Professional basketball star Charles Barkley stretched during the Central Baptist Hospital Charity Classic on Aug. 22, 1998, at Lexington’s Kearney Hill Golf Links. The Houston Rockets star sprayed comments like shots on his way to a 30-over 102. Barkley cussed a time or two and flung his “Biggest Big Bertha” into the pond on the 17th hole but always remained affable. On the first fairway, Jason Dunaway of Corinth asked Barkley to pose for a picture with 4-month-old Austin Rogers. “I’m not supposed to,” Barkley said. Then, relenting, “Let’s do it right quick.” After teeing off on No. 2: “It was fat like Oprah.” At No. 3, he stopped at a refreshment stand, bought a Diet Pepsi and tipped server Johna East. A fan asked whether Barkley was wearing a lucky shirt. “This is a free shirt,” he said. “I guess you could consider that lucky.” After shooting a quadruple-bogey 9 on No. 7: “Ooh, I’m tired! That was a lot of work, y’all.” When he hit his tee shot into the water and sent Big Bertha following on No. 17, 10-year-old Chad Fyffe of Frankfort waded in nearly chest-high to retrieve the club. Barkley autographed the driver at the next tee. “I have two drivers in my bag for special occasions,” Barkley said later. “But I did hit that great drive on 18. I’m just mad I didn’t hit that ball into the water sooner with that other driver.” Photo by David Perry | Staff

Charles Barkley’s golf swing is known for having a major hitch at the top of his swing. Barkley was paired with former major league baseball players Doug Flynn, Rick Rhoden and Gorman Thomas on the final day of the two-day, $250,000 Central Baptist Hospital Charity Classic, Aug. 23, 1998, at Lexington’s Kearney Hill Golf Links. The Celebrity Players Tour event was added when Lexington lost the Senior PGA’s Bank One Senior Classic. The celebrity tournament ended in 2001. Photo by David Stephenson | Staff