Jim and Tabitha Furyk’s New Golf Event Headlined by Phil Mickelson

Jim Furyk and wife Tabitha are as well liked as golden retrievers, M&Ms, Honey Nut Cheerios and the Ford Mustang. Nobody says anything bad about them and for good reason. The Furyks are amazingly nice people who for years have used their influence to raise money for others. Now they are starting a new PGA Tour Champions event in Jacksonville, Florida, called Constellation Furyk & Friends, presented by Circle K. It’s going to be on the calendar for five years, at least. And the list of players coming to the kickoff tournament is star-studded.

“Phil ( Mickelson) said he’s coming to our event,” Jim Furyk announced at a press conference held at Timuquana CC in Jacksonville, Florida, Tuesday morning. “We’re really excited about that. He’s only played three PGA Tour Champions. This will be number four.”

Other commitments, according to Furyk, include the 2021 Ryder Cup captains for both teams, Padraig Harrington and Steve Stricker, the legendary Bernhard Langer, major champions Davis Love III, Ernie Els, Mark O’Meara, Retief Goosen Darren Clarke, John Daly, Mike Weir, Vijay Singh and more. According to Furyk, Harrington is making his PGA Tour Champions debut at the tournament.

“You’re going to see almost every one, if not every one, of the top 40 in the Schwab Cup points,” Furyk added.

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Most of the PGA Tour Champions golfers used to participate in The Players, so they are generally familiar with the area, but most do not know the 1923 Donald Ross designed Timuquana Country Club, site of the tournament. Davis Love, according to Furyk, has familiarity with it as he lives just up the road in St. Simons, Georgia. PGA Tour player David Duval’s father, Bob Duval, was the golf professional at Timuquana for many years. It is where David learned to play golf, but he will not turn 50 until a month after the tournament so we will have to wait to see if he plays next year.

In addition to a massive number of marquee names, there are some special events during the week, as announced by Tabitha Furyk. Topping the list, Jack and Barbara Nicklaus will speak at a breakfast, and Darius Rucker will perform in an early evening concert.

“We have a Champions breakfast that will take place Friday morning here at the country club,” she explained. She hopes many local and regional businesses will participate.

[Breakfast attendance is available with a sponsorship. Details are available at https://constellationfurykandfriends.com/champions-breakfast/ ]

“It will be a really special day to hear about Jack and Barbara and all the amazing things they’ve accomplished in their lifetimes,” she said.

The Darius Rucker concert will be Tuesday evening at Daily’s Place, a venue in downtown Jacksonville, Florida, connected to the south end of TIAA Bank Field, home to the Jaquars NFL team.

In an interesting twist, Circle K, the presenting sponsor, will provide water taxi service free of charge from certain downtown locations to the dock in front of Timuquana Country Club, which fronts the St. Johns River several miles away. Jacksonville and its suburbs are bisected by the river.

The Furyks’ association with a new, official PGA Tour Champions tournament reflects their growing interest in charitable fundraising which was jump started after Furyk won the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup in 2010 and with it, an amazing amount of money: $10 million. The downside of winning all that at once is that it’s a heck of a tax problem. The choices are to give a bunch of it to the IRS or figure out a way to give at least some of it to charity. Which would you choose?

They looked around and thought about who was in need where they lived. They made a decision to fund some charities doing work that was important to them.

Jim and Tabitha Furyk’s favorite charities include Blessings in a Backpack, Wolfson Children’s Hospital, Hope for the Holidays, Operation Shower, Habitat for Humanity, Mal Washington’s Foundation and the St. Johns River Keeper.

Until now, several of the charities have been partially funded by a private tournament Jim and Tabitha Furyk held called Furyk & Friends. But with the help of Constellation and Circle K, all the charities plus the First Tee will benefit, allowing the Furyks to make a difference to more people. Tournament dates are October 8-10. The tournament will be on Golf Channel.

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