Two golf pioneers to be celebrated for their contributions to the game during PLAYERS Championship

This week one of the deepest fields in all of golf will vie for the richest prize offered in a golf tournament in the United States. They'll also be battling for critical position in the FedEx Cup Standings and for the title in what is often referred to as "Golf's unofficial fifth major."

While the likes of Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Adam Scott and emerging Anthony Kim take center stage, two men who are notable for their contributions to golf in the Jacksonville area will be celebrating their distinguished careers. 

The venerable Fred Klauk will wrap up his 23-year term as primary superintendent at TPC Sawgrass by prepping the Stadium Course for one last PLAYERS Championship.

During his nearly quarter century career with the PGA TOUR, Klauk prepared golf courses for 27 PGA TOUR tournaments, including 22 PLAYERS Championships and the 1994 U.S. Amateur Championship. His crowning achievement was to spearhead last year's renovation of THE PLAYERS Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass and the elevation of THE PLAYERS Championship through numerous competitive and fan enhancements.

To read more about Klauk's standing among his peers and about the remarkable renovation to Sawgrass click here . For more about Klauk's final week on the job and his retirment plans, you can check out this link .

If there is a man who has contributed more to golf in the Jacksonville area than Klauk, it's local favorite and PGA Professional Mark McCumber. A Jacksonville native, McCumber will be honored during PLAYERS week for his triumph in the event that happened 20 years ago.

McCumber, who became the first local player to capture the PLAYERS, will be recognized for his contributions to the game of golf, local charities and his family at THE PLAYERS Downtown Experience Opening Ceremony on Wednesay May 7.

To read more about McCumber and his win at the 1988 PLAYERS, follow this link . 

THE PLAYERS Championship does so much for the Jacksonville area including a variety of charitable contributions and helps grow the game of golf. This week the tournament will be the primary focus but patrons attending the PLAYERS should take time to celebrate two gentlemen who have meant so much to Jacksonville and to this tournament.