2025 Golf Ball Classic winners - C&C Millwright

The Bob Kesling Boys & Girls Club Celebrity Golf Classic is as strong as ever as it celebrates its 22nd year helping raise money for the Greeneville community.

Kesling, the voice of the Volunteers on radio since 1999, and Scott Bullington, the Executive Director for the Boys & Girls Club, were grateful for all the people who helped continue such a successful and important event.

“It takes a lot of good board members and a lot of good volunteers,” Bullington said. “Eddie Brown and Bob Kesling have done a really good job of rounding up a bunch of guys they used to play ball with. Then over time, they’ll run into their other buddies and tell them about a tournament in Greeneville and we get a lot of guys through word of mouth.”

“It’s been amazing and the town has really embraced it,” Kesling added. “Scott’s staff has done all the work and it’s amazing how many people come back and play every single year. They know it’s going to a good cause. It’s going to the building and funding the programs and help the kids in Greeneville.”

Last year, the money raised went toward the new Boys & Girls Club main building next the the Hal Henard Elementary School. Bullington said that the construction for the new main building should be complete in October.

“It’s just remarkable to see this thing finally come out of the ground,” Kesling said. “The kids here in Greene County are going to benefit so much from it.”

The new building will give the club a lot more room to take in more kids and help more families in Greene County. It will have a double gym with 12 drop-down goals, a computer lab with over 40 computers, a team room, an arts & crafts room, and a room for health and life skills.

“It’s triple our current size and it’ll double our enrollment,” Bullington said of the new building. “The town of Greeneville has been very, very nice in housing the Boys & Girls Club for 26 years. We’ve grown a lot, but we’ve outgrown the building. With our summer membership, we could only have 150 kids at a time. The new building will double that amount.”

With the transition to a newer and bigger building, the expenses will go up as they’ll need to hire more staff and have more supplies and food.

“Events like this golf tournament help us raise funds to continue to provide a service to the community,” Bullington said.

Similar to last year’s tournament, Allen Johnson of Greeneville Oil & Petroleum and QuickStop Markets was the title-sponsor. Johnson has been one of the biggest supporters of the Boys & Girls Club. He’s been a part of the fundraising in some form since the beginning, he said.

“We really like to support local functions,” Johnson said. “And you can’t get more local than the Boys & Girls Club. My grandsons have been a part of going over there since they were little kids and it’s something great for the community and we’re just happy to do it.

“The community supports my business and that’s huge. We in turn support the Boys & Girls Club. It’s just a marriage.”

Other major sponsors and food donors included Aubrey’s, Captain D’s Seafood Kitchen, Grand True Value Rental, Greeneville Federal Bank, Johnson City Toyota, Petro Services, Pizza Inn, Summers Taylor and Tom & Carla Bewley.

Jon Higgins, former UT basketball player and current Science Hill boys basketball coach, said, “It’s a great cause and it’s a great tournament. I know some of the people down at the Greeneville Boys & Girls Club and so anything we can do to help out the families, kids and the local community, I’m all for it. This golf tournament is a great opportunity to do that.”

Malik Foreman, former NFL and UT football player, said, “I was in the Boys & Girls Club growing up in Kingsport. I’ve got ties to this community. I was invited three years ago and I’ve been coming ever since. I love this community and it’s a great course. There are tons of great people that are out here and any time that I can put some orange on and come play golf, I’m always ready to go.”

While many of the golfers attending the tourney have been participating for 15 or 20 years, with a special few having been to all 22, Link Hills has also attracted some current college stars.

Former Greeneville High School and current University of Tennessee basketball player Ja’Kobi Gillespie and his teammates, Nate Ament, Campbell Duncan, Cade Phillips, JP Estrella and Amaree Abram, came out to show their support, as did Carson-Newman quarterback Zane Whitson.

Said Ja’Kobi, “It means a lot. Just growing up here, I’ve always wanted to give back to the community. I haven’t been able to come back (while I was at Maryland), so just being an hour away now, finally being able to come back, I want to take advantage of the opportunity. I’m going to try to come back here as much as I can.”

Said Ament, “Ja’Kobi asked me to come here and I love golf and I love supporting the local community any way that I can. Even though I’m not from here, it still feels good to support a cause where younger kids can look up to older athletes.”

Said Whitson, “It’s awesome. It’s just a great community. Everybody’s friendly and everybody’s here to have a good time. It’s all about giving back. Anytime that you have a chance to give back, you should. Me and my family, we’re always looking to give back any chance that we get.”

C&C Millwright claimed its second straight title by tying a tournament record with a score of 51. The team was led by Whitson, along with Matt Dibella, Hunter Hartman, Zack Lane, and Zane Potter.

The Petro Services team of Foreman, Brian Foster, Scott Honeycutt, Randy Lindsay, Eric Thomason took second with a score of 54.

The First Horizon team of Larry Landers, Heath Pruitt, Kamryn Renner, Kylee Renner and Matt Renner took third with a score of 55.

The Greeneville Water Commission of Delana DeBusk, Grace Hayes, Lanny Johnston, Will Tittle and former Tennessee Volunteer Tony Wilhoit took the first flight honors with a 62. Heritage Community Bank also scored 62 behind Carson Newman basketball player Charlie Browder, Justin Burns, Brett St. Clair, Will Melton and Allen Tolliver.

Closest to the hole winners included Jack Browder on hole 3, Mark Ross on hole 6, Zane Whitson on hole 14 and Joe Thompson on hole 16. Mike Cochran was the long drive contest winner.

C&C Millwright wins 21st annual Bob Kelsing Boys & Girls Club Celebrity Golf Classic

Golf Ball Classic winners - C&C Millwright

Second Place - Farm Bureau

Third Place - Captain D’s/Pizza Inn

From Knoxville, TN

I-40 East to I-81 North; Take Exit 23 (Bulls Gap); Take a right onto 11E North; Go approximately 12-13 miles, turn right onto Highway 70 South; Follow 70 South approximately 6 miles until you see the Campground Church of God on your right; Turn left at the next street (East Allens Bridge Road); Link Hills is 1 1/2 miles on the left.

From Bristol, TN

Take I-81 South to I-181 toward Johnson City; Take the Boones Creek Road exit which takes you to Jonesborough; You will come to a red light in Jonesborough (Hwy 11E); Turn right and follow the highway through Greeneville to Highway 70 South. Follow 70 South approximately 6 miles until you see the Campground Church of God; Turn left at the next street (East Allen's Bridge Road); Link Hills is 1 1/2 miles on the left.

From Asheville, NC

Take I-40 West to Highway 321 at Newport, TN; Turn right on 321 to Greeneville, TN; Once inside the city limits you will come to a red light; Turn right (Hwy 70 S). Follow 70 South approximately 6 miles until you see the Campground Church of God on your right; Turn left at the next street (East Allen's Bridge Road); Link Hills is 1 1/2 miles on the left.

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