Perfect time for charity

CEDAR RAPIDS - Timing is crucial in sports.

Success often depends on the timing of a play, a performance or even in the mechanics of a golf swing.

The timing of the Zach Johnson Foundation Classic helped produce one of the most talented professional fields Monday at Elmcrest Country Club. The fourth annual charity event was almost a month earlier from early August, and held the week of the PGA Tour's John Deere Classic in Silvis, Ill.

The new date was selected partly due to the pro tournament held within a two-hour drive.

'Ideally, you can get the guys who play the week before, the week after or both,” Johnson said after signing autographs and posing for pictures after playing the No. 14 hole. 'I think this day is going to be better. Obviously, we have a lot more guys this year, which had helped. I think in time it will continue to grow.”

The field was impressive, including four players ranked in the World's top-21 golfers and players with five major championships. Spectators received the benefit of the unique experience.

'It's such a rare thing for a small community in Iowa,” Elmcrest golf pro Larry Gladson said. 'The spectators had just a wonderful time. Everybody who was out here had a great time with a chance to get really close to some of the world's best players.”

Many golfers are dedicated to charitable events. They are also on the road consistently for the better part of nine to 10 months. This year made both easier, lessening the intrusion on the schedule.

'It makes it more convenient since we're traveling all the time,” said Stewart Cink, a five-time PGA Tour winner and 2009 British Open champion. 'Anything we can do to reduce travel is a bonus.”

Johnson alleviated much of the travel burden, bringing a star-studded field to northeast Cedar Rapids. It benefits the players and the spectators.

'It makes it easy because Zach sent a nice plane to pick five of us up at the Greenbrier Classic (in West Virginia) and flew us here,” said Davis Love III, who has won 20 PGA events and had spent more than 450 weeks in the World's top-10 rankings. 'We got to play (Monday) with some of his friends and buddies and move along to the John Deere. It works out perfect.”

Johnson said he was pleased by the turn out of pros and celebrities and the groups that came out to view them.

'Very happy,” Johnson said. 'I'm very happy with the community coming out to support it, too.”

Scott Langley, a PGA Tour player from St. Louis, Mo., who competed for the University of Illinois, traveled to play in Nevada after last year's event. The turnaround from fun and charity to competition will be less stressful for Langley.

'We're having a lot of fun,” Langley said. 'When I get to the course it is business as usual, getting back in the swing of things.”

Monday calm before the storm of vying for a title at TPC Deere Run on Thursday. The pros get to enjoy it before practice rounds Tuesday.

'It's great,” Love said. 'It's easy for us. We get to ride around in a cart and next we'll be climbing those hills at the John Deere.”

Langley also said he would participate regardless of the date, referring to Johnson as a 'good friend” and 'great mentor.” Johnson, himself, is the biggest influence on his colleagues, attracting more than 10 professionals including Jordan Spieth, Steve Stricker, Jason Dufner and Scott Stallings.

'The quality of the field that comes to a tournament like this is directly proportional to the popularity to the guy, who hosts it,” Cink said. 'It's no surprise with a guy like Zach. He's very well-liked and he's got a great attitude and spirit.”

Johnson realized a July event strikes at the time when golf peaks in Iowa with the Waterloo Open, Greater Cedar Rapids Open and John Deere Classic on the horizon.

'This is the time of year golf in Iowa is pretty healthy,” Johnson said. 'Why not keep it going?”

His only hesitation was a possible conflict with John Deere, which is one of his sponsors. Johnson praised the company for a quick accommodation.

'We made one phone call and they called back in five to 10 minutes and totally embraced it,” Johnson said. 'A tip of the cap to them for letting us pursue this date and try to do some good things for the community.”

The event will be assessed and the work begins toward improvements. Gladson said the event could remain at this time next year.

'I think from what I'm feeling today, and the quality of the field we brought out here with the highly-ranked players like we did, that this is a good time to have it, being close to the John Deere Classic.

'If this can also help the John Deere Classic by one of the professionals stay here this week and go down there to play in their tournament then we'd like that even more.”

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