BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation

GREENVILLE, SC – April 10, 2012 – Celebrity commitments for the 12th annual BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation were announced today during the tournament’s Media Day. Included in the list are the following first-time participants:  actor Anthony Anderson of NBC’s Emmy Award-winning drama Law & Order, Rascal Flatts bass guitarist Jay DeMarcus, actor Danny Masterson of TBS’s That ’70s Show, actor Grant Show of FOX’s Melrose Place, and Holly Sonders, host of Golf Channel’s Morning Drive.

Twenty-four celebrities, including actors, musicians and TV personalities, are scheduled to participate in this year’s tournament. Joining Anderson, DeMarcus, Masterson, Show and Sonders are Steve Azar, Lucas Black, Mark Bryan, Javier Colon, Jeffrey Donovan, David James Elliott, Dean Felber, Bruce Greenwood, Oliver Hudson, Josh Kelley, Greg Kinnear, Cheech Marin, Rob Morrow, Terry O’Quinn, Joe Don Rooney, Wyatt Russell, Kevin Sorbo, Gary Valentine and Patrick Warburton.

We are so thankful and excited to have this caliber of celebrities travel from across the country to the Upstate to donate their time and talents in support of the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation, said Tournament Director Darin MacDonald. This is a signature event for our community and the state of South Carolina, and I can’t stress the importance that it plays for our 27 benefiting charities. We are extremely grateful that they are willing to take time out of their schedules to join us.

Actor Anthony Anderson is currently a member of NBC’s Emmy Award-winning drama Law & Order. Anderson plays Detective Kevin Bernard opposite Jeremy Sisto as Detective Cyrus Lupo. Anderson has appeared in over 20 films including Transformers and The Departed. This will be Anderson’s first time participating in the tournament.

            Musician Steve Azar became a radio sensation with the release of I Don’t Have to Be Me (‘Til Monday) and his video Waitin’ on Joe. His latest CD is Delta Soul: Volume 1. The come-on title refers both to the romance in some of the tunes and to the fact that the record is full of slide-guitar licks. This is Azar’s fourth time participating in the tournament.

Actor Lucas Black is known for his recent roles in Seven Days in Utopia with Robert Duvall and Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. As a child he appeared in Sling Blade with Billy Bob Thorton and The War alongside Kevin Costner. This will be Black’s fourth time playing in the tournament.

Mark Bryan is a founding member, songwriter and the guitar player for multi-platinum Hootie & the Blowfish. This will be Bryan’s fourth time playing in the tournament.

Musician Javier Colon is known for winning Season 1 of NBC’s The Voice. Before winning The Voice, Colon was a member of The Derek Trucks Band and worked with many musicians before going solo. This will be Colon’s eighth appearance.

Jay DeMarcus is the bass guitarist, harmony vocalist, pianist and songwriter in the country trio Rascal Flatts. This will be DeMarcus’ first time participating in the tournament.

Actor Jeffrey Donovan is known for his starring role in USA Network’s Burn Notice as well as supporting roles in movies such as Hitch with Will Smith and J. Edgar with Leonardo DiCaprio. This will be his second appearance.

Actor David James Elliott is known for his starring role on the series JAG, playing lead character Harmon Rabb Jr. from 1995 to 2005. Elliot is currently co-starring as Ripp Cockburn, Kristin Chenoweth’s character husband, on the ABC’s comedy-drama series GCB. This will be Elliott’s third appearance.

Dean Felber is a founding member and bass guitar player for multi-platinum Hootie & the Blowfish. This will be Felber’s fourth time playing in the tournament.

Actor Bruce Greenwood has starred in dozens of films and TV series since the late 70s, including recent roles in Dinner For Schmucks, Star Trek, National Treasure: Book of Secrets and iRobot. This will be Greenwood’s second time playing in the tournament.

Actor Oliver Hudson currently stars in the CBS comedy Rules of Engagement alongside David Spade and fellow tournament participant Patrick Warburton. This will be Hudson’s fifth time playing in the tournament.

Musician Josh Kelley has spent the majority of the past decade as a successful pop and adult contemporary artist. Kelley made his official debut into the country genre in March 2011 with his album Georgia Clay. This will be Kelly’s fourth time playing in the tournament.

Greg Kinnear was the first host of E! Entertainment’s Talk Soup. He’s since had roles in movies such as You’ve Got Mail with Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks, Little Miss Sunshine with Steve Carell and Toni Collette and As Good As It Gets for which he received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. This will be Kinnear’s fourth time playing in the tournament.

Cheech Marin is best known as one half of the hilariously irreverent, satirical, counter-culture, no-holds-barred duo Cheech and Chong. Marin’s television credits include Judging Amy and co-starring with Don Johnson in Nash Bridges. This will be Marin’s eighth time playing in the tournament.

Actor Danny Masterson is best known for his role as Steven Hyde in TBS’s That ’70s Show. After the show concluded, Masterson starred in several movies and made guest appearances on television shows including Punk’d and MADtv. He also had a part in the 2008 comedy Yes Man, and Masterson stars with his real-life wife, Bijou Phillips, in the 2009 drama The Bridge To Nowhere. This will be Masterson’s first appearance.

As an Emmy and Golden Globe nominee, Rob Morrow is a critically acclaimed actor, writer, and director with an established career in television spanning more than three decades. He is well known for his role on the early 90s TV series Northern Exposure and for his recent role on CBS’s Numb3rs. This will be Morrow’s second time playing in the tournament.

Terry O’Quinn is most famous for his role as John Locke on the TV series LOST, for which he won an Emmy in 2007. He currently stars in CBS’s Hawaii Five-0. O’Quinn has also had minor supporting roles in many films and TV movies including Young Guns, as well as guest roles on TV shows such as The West Wing and JAG. This will be O’Quinn’s fourth time playing in the tournament.

Joe Don Rooney is the lead guitarist and harmony singer in the multi-platinum-selling country-pop group Rascal Flatts. This will be Rooney’s fifth time playing in the tournament.

Actor Wyatt Russell can be seen in 2011’s Cowboys and Aliens. Russell is also a talented hockey player, playing for teams in the United States, Canada and the Netherlands. Russell is the son of actor Kurt Russell and actress Goldie Hawn. This will be Russell’s third time playing in the tournament.

Actor Grant Show is best known for his role on FOX’s Melrose Place as Jake Hanson, which he played from 1992 to 1997. He can also be seen on the TV series CSI, Burn Notice, Private Practice and Big Love. This will be Show’s first time participating in the tournament.

Holly Sonders is one of the hosts of Golf Channels’ Morning Drive along with Erik Kuselias and Gary Williams. This will be Sonders’ first time participating in the tournament.

Actor Kevin Sorbo is most famous for his role in the hit series Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Sorbo has also appeared on several hit television shows such as Dharma & Greg and Murder, She Wrote. In 2008, Sorbo appeared in the spoof film Meet the Spartans, which opened at No. 1 at the U.S. box office charts. This will be Sorbo’s seventh time playing in the tournament.

Actor and comedian Gary Valentine has appeared in films such as Paul Blart: Mall Cop and I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. Valentine had a recurring role on the CBS comedy The King of Queens alongside his real-life brother Kevin James. This is Valentine’s sixth time participating in the tournament.

Actor Patrick Warburton currently stars alongside David Spade and fellow tournament participant Oliver Hudson in the CBS comedy Rules of Engagement. He is also famous for his role as David Puddy on the hit TV series Seinfeld. This is Warburton’s fourth time participating in the tournament.

The 2012 tournament will take place May 17-20, 2012 at Thornblade Club, The Carolina Country Club and Greenville Country Club’s Chanticleer course.

Since 2001, the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation has raised more than $8.6 million for more than 150 charities.

The BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation is the only tournament on the PGA TOUR’s Nationwide Tour where amateurs and celebrities are grouped with Nationwide Tour professionals in a four-day better-ball competition over three courses. Amateurs, celebrities and pros rotate between three courses on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with the 14 lowest scoring pro-amateur/pro-celebrity teams advancing to play Sunday’s final round at Thornblade Club. Celebrities play once at each course on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. The professional winner of the overall 72-hole event takes home $108,000 from the total purse of $600,000. Amateurs and celebrities compete for individual prizes and cash donations to the charity of their choice out of the beneficiaries selected by South Carolina Charities, Inc.

A live broadcast of the tournament can be seen on Golf Channel^® Thursday, May 17 and Friday, May 18 from 12:30-2:30 p.m., Saturday, May 19 from 1-3 p.m. and on Sunday, May 20 from 2-4 p.m.

Playing and sponsorship opportunities for the 2012 tournament are available at www.bmwproam.com.

For more information about the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation call (864) 297-1660, visit the tournament’s website www.bmwcharitygolf.com or follow the tournament on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BMWCharityProAm. 

2012 Ticket Information

To order tickets, visit www.buybmwtickets.com. One-hundred percent of the purchase price of Daily, Patron and Clubhouse Credentials may be donated to one of the tournament’s 27 charitable partners. Parking is included with all tickets.

*NEW FOR 2012* DAILY GROUNDS CREDENTIAL – $10 – Grants access to the grounds at one of the tournament courses one day during tournament play.

PATRON CREDENTIAL – $25 – Grants access to the grounds at all three tournament courses Thursday, 5/17 thru Saturday, 5/19 and at Thornblade Club on Sunday, 5/20.

CLUBHOUSE CREDENTIAL – $50 – Grants access to the grounds at all three courses and access to the clubhouse at Thornblade Club and The Carolina Country Club Thursday, 5/17 thru Saturday, 5/19. This credential also grants access to the grounds and clubhouse at Thornblade Club on Sunday, 5/20. Clubhouse Credential holders may purchase breakfast, lunch and beverages in the clubhouse at Thornblade Club and The Carolina Country Club.

TWO-MEAL CLUBHOUSE CREDENTIAL – $75 – Includes the same privileges as a Clubhouse Credential plus two meals in the clubhouse dining room at Thornblade Club or The Carolina Country Club.

FOUR-MEAL CLUBHOUSE CREDENTIAL – $100 – Includes the same privileges as a Clubhouse Credential plus four meals in the clubhouse dining room at Thornblade Club or The Carolina Country Club.