PALM BEACH GARDENS (WPTV) — Baseball Hall of Famers and other celebrities hit the course this weekend for the annual "Weekend With Papi" Golf Classic at PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens.
The tournament raises money for the David Ortiz Children's Fund, which provides life-saving heart surgeries and care for children in Ortiz's native Dominican Republic and throughout New England.
Ortiz was joined by some of the biggest names in sports, including light middleweight world champion Winky Wright, two-time Stanley Cup champion Bobby Orr and Hall of Famer Jim Rice, among many others.
"David is a true athlete. He's a true father, and he's the type of guy that would give you the shirt off his back. You can't ask for anything better than that," Rice said.
Several former teammates and Red Sox players were also there to support the cause. WPTV caught up with Brock Holt, who said the event is a highlight each year.
"Oh, absolutely, this is always a fun event for me and all the people here. Obviously, we're here to raise some money for the children's fun and that great cause that is. It's fun coming out here. We see the same people every year. You kind of build relationships with people, and it's fun to see everybody," Holt said.
Baseball fans know how skilled Holt is on the field, but what about on the golf course? He described his golf game as a work in progress.
"My golf game is a work in progress right now. I started a few years ago. I've gotten into it, so I'll hit some really good shots, but I'll also hit some really bad shots. The good thing about a scramble, though, is you only have to hit a couple to feel like you helped the team out. So looking forward to today," Holt said.
Is swinging a golf club anything like swinging a baseball bat?
"There's some similarities between the two, but there's also some differences, and I'm learning that I swung a baseball bat and my body moved the same way for 35 years. So it's hard to get that out in the few years that I'm playing golf, but I'm working on the intricacies of the golf swing and hoping I can be a golfer from here on out," Holt said.
Holt is ready to put his golf skills to the test at PGA, and as he mentioned, the money raised this weekend will go to a good cause. The David Ortiz Children's Fund. Ortiz said the mission behind the weekend is deeply personal.
"This is something that is very serious, very personal, because I used to hit homers and make people happy. But saving life is a different level," Ortiz said. "God gives us the opportunity to reunite people, get people together, raise money to save, you know, life, children, in a specific way, and it is something that goes beyond everything," Ortiz said.
Over the years, the ‘Weekend With Papi’ Golf Classic has raised nearly $16 million. The surgeries made possible by those funds have saved the lives of over 1,900 children and helped an additional 19,000 kids.
"It's a game changer. When you have a sick child and you don't know where to go, you can't imagine. I got my own kids, and whenever they get a cold or fever, I start going crazy. Know what I'm saying? Think about a heart surgery. And that's why we're here," Ortiz said.
To learn more about the David Ortiz Children's Fund, visit their website.
