The 5th Annual Ben Carson Celebrity Golf Tournament

On Monday, October 22nd friends of the Carson Scholars Fund met at Maryland’s premier Bulle Rock Golf Course for the Ben Carson Celebrity Golf Tournament. Bulle Rock, located in Havre de Grace, is rated the Mid-Atlantic’s only 5-star golf destination.  The picturesque autumn leaves and beautiful 70 degree weather made for a perfect day out on the golf course!

Golfers, celebrities, and sponsors met on the porch of the clubhouse for the 11:00 am shotgun start, where they were greeted by Dr. Ben Carson. Each team included a celebrity – another treat for the golfers. After a run-down of the rules, the teams headed out – excited to tackle the challenging course.

Following a day on the course, everyone gathered at the clubhouse terrace to watch the Helicopter Ball Drop. The Aberdeen High School Chamber Orchestra provided lovely music as guests from area schools mingled awaiting the ball drop. Over 400 golf balls were dropped from the helicopter on to the putting green! Golf ball #62 was the lucky winner, landing closest to the hole! John Teasley won a 2013 Carson Scholar for the best applicant in the US, a Barnes & Nobles Nook, and a personal phone call from Dr. Carson! Severna Park Middle School also won a 2013 Carson Scholar for their school because they purchased over 75 golf balls! Congratulations to our grand prize winner John Teasely, and to Severna Park Middle School!

Check out a video from the Ball Drop!

After the exciting golf ball drop, everyone returned to the clubhouse terrace for cocktails, mingling, and a silent auction. Guests were greeted by Carson Scholar Stephen Blackwell, and the sounds of Carson Scholar Kevin Matthews playing the clarinet.

During dinner, the winners of the golf tournament were announced by our emcees and celebrity guests Jayne Miller and Peter Schmuck. Attendees also heard from Carson Scholar Alum Hailey Cramer. Hailey spoke about how being a Carson Scholar has inspired her to live a more purposeful life and to make a difference to those around her.

Dr. and Mrs. Carson thanked all of the guests and celebrities for supporting the Carson Scholars Fund and joining in the mission to discover promise and reward excellence in American students. The Golf Tournament raised more than $150,000.

The celebrities included:
Harold Baines – Former Baltimore Oriole and Chicago White Sox first-base coach
Mario Barrett – Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, actor, model, and Baltimore-native
Paul Blair – Former Baltimore Oriole
Dara Brown – Anchor and senior producer for MSNBC.com’s original programming on NBCNews.com
Al Bumbry – Former Baltimore Orioles outfielder
Dr. Ben Carson – World-renowned neurosurgeon and co-founder of the Carson Scholars Fund
Sour D – Baltimore-native hip-hop artist
Brad Jackson – Former Baltimore Raven
Dave Johnson – Former Baltimore Orioles pitcher and sports commentator
Steve Johnson – Baltimore Orioles pitcher
Sam Jones – Former Boston Celtic
John Mahoney – Baltimore Orioles first baseman
Tom Matte – Maryland sports legend and former Baltimore Colt
Michael McCrary - Former Baltimore Ravens defensive end and Super Bowl XXXV champion
Jayne Miller – I-Team Lead Investigative Reporter for Baltimore’s WBAL-TV
Arthur Rhodes – Left-handed relief pitcher
Peter Schmuck – Baltimore Sun sports writer
Ken Singleton – Former Baltimore Orioles outfielder
B.J. Surhoff – Former Baltimore Oriole
Wally Williams – Former Baltimore Raven and sports commentator