GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University golf teams will host the Bob Dibble Match Play Classic this Labor Day weekend at Graysburg Hills Golf Club in Chuckey, Tennessee. All proceeds from the event will benefit the Niswonger Children's Hospital.
The event is named in honor of long-time Tusculum University golf coach Bob Dibble, who guided the TU men's program for 28 years and started the women's program in 1997.
The three-day match play format for the men will begin on Saturday and feature collegiate teams Tusculum, King University, Lincoln Memorial University, Mars Hill University, Shorter University, Walters State College and Wingate University. Match play will continue on Sunday with the finals being conducted Monday morning.
The women's event will be a 36-hole stroke-play tournament beginning with Sunday's opening round followed by the final round on Monday. Women's teams and individuals participating include Tusculum, King, Lincoln Memorial, Mars Hill, Milligan College and the University of Virginia's College at Wise.
Both the men's match play and women's stroke play events are exhibitions per NCAA rules and the scores and results will not count.
"This is a fun way to start the year for the student-athletes and also an opportunity to help a great cause like the Niswonger Children's Hospital," said TU head coach Ross Cash. "(Tusculum Board of Trustee member) Scott Niswonger told me that if he died tomorrow, the thing that he would be most proud of would be the Children's Hospital. So with that in mind, we wanted to be able to benefit something Mr. Niswonger cared so deeply about."
The Niswonger Children's Hospital, located in Johnson City, Tennessee, offers state-of-the-art medical care in a family-oriented environment. Its cheerful and bright hospital is designed to let children receive excellent care in a light-filled, supportive and high-tech environment. The pediatric-trained physicians and team members provide exceptional medical care, using the latest technology.
Some of the participating teams are also planning to visit the Children's Hospital this Friday prior to the event and spend time with some of the patients.
Chartwells Food Service is a corporate sponsor of this event.
This weekend's golf tournament at Graysburg Hills is free and the public is invited to attend.
