These Kids Can Play!
THE PLAYERS Championship
By: Sara Moores

Another beautiful week in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL at THE PLAYERS Championship as we see PGA TOUR professionals line up a shot to the famous 17th Island Green on the TPC Sawgrass Stadium course. It flies over the water and bounces into.....Jaxson De Ville, mascot for the Jacksonville Jaguars?  And wait, the hole is only 30 feet from the player? And what's all of that laughing and giggling going on? Take another look and you'll see players yukking it up with kids in wheel chairs, on crutches and with oxygen tanks as the PGA TOUR Wives Association and THE PLAYERS Championship hosted children from PedsCare, a pediatric palliative and hospice care program of Community Hospice for children with life-threatening conditions. They are all gathered at the Stadium Village inside the UBS tent where a replica of the 17th hole is set up, including the water and the famous hole that frustrates so many players, but seems pretty easy to some of the kids that walk up and grab a club. Jaxson cheers them on with his antics, bringing forth belly laughs from everyone!

Tabitha Furyk, wife of PGA TOUR Player Jim Furyk, organized the event that brought the children, along with their parents, siblings and caregivers, to a morning of fun and golf. Not only did the event provide a reprieve from needles, medications and medical procedures, but afforded Tabitha the opportunity to do a little fundraising while she was out there. Before the event was done, over $50,000 had been donated to PedsCare in support of their continued programming.

At the end of the day, children were tired, not from grueling medical procedures, but from sun, fresh air, games and laughter. Giving Through Golf comes in many forms.  This is one of them.