It started out with a lot of jokes and laughter, but competition turned serious on the last hole for Jaguars punter Adam Podlesh and kicker Josh Scobee at the first annual "Laterra Links Celebrity Shootout" at "The King and the Bear" golf course on Tuesday.
The format was a shootout format with players eliminated after each hole. All the proceeds benefited the St. Johns County Council on Aging.
After both players hit their tee shots down the middle of the ninth fairway, Scobee's approach missed the green to the left. Podlesh took advantage of the opening as he hit a pitching wedge from 102 yards to two feet from the pin to seal the win.
"Amazing finish," Podlesh said. "My heart was pounding out there. I felt like I was back on the football field."
The Jaguars were represented in the event by Podlesh, Scobee, Rashean Mathis (pictured), Brad Meester, Derek Landri, Cleo Lemon, Drayton Florence and Andrew Carnahan. Former Jaguars punter Bryan Barker and former Gator and NFL quarterback Shane Matthews joined local radio hosts Joe Cowart and Brady Ackerman to round out the field.
The day started out with the majority of the players finding the fairway on the first hole. It was the first time most of the participants had played in front of a crowd, which lined the tee box and fairways. Lemon and Carnahan were eliminated on the first hole. Landri was knocked out on the second hole in a chip-off.
"My short game got me today," Landri said after three-putting the second green. "It was fun to come out here and compete with the guys."
Meester, who was the longest hitter off the tee on the first two holes, found the rough on the par-three third and was eliminated by Barker in a chip-off.
Mathis was eliminated in a chip-off on the fifth hole.
Scobee survived his second chip-off of the afternoon on the par-four eighth, which set up his duel with his teammate on the ninth.
"That was definitely the best shot I have ever hit, considering the circumstances," Podlesh said. "Josh and I were talking as we walked off the last green about how fun this was. It was an awesome day for a great cause on a wonderful golf course."
