The fifth annual Bob Kesling Boys & Girls Club Celebrity Golf Classic was held Friday afternoon at Link Hills Country Club with a sold-out field of 180 golfers, and when the day was over Bible's Machine Welding took the championship for the second straight year with a tournament record round of 51.

Bible's Machine Welding's team consisted of Donnie Bible, Bodie Bible, Jim White and Todd Ricker. Two shots back were Heritage Community Bank/Toyota of Bristol with a 53 led by Kent Bewley, Daniel Johnson, Tommy Burns, Justin Burns and former University of Tennessee and NFL player Eddie Brown.

Appalachian Forrest Products placed third in a scorecard playoff with a 55 paced by Katie Hutcherson, Mark Hickey, Anthony Payne, Jim Harrison and ETSU coach Mike Boyd. Leonard Associates at 55 was fourth paced by Tim Shelton, Bob Leonard, Watson Leonard, Terry Leonard and former Vol Anthony Hancock.

The Orthopaedic Center of Greeneville won the first flight with a 59 in a scorecard playoff behind Don Sandercock, Doug Weller, Mark Collins, Tim Davis and John Minor. Landair Distribution Services placed second in the flight with a 59 turned by Randy Hawk, Mike Chessck, Jim Massengill, Steve Matthews and Vol footballer Wes Brown.

Southeastern Orthopedic Solutions/Medical also had a 59 and their team consisted of Corky Cutshaw, Cathy Cannon, Charles Byrne, Roland McAmis and UT's Roger Frazier. DTR Tennessee shot a 59 to place fourth with Randy Rumbley, Cal Doty, James Channell, Neil G'Fellers and former Vol and current Appalachian State University coach Dale Jones.

First Fleet took the second flight with a 62 turned in by Eben Jones, Wayne Hendricks, Wayland Thompson, Jimmy Hill and UT's Jeff Jacoby. Summers Taylor was a shot back at 63 with Ted Bryant, John Bowman, Greg Keene, Jason Renner and tournament host Bob Kesling. Rexel Wholesale 63 was led by John Greene, Bobby Davis, Bobby Reynolds, and a pair of former Vol quarterbacks in Jeff Francis and Dewey Warren. First Tennessee Investments finished fourth in the flight with a 64 that was shot by Darin Patterson, John Paul Broyles, Matt Renner, Kurt Damron and Randy Tilson.

Earlier in the day the putting contest was won by Scott Felts. The long drive winner was Daniel Johnson and closest to the hole winners were Don McIntyre, Kevin Broyles, Charles Brooks and Jeff Francis. The tournament also had other contests including a "Pot of Orange" where participants won drivers, golf equipment and dozens of golf balls.

This annual event benefits the local Boys & Girls Club and was title sponsored by DTR Tennessee and Takoma Regional Hospital. Celebrities from around the region competed with local teams of four in this captain's team format.

Former athletes and college coaches were just a few of the celebrities that were involved in the tournament. In addition to those listed above on winning teams were Bobby Scott, Jonathan Crompton, Tony Jones, Bert Bertelkamp, Steve Hamer, Dale Clayton, Dave Bristol, Clark Duncan, Kelsey Finch, Ken Sparks, Al Brown, Jason Shay, Tracy Stallard and Tusculum College coach Frank DeBusk, to name a few. As in the past, all the celebrities were very gracious about signing autographs, talking to their fans and playing a fun round of golf.

The event started with a lunch followed by a round of golf and the evening was capped off with a buffet dinner, awards reception and a sports memorabilia auction. This years' auction had many autographed items, a set of golf irons, signed sports prints and several golf rounds from Myrtle Beach and other regional courses.

"With Bob Kesling's efforts, we had a tremendous turnout from the celebrity golfers for our tournament again this year," stated Scott Bullington, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club. "We are very fortunate to have people willing to take time out of their busy schedules to help support the youth of our community."

Kesling stated, "It is a great honor to be involved with Boys & Girls Clubs. The impact the Boys & Girls Club makes on a community's youth is priceless. I hope that our tournament will help provide some extra funding for this great organization and the youth of Greeneville & Greene County."

Jerry Fortner, chairman for golf classic, said, "This year's event was the most successful golf event ever held for the Boys & Girls Club in terms of participants and funds raised. We look forward to bringing it back again next year as Bob has committed to do it again in 2009."