The Players Donates $8.1 Million to Local Charities

Those dollars golf generates for charity are making a big difference in the lives of children, families, and communities.

When you see all those “Charity is the big winner” promotions for PGA Tour golf, you need to believe it. The Players Championship is in the process of making a record $8.1 million donation to more than 300 charities in Northeast Florida. It all came from the proceeds of The Players.

While it’s a record number, last year’s was nothing to sneeze at either. That was $7.5 million. According to the PGA Tour, more than $75 million has been donated since 1977 when the tournament moved to Ponte Vedra Beach, a suburb of Jacksonville, FL.

Each year, the charitable dollars generated at The Players continues to grow,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem. “Generating $8.1 million for local charities in a single year is an impressive accomplishment that couldn’t be possible without the hard work from our staff and volunteers.” He also cited the generous support of the fans and of the tournament’s sponsors, PwC and Optum.

The announcement was made during The Players Charity Celebration hosted by Commissioner Finchem under the lights at the 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass. During the event, the charity total was displayed on a tournament scoreboard behind the green.

Each November, there is a series of activities in what is called Giving Back Month which is designed to highlight the work of the many charitable organizations in Northeast Florida that benefit from the tournament.

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Much of the $8.1 million generated from The Players 2015 benefits Northeast Florida children’s charities. The tournament has pledged to generate $50 million for youth-related charities over 10 years with a special emphasis on those organizations that impact youth education, health and wellness, and character development. More than $30 million has been raised to date.

In the last two weeks, the volunteers have visited several local charities to make a few donations in person. Sometimes PGA tour players accompany them.

On November 2, The Players volunteer leadership, called The Red Coats, and Jim Furyk kicked off Giving Back Month at the TPC Sawgrass Clubhouse by hosting a “Dream Party” for Dreams Come True. One lucky recipient, Brad Ratzlaff, a local 19-year-old graduate of Orange Park High School who is battling acute lymphoblastic lymphoma, received a family trip to Maui for the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in January. He also got a new set of golf clubs and will walk with Furyk inside-the-ropes during the tournament’s pro-am.

The tournament also made a $10,000 donation to Dreams Come True.

On November 4, The Red Coats and Web.com Tour player Jeff Klauk visited Angelwood, a non-profit organization that helps children and adults with developmental disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, intellectual disabilities, Prader-Willi syndrome and spina bifida. They toured the facility, met several children and presented Angelwood with a 15-passenger van.

The Red Coat Ride Out concludes November 16 at K9s For Warriors, which has already received a surprise $10,000 donation from The Players. During the November 16 visit, the Red Coats will tour the new K9s For Warriors facility and meet some of the warriors and their canine companions.

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“The 2015 (Players) tournament set an attendance record, had the most exciting finish in tournament history and has now broken its own charitable giving record,” said Brian Franco, 2015 tournament chairman. “To say I am proud to have been the 2015 tournament chairman is an understatement. I know I speak for the 2,200-plus volunteers when I say that watching $8.1 million flash on that screen validates why we put in countless hours making this tournament something Northeast Florida is proud of.”

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