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August 21, 2025 • 14 mins
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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hour two of the Richmond Weavers Show presented by Ingles
Markets rolls on past this four PM hour, and remember
we'll hand things off to mister John Ellis at five pm.
So yes, stay tuned right here on one of four nine.
Fox Sports Upstate Game On with John Ellis will be
with you for the rest of drive time from five
to seven. But it is time that we actually do

(00:22):
a little bit of golf talk. So yes, let's go
inside the ropes.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
From the fairways to the headlights. It's Inside the Ropes
driven by the BMW Charity Program presented by TD Sinax.
You're all access pass to golf's biggest needs and best moments.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
All right, it is our pleasure to welcome in once
again mister Michael McGovern, Tournament director of the BMW Charity
Program presented by TD Cinx, and Michael, I know we
got to see each other just for a few minutes
last night because you were busy. They're at the PGA
Superstore helping to be able to celebrate all of the

(01:03):
volunteers that have helped out over the years. And my
biggest question though for you, Michael, is how are you
going to replace Nancy Smith? I mean because she is
the ring leader of all your volunteers, my friends. So
I don't know how you're going to be able to
do that Nancy Smith.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
First of all, Richmond, thanks for having me on. But
Nancy Smith has been with the event for twenty five
years and she is just a consummate professional. She's won
Volunteer of the Year award with the Corn Fairy Tour
I think seven times.

Speaker 1 (01:32):
Wow.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
She's just an awesome, awesome person, an individual that's a yourself.
She really just wants to give and give and give.
And you know it comes time where health is more important. Yes,
and having Nancy around for a lot more years is
way more important to us at the tournament. She still

(01:53):
be around, but just in a different capacity. But I
can't say another nice things about Nancy Smith and all
that she's dedicated time and effort to this tournament.

Speaker 1 (02:01):
Yes, no question about it. Will I mean, she's been
doing a fantastic job. And to your point, she will
still be, you know, involved, just might not be in
the exact same role that she has been. But talk about, though, Michael,
the massive undertaking and the volunteers, how they are the
heartbeat of the event to a certain degree, because I

(02:21):
don't know if you could really pull off an event
like you do at the scale that you do without
the volunteers, where you're looking at say eight hundred type
of you know, volunteers. So walk us through just the
volunteer involvement.

Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yeah. Absolutely, it's ways for folks in the community to
get involved and to raise money for charity. Right, So,
every volunteer chooses one of our featured charities that they're
twenty dollars a day goes towards. So if somebody works
four days, they know that eighty dollars of their effort
was going towards their charity of choice. So that's something

(03:00):
that we really set up. We have our charitable partners,
and we really want to make sure that they are
using the tournament as an avenue to raise additional funds.
And that's what's most important. That's why we have this event.
That's why BMW and TD Cinics are the primary sponsors
of this event, is to raise money for our charitable partners.

Speaker 1 (03:22):
Yeah. And when you talk about raising money, I mean
we're getting close to twenty million dollars in terms of
what has been able to be raised for those upstate charities.
So you guys are obviously doing something right when you're
able to have that type of community involvement, especially on
the financial side. All right, So Michael heading into our

(03:43):
should say, heading out of the tournament back in June
and then now somewhat into this planning stages, I guess
you might call it. What does that look like for
you in terms of are you able to take at
least a deep breath and you know, at least under
stand and reflect about the past event that you had

(04:03):
with Austin Smotherman winning there, but then also now getting
ready for twenty twenty six.

Speaker 2 (04:09):
Oh absolutely, it's honestly, when the final putt drops, we
really kind of reflect and what we did right and
what ways to improve, And that's super important to us.
I think any event, you can't stay the same, either
you get better or you get worse. Yes, you can
never stay the same. In professional golf tournament management, so

(04:30):
it's working with the team and really having unique experiences
for our sponsors, having unique experiences for our amateur participants,
and something that they you know, yes, they could definitely
do something like this on the PGA Tour at Pebble
Beach or at PGA West but those are six figure numbers. Yes,

(04:50):
we're not in the six figures. And you have the
opportunity to play inside the ropes with somebody that's going
to be on the PGA Tour next year. Yes, and
there's twenty guys from our tour that have to be
on the PGA Tour next year, So it's it's really
a unique experience. But it's also it's a week long
party and we just happen as a golf tournament's going
on at the same time.

Speaker 1 (05:11):
So yes, there is.

Speaker 2 (05:13):
That kind of what we say, whether it's you know,
whether it's opening weekend at Greered Downtown Festival or whether
it's the you know, col Swindell concert up in Spartanburg
or Marcus King in Greenville, it's it's a great community
event that we are super happy that for twenty five
years BMW has supported this event and it sure seems

(05:34):
like they're going to continue with this moving forward. So
just grateful to BMW and td Sinex for all that
they've done for this event. But Richmond, you said it
perfectly earlier. It's the volunteers everyone else around the community
that are partnering with us, whether it's a sponsor, a
volunteer or an amateur. It's get involved and you'll you'll

(05:55):
understand what we're trying to do once you come to
the event.

Speaker 1 (05:58):
No doubt. He is Michael McGovern, Tournament director of the
BMW Charity Program presented by td CINX. And you mentioned
in those volunteers, what's the process to become a volunteer
as we're going to be heading into twenty six and
any advice for first timers that want to make the
most of their experience as a volunteer.

Speaker 2 (06:19):
Yeah, find out the volunteer descriptions right, the job duties,
Understand what the job entails. And if you want to
be active and moving around, there's a job for you.
If you want to sit behind the desk or drive
a BMW, there's a job for you. So there's so
many different avenues in which people can help. Whether it's

(06:40):
just driving players around in BMW's we need seventy transportation volunteers,
we need twenty five walking score of volunteers who put
in the score for the pros and so, whether it's
a whole marshal, whether it's a night volunteer. And Jim
and his crew do a great job at night. For

(07:01):
our volunteers, it's just, honestly, it's finding out what you
like to do and then sticking with that because what
we always say is, you know, misery loves company, and
volunteering is more fun with friends. Yes, it bring your
friend out, bring your neighbor out. It's a good time
where you're going to make sure you get fed correctly.

(07:22):
We're going to make sure you have the right clothing,
shirt size, and the hat or advisor. We're going to
have a happy hour at the end of your shift.
We're going to make sure that you forge friendships. This year, Richmond,
we have our first BMW charity prom wedding. A two
volunteers met at the tournament two years ago and they
just recently got married, and so things like that just

(07:45):
make it so fun to see that, as you know,
we were a small part in their potential family future
and it's just a lot of fun to see. You know,
last night, I can't tell you how many you know,
handshakes I had or I had, but it's just seeing
the folks in a different environment and a relaxed atmosphere,

(08:06):
not tournament stress. And you know, we're having the Nancy
Smith Invitational golf tournament coming up at thorn Blade in
a couple of weeks. We'll get together without volunteers, probably
another two times throughout the year, just showing gratitude and appreciation,
and then you know, October, towards the end of October,
will open volunteer registration and then we ask our volunteers

(08:28):
to help spread the word. But it's also using our
charitable partners. It's using the mobile Meals of Spartanberg, it's
using the Gibbs Cancer Center Research Institute, it's using the
Neighborhood Cancer Connection. So it's making sure that they are
out there promoting the tournament and showcasing their why they're
a part of the.

Speaker 1 (08:47):
Event, no question about it. And I don't think you
probably knew that you were going to be a matchmaker,
did you? A wedding from.

Speaker 2 (08:56):
Really cool and it's just it was just a really
a feel good and they're like, oh, you didn't know
we got married. I'm sorry I wasn't invited to the wedding,
but it was so cool just to see, you know,
the excitement and the people coming out together last night,
the smiles on the faces that they haven't seen since
June and it's really a family. That's what Nancy has

(09:19):
instilled in our volunteers. It's family. And that's what you
know is really important to us is make sure that
whether it's a first year volunteer or a twenty five
year volunteer, they get something out of it and they
have some joy in their heart knowing that they did
well in the community for helping an event.

Speaker 1 (09:37):
No question. All right, before we let you go, Michael,
because I know you're a busy man, even in somewhat
of this downtime for the BMW Charity Program presented by
TD sin X as the Tour Championship in Atlanta East Lake,
and you look at somebody like a Scottie Scheffler who
came through the Corn Fairy Tour. So again you talk

(09:57):
about these future stars. You see they're at the BMW
Charity pro Am presented by TD sin X. What do
you make of Scotti Scheffler and just what his career
has been so far.

Speaker 2 (10:09):
I mean it's a different game, yes, game that some
people are unfamiliar with, right, so I know that they
Colin Montgomery said that back in the day about Tiger
Woods's game. He's playing a game I'm unfamiliar with and
right now, Scotty, you know, it has a lot to do.
I think with the way he is off the golf course,

(10:29):
I think golf is not a number one to him.
His family is number one. His relationship with God is
number you know, number one really, But you get what
I'm saying. It's it's it's refreshing to see, not the
attention grabbing. I want this, I want that. I'm in
five hundred commercials and I'm trying to maximize every dollar.
It's it's refreshing to see. But you know, I look

(10:51):
at the list you mentioned Corn Ferry Tour. Os Kpetilla
played in the corn Ferry Tour a couple of years ago.
Our local star Jacob Bridge and made the tour championship
this year. How great is that for Jacob? You know
he catapulted to sixty fourth, sixty fourth and official Worldhop rankings.
That's amazing for a kid coming out of Clemson.

Speaker 1 (11:12):
Right, no doubt.

Speaker 2 (11:13):
And he caught the right he caught the right breaks.
You know, there's other guys. You know, when I look
at the corn Fairy Tour, I see Bryce and Nimmere
at thirty three. You know kind of get to that
top twenty, and you know, it's just so refreshing to
see these young players around here. We have such a
good foundation of professional golf. You know, it starts with

(11:34):
the godfather of golf here in the Upstate, Jayhawk. Yeah,
and really just this area is welcoming to that professional
star that wants to matriculate through his career, whether it's
through the Thorn Blade All Star Program or whether it's
through sponsor exemptions to the BMW. It's seeing these guys
matriculate and it's so fun to watch because now most

(11:56):
of these guys are coming through the Corn Fairy Tour
or in order to get to the PGA Tour, the
Harry Halls, you know, all those guys, Now that's the
pathway that is and it's going to be very rare
in the future that you're going to see at college
player comes straight out of college and go straight to
the PGA Tour. Those starts are going to be a
premium you know for these events. You know, the PGA

(12:18):
Tour schedule came out yesterday, nine signature events. That's nine
times at the top thirty in the world. There more
than likely going to take a position, yes, and you know,
so these playing opportunities for these pros are tree keep
you and far between. So you got to perform when
you have the stage.

Speaker 1 (12:35):
No doubt. Yes, And I know you're trying to get
out there and perform. You've got some golf and tournaments
that you're going to be playing upcoming, so get out
there and hit them straight. And man, I know you
still got to be so frustrated, oh so close on
that hole in one, my friend.

Speaker 2 (12:50):
It was a lot of fun. I celebrated my fiftieth
birthday at Double Beach and those golf courses out there,
and then we're playing in the South Carolina Listeners Cup
with the Discover sc Cup down at Keio in a
couple of weeks. Super excited to have that with the
PGA Tour radio personalities. So there's just you know, usually
when you get into the golf business, you don't play golf.

(13:12):
And I really made a commitment after this year's tournament
to say, I'm gonna get my handicapped down to a scratch.

Speaker 1 (13:18):
There you go.

Speaker 2 (13:19):
I'm you know, treading that way and I'm working hard
at it. So grateful to thorn Blade and Carolina Country Clubs.
Let me go out there and practice and sharpen my skills.

Speaker 1 (13:27):
There you go, my friend. Well, Michael, you're always welcome here.
We greatly appreciate it and definitely look forward to having
you back on as you're prepping up and getting ready
for the twenty twenty six BMW Charity Program presented by Tdcinx.
And you know we'll be out there broadcasting as well,
so we're definitely looking forward to to seeing everybody out there.
And you have a great rest of the day, my friend, Thank.

Speaker 2 (13:50):
You, Richmond, appreciate the partnership and definitely value our relationship.

Speaker 1 (13:55):
Yes, sir, that is Michael McGovern and tournament director of
the BMW Charity pro Am presented by Tdcinex.
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