Natalie Gulbis, above, will join Julie Inkster as the first women’s team in the CVS Classic.

MCT / Gary W. Green

PROVIDENCE — As the newest star on the PGA Tour, Zach Johnson will be a feature attraction wherever he goes this year. However, when it comes to the CVS Charity Classic, it looks as if Johnson is going to have to share top billing.

The field for the ninth CVS was announced yesterday and, as might be expected, co-hosts Billy Andrade and Brad Faxon saved the biggest name for last. They went through the list, with a slide show for each player, before getting to Johnson, the easy-going Iowa native who shocked the golf world by beating Tiger Woods and everyone else at The Masters two weeks ago.

As much as it helps the tournament to have Johnson, there was another equally big and exciting change for the tournament. Faxon and Andrade also announced that, for the first time ever, women will compete in the $1.3-million event.

Juli Inkster, a two-time U.S. Women’s Open champion, 31-time winner and an LPGA Hall of Famer, agreed to take part in the tournament. When she was asked what other woman she might like to play with, she suggested rising star Natalie Gulbis.

That was fine with tournament officials. Gulbis had taken part in the tourney pro-am two years ago and was a big hit.

So Inkster and Gulbis will be one of the 10 teams competing at Rhode Island Country Club June 17-19.

“We’ve been asked about it for years,” Faxon said of having women compete. “Well, here we go.”

“Juli was my partner in the Gillette Tour Challenge in Bermuda about 10 years ago,” Andrade said. “I fell in love with her then. She’s going to be a great addition.”

Besides being one of the best players in LPGA history, Inkster has been one of the most popular and highly respected women pros because of her affable personality.

Gulbis has made more waves off the course than on thus far. While she has been in the top 20 on the money list each of the last two years, she is best known for her looks. She has her own calendar and has had her own reality show.

“I’m just in love with her, too,” Andrade said with a smile.

“My wife is cool with it,” he added, and then smiled again before finishing “I think.”

Getting the women to compete is part of the most varied field the event has ever had. As someone joked, it ensures the best-looking field ever.

“I think it’s got as much pizzazz as any field we’ve ever had,” Faxon said. “It has a lot of new players.”

First-time competitors, in addition to Johnson, Inkster and Gulbis, will include Hall of Famer Lee Trevino.

“We’ve had the big three,” Andrade said of previous visits by Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, “so we might as well add the fourth.” Trevino, who spends part of his summer each year in Connecticut, did not hesitate when asked to take part even though he is coming off shoulder surgery.

“He said he watches it every year on television,” Faxon said. Trevino has won 29 times on the PGA Tour and another 29 times on the Champions Tour, all while being one of the most entertaining players in the game.

While Trevino will provide an attraction for the veterans, there is more of an emphasis on youth than ever before. Young players taking part for the first time include:

Sean O’Hair, 24, a product of the New England Golf Tour who only three years ago was competing on that tour at Cranston Country Club. O’Hair won the 2005 John Deere Classic.

Camilo Villegas, a 25-year-old native of Colombia who not only has become one of the best young players on tour, he has made waves off the course for his looks much the way Gulbis has on the women’s tour.

Trevor Immelman, a 27-year-old South African who won the Western Open last year and combined with Rory Sabbatini to win the 2003 World Cup.

J.J. Henry, a 31-year-old Connecticut native who won last year’s Buick Championship and played on the American Ryder Cup team.

Still another first time player who fits the mold of being entertainer as well as a golfer is Sweden’s Jesper Parnevik. He has won five times on tour but is as well known for his unusual clothes and his sense of humor.

“He’s very funny and he’s very weird. He’ll be the first to tell you that,” Faxon said.

Returning players include Andrade and Faxon, who have not yet decided if they will play as a team; Brett and Dana Quigley, who will compete as a team as they have every year; the defending champion team of Nick Price and Tim Clark; two-time CVS champion Chris DiMarco and fellow U.S. Ryder Cup stars Stewart Cink and David Toms; and Peter Jacobsen, the Champion Tour star and entertainer whose production company runs the event.

The 20th and final spot, will be determined later.

Keeping a couple spots open paid off in getting The Masters champion, Johnson, to play this year. Andrade said that Johnson had spoken with him about taking part for the last two years. Faxon and Andrade both spoke about how they liked Johnson personally and considered inviting him. But, with so few spots available, he had not been invited.

Obviously, by winning The Masters, Johnson became much in demand. Faxon and Andrade related how they contacted Johnson’s agent the night he won The Masters and offered the invitation to the CVS. Johnson quickly accepted.

“I saw him at Hilton Head,” Andrade said of last week’s tournament, “I couldn’t speak to him because there was such a crowd around him, but he gave me a thumbs up.”

“I got a hug,” Faxon said. “He’s a great guy. You’ll love him.”

Any other time a young, popular Masters champion would be the star of the show. But with Inkster and Gulbis coming, too, Johnson will have competition in that department.

pkenyon@projo.com