JACKSONVILLE, Fla — There's a lesson in every swing.
“I think that I am a pretty good golfer," said 14-year-old Dominic Clayton.
“Oh you know… I’m trying to stay cool and calm,” 17-year-old Manyi Ngu said laughing.
Confidence. Responsibility. Hard work.
They’ll need all these skills when playing alongside Steve Stricker, the Ryder Cup Champion team captain.
“It’s like life, “said Jeff Willoughby, executive director of First Tee North Florida. “Sometimes you make mistakes but to be able to bounce back or maybe identify a possible mistake before it happens and that gives the children the opportunity and it’s what drives us.”
First Tee introduces kids of all ages to the game and teaches them it’s more than that.
“The first tee is not about golf,” said David Ellsworth, Chief Operating Officer for Constellation. “It’s about life skills and learning more about life and how life works as you mature and grow.”
Constellation Energy, the main sponsor of the tournament, teamed up with First Tee of North Florida to give these two amateur golfers the chance to play with the pros.
Whether win or lose, they’re in this for the game… of life.
The pros will kick off opening day on Friday at 8 am. The tournament goes throughout the weekend and tickets start as low as $25. You can find more details on tickets and parking here.