PONTE VEDRA, Fla. – From Jaguars Coach Gus Bradley to LPGA member Paige MacKenzie to News4Jax Sports Director Sam Kouvaris, local celebrities took a swing on the famous 17th hole at the TPC Sawgrass Players Stadium Course on Wednesday to benefit more than a dozen area children's charities.
Each charity selected a celebrity or representative to take a shot at the famous Island Green, with the person who ended up closest to the pin in Round 1 earning a $10,000 donation for that organization; the winner of Round 2 earned $5,000 for their organization.
The big winner was the Tom Coughlin Jay Fund. Curtis Dvorak, playing as Jaguars mascot Jaxson de Ville, got the ball closest to the pin, 4' 9", earning his charity a $10,000 donation.
Coming in second was Web.com Tour Player Jeff Klauk, who earned $5,000 for his charity, the Epilepsy Foundation of Florida. In the first round, Klauk was 11' 3", but in a second round shoot-out for 2nd place, Klauk's shot was within 3' 5" of the pin.
Sam's tee shot went right over the flag stick before stopping on the back of the green 27' 7" from the hole.
Bradley's shots went into the water, while quarterback Blake Bortles' ball did hit the green but was 47' 7" away from the hole.
"This is way more nerve-wracking than football," Bortles said. "I'm not really good at golf and it's really quiet. They can probably hit you with something if they threw it. It's definitely more nerve wracking."
Those who participated Wednesday included:
Fifteen local children's charities are the beneficiaries of a charity shootout on the world-famous 17th hole of The Players Stadium Course.