(September 10, 2022 - Sandwich, Massachusetts) - There were a few pairings making noise early on in yesterday’s BJ’s Charity Championship presented by Kimberly-Clark, a Legends of the LPGA two-player team event held annually at The Ridge Club.
Playing in the first group, Elaine Crosby and Cathy Johnston-Forbes dropped six birdies on the front to go out in 29. Not far behind, World Golf Hall of Fame members Amy Alcott and Hollis Stacy made the turn at five under par.
The birdies were definitely out there. But in the end, no one carded more of them than the dynamic duo of Pat Bradley, 71, an LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fame member, and Jamie Fischer, 54, a former LPGA Tour competitor turned nationally recognized teaching professional. The pair posted a 12 under par 59 to win the BJ’s Charity Championship by two strokes and earn $17,500 each.
“I was looking forward to my day because I had a youngster with a young heart and a great game on my team,” said Bradley. “When things started to happen early in the round, it just kind of snowballed from there. Jamie was great under pressure. When I missed a putt, she cleaned it up - she had my back all day.”
Bradley and Fischer made the turn at six under par to grab a share of the lead they never relinquished, punctuated by a birdie on the 9th hole that elicited a huge roar from the crowd.
“I made a 25-footer that went in the side door for birdie,” said Bradley. “I didn’t think it was going in – I thought it was just going to hang on the lip. Then I kind of gave it a little hip action and it went in."
“That may become a new dance move,” joked Fischer whose mother, Andy Fischer, teed it up with Bradley on the LPGA Tour in the late 1960’s and 1970’s. Bradley recalled in her speech at the trophy ceremony how the elder Fischer would push young Jamie around in a stroller as they made there way from Tour stop to Tour stop.
“I was thrilled when Pat called me several weeks ago and invited me to play, but I almost thought she had the wrong number,” chuckled Fischer. “It was an honor, a pleasure and a treat to play with Pat. She hit the ball so solid, so far and so true – it was fun to watch. I was thinking while we were out there that I better bring my game to stay on this team with Pat.”
Fischer was up to the task, according to Bradley, who remarked that Fischer’s short game played a critical role in “turning pars into birdies” on two of the par 5 holes. “She got it up and down beautifully on those par 5’s, and that was huge for us,” said Bradley.
Bradley and Fischer got it to nine under par with a tidy two on the par 3 14th hole and then rattled off three consecutive birdies. A near miss for one more birdie on 18 didn’t matter. They were three shots clear of the remaining groups who had just one hole to play.
“To have posted this score with Pat Bradley is probably one of the best days I will ever have in golf,” said Fischer. “She represents what it means to be a golf professional. All day long, she thanked fans for being out here – not just on the last hole, but the whole way around.”
Bradley, who resides in West Hyannisport, Mass., was elated to have won on her home turf.
“To play on the Cape at this stage of my career and see people come out to cheer us all on was just terrific,” said Bradley. “I know my years are limited now in tournament golf, so to be able to share this day with Jamie and my family and friends and people on the Cape, it’s just incredible.”
Added Bradley with a wide smile to the sky, “It doesn’t get any better than this.”
The teams of Maria McBride and Michelle McGann and Trish Johnson and Suzy Whaley finished locked at 10 under par to tie for second place.
For final results, visit LegendsoftheLPGA.com.
PHOTO CREDIT: Rick and Linda Sharp
