When they met for the 36th annual PLAYERS Breakfast with the Pros Wednesday, March 11, at Sawgrass Marriott Resort and Spa, they had no idea that the 2020 PLAYERS Championship would be cancelled the following evening.
About 500 people, 400 of them high school and college golfers from a 12-county area, gathered early that morning in the resort’s ballroom for the traditional Fellowship of Christian Athletes event for fellowship and prayer.
Wednesday was the final practice day for the pro golfers, and many were in attendance, including 2005 PLAYERS champion Fred Funk.
The buffet meal included many speeches as well as prayers, including a speech by Tournament Chairman Andy Carroll, who asked the student athletes to share with others how much golf has meant to them in their lives. “Please do one thing for me,” he said, “use today as an opportunity to grow the game of golf.”
Funk also gave an inspirational talk that didn’t just apply to that particular day, or even to any particular year.
“Golf—it’s a game for life,” Funk said. “It humbles you,” puts you at a different level with life’s ups and downs.
“Golf is everything to me,” Funk said, then explained that his faith is, too. “Jesus is number one, let him take the wheel. He’s your co-pilot and really your pilot. Boys and girls, you are lucky that you made the decision to take up the game of golf. Have fun with it.”
