Paine gets pro's support

Even before he received the key to the city from Mayor Deke Copenhaver, Champions Tour golfer Jim Dent was talking about being part of the Paine College Golf Tournament for years to come.

"Every year I can walk, I'll be back," the 70-year-old Augusta native and honorary chairman of the tournament said before he teed off Monday afternoon.

Dent, and the chance to support the Paine golf team, were the drawing cards for the inaugural event at Jones Creek. It drew a field of 148 golfers, forcing extra golf carts to be brought in.

From entry fees and contributions from the community and sponsors, the event will raise more than $15,000, said Frances Wimberly, Paine's assistant vice president of institutional advancement.

That money will go to Paine's golf program, said Wimberly, who spearheaded the tournament.

Dent, a 12-time winner on the Champions Tour who started in golf as a caddie at Augusta National Golf Club as a teenager, could have played in the tournament at no charge, but he insisted on paying for his two teams, which included himself, his children and his grandchild.

"This is a great tournament," Dent said. "They've got some good people that put this on -- Kenny Larry and his staff. They did a wonderful job."

Dent lives in Tampa, Fla., but he still has strong family ties to Augusta, which he visits on a regular basis.

Dent, who attended Paine for a short time in the early 1960s, was aware of what happened to the Paine golf team in spring 2008. The team qualified for the PGA Minority Golf Championship but was unable to go because of financial reasons, the school said at the time.

The team qualified again this year and did participate. However, the Paine tournament was created so there would never be a repeat of 2008.

"You've got kids going to college who want to play golf, and you never know when you'll get another Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus," Dent said. "It's fun to be able to do something like this." Augusta's Clois Herndon, who was critical of Paine for not seeking public support before pulling the plug on the 2008 trip, played Monday.

"This is a good message that we should never let any student go lacking something because we didn't ask," he said. "Help is out there; you just have to ask."

Dent's support was appreciated by Paine coach Hoover Johnson and his team.

"When you have someone's name like Jim Dent, that's going to bring people," said Paine golfer Brad Freeman, a former Evans High golfer. "That he's giving his own time and supporting Paine College means a lot. It means a lot to see he cares where he came from. It's very special for us."

The city of Augusta also thanked Dent. In presenting the key to the city, Copenhaver said Dent has been "an ambassador for the city of Augusta around the world through the world of golf.".

Dent is in the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame, the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and the Paine College Sports Hall of Fame.

"This will go along with that," Dent said. "But to receive the key to the city, you can't ask for nothing better than that."

Reach David Westin at (706) 823-3224 or david.westin@augustachronicle.com.