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Updated: July 15, 2009, 10:18 pm	Share    Print    Email

New York Giants icon David Tyree was one of the special guests at last year's Classic, the most fruitful fund raising effort in the four years of the event to that point.

Westhampton Beach - The fifth annual Hamptons Golf Classic is a chance to meet celebrities, to play a round at one of the East End's finest golf clubs, enjoy the sun and then kick back for a cocktail after a job well done. The driving force behind the event, however, is a fund raising effort that has yielded tremendous results over the years.

The fifth installment of the Classic features a who's who of New York City fame. Rounding the course yesterday, June 29, were New York Knicks point guard Chris Duhon, New York Giants defensive lineman Justin Tuck, special honoree Richie Notar, a managing partner of Nobu Restaurants, as well as Jill Zarin of The Real Housewives Of New York.

The Classic came about when coordinator Zev Norotsky noticed a void in the East End summer event calendar five years ago and sprung into action. "There is no sport that embodies the spirit of the Hamptons more than golf, and with all the events that are planned each summer, it just seemed appropriate to create a publicity event that captured that," Norotsky said.

This year's Classic will chiefly benefit Duhon's Stand Tall Foundation, which the NBA veteran created in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Since its inception, the foundation has helped rebuild basketball courts in Greater New Orleans, including in Duhon's hometown of Slidell, where he lived since he was in sixth grade. That year, Duhon's organization provided over 3,000 boxes of supplies totaling nearly a half million dollars.

The foundation has held its fundraiser at various clubs across the country, and with Duhon signing a two-year deal with the Knicks last summer, he took to Long Island for this year's event. He was joined by Tuck, the football Giants' sack king.

Dennis Reise poses with the girls from Hawaian Tropic.

Steiner Sports, one of the chief sponsors of the event, helps recruit celebrity sports figures to come east to Westhampton. Past golfers have included Michael Strahan, Dhani Jones and Jay Fiedler. Last year, New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree participated just months after his miracle catch in Super Bowl XLII against the New England Patriots.

"Everyone was completely blown away," Norotsky said. "He was completely larger than life to many of our guests because of his place in New York sports lore."

According to Norotsky, last year's Classic was the most successful yet in terms of fund raising. Working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the day's contributions allowed its benefactor to grant the wishes of four children. "It was a tremendous feeling of accomplishment and a real testament to the players who come back year after year," Norotsky said.

The Classic's founder is particularly tickled by Notar's participation. He has transformed from a former bartender at Studio 54 to someone who now runs one of the most important restaurants globally. Norotsky calls Notar "a philanthropist" who fights for causes such as Stand Tall and for animal rights, among other charities. "He has always been willing to lend his time and resources to a valuable cause, and I admire that," Norotsky said.

Past celebrities outside the sports world have included Kelsey Grammer, Russell Simmons, Lorraine Bracco, Amanda Hearst, Billy Crudup, James Lipton, Fat Joe, Rocco DiSpirito, Tommy Hilfiger, Anthony Anderson, Mark Consuelos, Steve Schirripa, Tim Vincent, Andre Harrell, Cristina Greeven Cuomo, Stephen Baldwin and Steven Klein.