sports and Entertainment added MasterCard as a primary sponsor this year, joining Bangor Savings Bank. Brian Corcoran said he is expecting about 12,000 spectators over the three days, up from an average of around 10,000 in the first three years, and called a 20% to 25% increase the team’s target.
The expanded lineup includes five new celebrity players: Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little, professional skateboarder Sean Malto, Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, Olympic gold medal-winning snowboarder Seth Wescott and Ollie Wright, a midfielder for the Portland Hearts of Pine. Wright said he jumped at the chance to play, adding that seeing the names in the field made him think, “Wow, some incredible names on there, and just little old me.”
He said the invitation meant a lot and admitted his golf game still needs work, though he has a couple of months to practice and hopes to keep the ball in bounds. The celebrity field also includes 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 superstar Vince Carter, along with Maine ties including Patrick Dempsey, Seth Wescott and Tom Caron.
The tournament has grown quickly because it blends a local cause with national name recognition, and this year’s record field suggests that formula is holding. The real test now is whether the bigger stage translates into the larger crowd and fundraising jump organizers are aiming for when Drive Fore Kids tees off later this month.