They played 99 at OP9.
That is, a group of friends played 99 holes Tuesday at Overton Park 9 for the good of Memphis golf.
The 15 friends started at 6 a.m. — three groups of five. The goal was to play 11 consecutive rounds of the nine-hole course. They’d walk the whole thing. One of the group said total milage would be around 25 miles.
For this, they raised money, all the money going to the Overton Park Junior Open, the Overton Park Conservancy (OPC), and the Loren Roberts Scholarship Fund through The First Tee.
Will Frazier’s face was sun-reddened by around 4 p.m. on the eighth round of the 11-round OP99, as they called it. His feet hurt but his spirits were still up. His irons were still crisp. His sense of humor was still intact.
“I just wish somebody else would’ve put this on,” Frazier joked. “From the beginning I said this is a good idea. This should happen. Sounds great. Who’s going to be the guy who’s going to put it together?”
The guy turned out to be him and his “partner in crime” John Irvine. Frazier had survived a similar golf event in East Tennessee, that one a total of 100 holes called the Hundred Hole Hike. That event helped to subsidize golf rounds up to $5 for kids there. Memphis kids play every city-owned course for free. So no need to help pay for rounds.
Instead, the OP99 funds will help fund the Overton Park Junior Open. The tournament has been a staple of the Memphis golf scene since it began in 1947. While free and open to all Memphis youth ages 7 to 16, organizing and creating the event is not.
Funds for the OPC will support the OP9 golf course, of course.
The Loren Roberts Scholarship fund through The First Tee is awarded to a graduating Memphis student who participates in the First Tee program. That program introduces youth to the game of golf with coaches and practices. The scholarship came from PGA Tour member Loren Roberts, who wanted to make an annual contribution to the Mid-South Junior Golf Association (MSJGA).
As of Thursday, OP99 had raised $54,400.
“I have two little boys — an 8-year-old and a 5-year-old — who love the game of golf,” said OP99 golfer Daniel Connerley. “When [Frazier] said we’re doing this, and we’re going to get it going for the growth of the game and to get more kids involved in it … I’m like, absolutely.
“I grew up playing golf with my dad and I want to do the same with my boys. If there’s more places to do that and more opportunities for them to do it, that’s what I’m here for.”
Game play on the eighth round was still brisk and competitive. Word on the fairway was that Chase Harris, a former University of Memphis golfer and current PGA golf pro at Chickasaw Country Club, had set the OP9 course record on one round. He was on pace to break his own record in following rounds. Harris finished the day with an astounding 55 birdies, more than half of 99 holes he played.
Frazier is ready to do it again.
“So the game plan is to try to build enough momentum from this that it just sort of rolls on itself because it’s a great idea,” Frazier said. “We’ve got 15 guys out here. But I bet there are 50, 75, 150 guys in Memphis that would love to do this and these legs aren’t going to hold up forever.
“I can do it a couple of times. But not forever.”
The OP99 players were Frazier, Irvine, Connerley, Harris, Stephen Ellis, Tucker Fox, Justin Smith, Alex Ransone, Davidson Alexander, Brian Abraham, McCown Smith, Luke Jensen, Alex Butterworth, Foster Smith, and Jimmy Beard.
To find out more about the OP99, visit overtonpark99.com.