Drive Fore Kids Celebrity Golf Tournament raises $200K for Maine charities

Photo / Caden Gilbert Mardy Fish (center), a 2004 tennis Olympic Silver Medalist who won six career titles and played in Professional Golfers' Association of America, accepts a trophy for the 2024 Drive Fore Kids.

Write a Comment

By Alexis Wells

While Mother Nature may not have cooperated — contributing a rain delay to the start of the competition — last week's Drive Fore Kids Celebrity Golf Tournament raised $100,000 for each of two Maine nonprofit organizations.

Funds from the event, held June 20-23 at the Falmouth Country Club, will benefit Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital, at Maine Medical Center in Portland, and the Dempsey Center, a cancer support provider based in Lewiston.

"Thanks to celebrities, sponsors led by presenting partner Bangor Savings Bank, 300-plus volunteers and fans, we were able to raise $200,000 for the Dempsey Center and the MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital with our 2024 Drive Fore Kids golf tournament," said Brian Corcoran, executive director of Drive Fore Kids and CEO of Shamrock Sports & Entertainment.

Corcoran said the event had a $6 million economic impact and drew 11,250 fans. A Down on the Range concert series featured 12 O/C, Julia Gagnon and Chris Lane.

The tournament featured a roster of celebrities from the world of sports and entertainment, including Patrick Dempsey, Jack Wagner, Jeremy Swayman, Tuukka Rask, Ben Higgins and dozens more.

Mardy Fish, a 2004 tennis Olympic silver medalist who won six career titles and also played in PGA pro golf tournaments, won the Drive Fore Kids tourney.

Taylor Twellman, a five-time Major League Soccer all-star and one-time MVP who also played with the U.S. National Team, came in second.

For their efforts, first-place winner Fish received a $50,000 prize and runner-up Twellman received $25,000.

Sponsors of Drive for Kids were led by Bangor Savings Bank and MaineHealth.

Drive Fore Kids plans to hold its third annual tournament in June 2025. Corcoran told Mainebiz he is in the process of taking Drive Fore Kids to the next level in 2025.

"In order to grow Drive Fore Kids in 2025, we seek a title partner to 'own' the event," said Corcoran. "The title partner will become synonymous with our star-studded celebrity lineup, all marketing and promotion as well as related charitable and community impact. Like the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe, Nev., and the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Fla., Drive Fore Kids has become one of the pre-eminent celebrity golf tournaments in the country."

Drive Fore Kids will air on NESN on July 6.