Furyk & Friends, created to raise awareness and funding to benefit children and families in need by the Jim & Tabitha Furyk Foundation, celebrated 9 years of raising much needed dollars for local charities and supporting Jacksonville’s youth!
The private party, concert and culinary teed off Sunday, March 10 in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL at the famed 17th hole at TPC. Sponsors and celebrities enjoyed a sneak peak of the new entrance to The PLAYERS and a first-hand look at the beautifully manicured course. Our guests delighted in the wonderful samplings of food prepared by some of the best chefs in the Jacksonville area. Dining options included: Ruth’s Chris, Matthew Medure’s Rue Saint-Marc, Town Hall, Hammock Dunes, Bearded Pig, Florida Yacht, Moxie, Jazzy’s, Three Palms and Creme de la Cocoa! At the concert guests danced to multi-award-winning performers: Lee Brice, Drew Copeland, Jordan Davis, Jack Ingram, Javier Colon, Patrick Davis and Colt Ford and had a front row seat as PGA TOUR players participated in a Closest to the Pin Shootout won by Len Mattaice.
On Monday, March 11 the fun continued with the Celebrity Golf Classic. This event featured amazing chefs and craft cocktails while foursomes enjoyed 18 holes with their paired celebrity. Chefs included local favorites from Memphis Jax, Taco Lu, El Jefe, Jacksonville Golf & Country Club, Sawgrass Country Club, Bearded Pig, Pussers, and more! An amazing group of celebrities joined Furyk & Friends including over 20 PGA TOUR players such as Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler, Kevin Kisner, Stewart Cink, Peter Jacobson, Justin Leonard, Billy Horschel and so many more. Other celebrities partaking in the festivities included MLB greats Johnny Damon, Ozzie Smith and Tim Wakefield, along with other stars from the NFL such as Lynn Swann, plus celebrated actors and musicians!
All of the funding raised from the Furyk & Friends Concert and Celebrity Golf Classic supports project-specific partnerships with local charities. Some of these include Wolfson Children’s Hospital, Operation Shower, Blessings in a Backpack, Monique Burr Foundation and Community PedsCare. This year, a portion of the money raised will aid the Jacksonville Humane Society in the effort to provide books, field trips and an educational curriculum to Title 1 schools in Duval County. This funding helps to support the wonderful programs the JHS is currently offering and grant education, compassion, and adventure! The more than 200 elementary students who will participate would not have an opportunity for a field trip due to budget cuts. The partnership also allows the Foundation to provide camps for students who do not have the financial means to participate. The camps will be multi-day on campus experience arranged over holidays and during the summer for kids to enjoy time with the animals including reading to them and understanding how to safely interact. Students in the program will also be able take home wonderful treats to enhance their experience.
Thank you to all the sponsors, celebrities, chefs, in-kind donors, participants and volunteers who are helping to raise awareness and funds for these great projects. A special thank you to Michael Grebe, Web.com, AT&T, NetJets, the PGA TOUR and Fields Auto for helping us make a difference in NE Florida.
