GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. – Actor and comedian Bill Murray is in town for the 14th annual Caddyshack Charity Golf Tournament events, which began Thursday morning with the Pond Charity Golf Classic and lots of surprises in store.
Among them was John Muilenburg, a 102-year-old who showed he still has his golf swing.
Murray and Mayor Alvin Brown surprised Muilenburg by making him the honorary starter at the event at Riverbend Golf Links in Green Cove Springs. They also proclaimed him an honorary golfing brother and friend of the Murray brothers and the Caddyshack Charity Golf Tournament.
If watching the 102-year-old taking his swings wasn't enough of a rarity, Murray and dozens in attendance got to witness something special -- Army National Guard veteran Wesley Johnson (pictured below) being given an action track chair. The state-of-the-art wheelchair will give Johnson more mobility and, most importantly, let him get back to doing what he loves.
"I'm looking forward to getting back out in the outdoors," he said. "I've had some other chairs we've tried to take to the woods, and every time I'm stuck and someone has to push me. So I feel like in this chair I'll be able to go anywhere I want to."
Hanging out with Murray all morning wasn't too bad, either.
"We were cracking jokes," Johnson said. "It's good to get a laugh from someone who gives so many laughs, so I was glad to be here with him."
Murray loves meeting new people each year at the tournament and was honored to be a part of Johnson's special day.
"What an amazing wagon he's got to roll around in, and that's some sort of a token in repayment for what he gave," Murray said.
And if Murray can keep up with Muilenburg, he's doing OK.
"It's pretty cool to meet a guy who's 102 years old who can play golf, because I meet people one-tenth his age who can't play," Murray said.
The kickoff party for the Caddyshack Charity Golf Tournament was set for Thursday night at Murray Bros. Caddyshack Restaurant, and the fun will continue throughout the weekend.