Beneficiary of Watson Challenge tournament wants to get more kids playing golf

A field of 48 players is set to compete for the honor of being called the best golfer in Kansas City in the 2019 Watson Challenge, but the youths who will help with the event and benefit from its proceeds will also be winners.

The Watson Challenge has raised more than $600,000 for The First Tee of Greater Kansas City since starting in 2007, and it will be the charitable beneficiary for this year’s event, which runs Friday through Sunday at the Nicklaus Golf Club at LionsGate.

Executive director Brigette Chirpich said youths from urban, suburban and rural areas in 10 counties participate in The First Tee program at 16 different locations. The program helps youths learn life skills as well as the game of golf.

“It’s a perfect sport to teach kids about honesty and integrity,” she said. “This is a fantastic tournament for them to see it in action.”

Tom Watson said it is important for the game to get youths interested in it.

“We’re in a battle for our survival in a sense with golf,” he said.

Watson said that while the kids of today may not have four hours to play a full round of golf, he suggests they take two hours to get away from their phones and play nine holes.

“Golf is a game. Your supposed to have fun,” Watson said. “We want those kids to go have fun. We need to attract them and let them experience the game of golf the way it should be experienced.”

Andy Spencer, a member of the University of Kansas golf team who won the Watson Challenge the past two years, didn’t participate in The First Tee program growing up but was glad to help as a volunteer when he got older.

“I got into it by hitting plastic golf balls with plastic clubs around the yard while my dad was mowing when I was about 3 years old,” he said. “I’ve always loved the game.”

Robert Russell, the head professional at LionsGate, said his course is excited to host the event.

“It gives us a sense of playing a tour event,” Russell said of the Challenge. “Speaking on behalf of all the Midwest Section players, we look forward to this.... I am sure the amateurs do as well to get a taste of that.”

Doug Habel, executive director of the Kansas City Golf Association, said that while Kansas City has a lot of good golf courses and that events like The Watson Challenge and the annual Web.com Tour tournament raise awareness, the area doesn’t have a course with enough space to hold a PGA Tour tournament.

“We don’t have the infrastructure and golf courses to hold a major tournament here,” Watson said. “We just don’t.”

2019 Watson Challenge