PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Two young golf fans battling serious illnesses got a once-in-a-lifetime experience at The Players Championship. They were invited inside the ropes at the iconic 17th hole island green at TPC Sawgrass — earning an up-close look at some of the best golfers in the world.
Avett Hoffman,7, is at The Players for the first time. The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund patient was diagnosed with leukemia in 2023, just months after starting Pre-K. Whenever he felt well enough, Avett and his dad would head to the golf course. Now, he’s seeing the game at one of its most famous venues.
“Very cool,” Avett Hoffman. “It’s my first time, and I’ve never been.”
Avett’s parents said moments like this mean everything after the challenges their family has faced.
“Now getting to come over here, be inside the ropes, for him getting to experience this is awesome,” Avett’s father, Alex Hoffman said.
“After everything that he had to go through, getting to kind of do this stuff, seeing him healthy, coming around, running up to people has been a really cool experience,” Alex Hoffman said.
Doctors hope Avett will complete treatment in May. His parents say seeing him active again is something they don’t take for granted.
“The first six months, he could barely walk after being diagnosed, so this is, he’s come full circle,” Avett’s mother, Shannon Hoffman said. ”This is really fun to watch.”
The Hoffman family also credits the Jay Fund for helping relieve some of the financial and emotional stress during treatment.
“Things start to come in and accrue, and you start to have to focus on taking some of the attention away from the child,” Alex Hoffman said. ”That’s been a huge help to alleviate some of those stresses.”
Camden Christofferson,8, was also inside the ropes. The Dreams Come True patient was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. He’s already a huge golf fan and dreams of one day playing professionally.
“Really fun to me,” Christofferson said.
Camden says being this close to the action only made him love the game even more. His favorite golfer is Rickie Fowler and he hopes one day he might follow in those footsteps.
Both families say experiences like this help bring moments of joy and inspiration during difficult journeys.