A former Braves Cy Young Award winner and the new Braves president of baseball operations were tied for the lead after 18 holes Sunday at a Florida celebrity charity golf tournament, wherein John Smoltz defeated John Hart on the first playoff hole for the win.
Smoltz, who is on the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for the first time, and Hart each shot a 1-over-par 73 through 18 holes of the Diamond Resorts Celebrity Invitational at Isleworth Country Club, Hart’s home course outside Orlando.
The tourney came on the last day of a three-day event that drew more than 400 attendees, golfers and celebrities including athletes such as Reggie Jackson, Marcus Allen, Gaylord Perry, George Gervin, Grant Hill, Johnny Damon, Tim Wakefield and Eric Dickerson.
Organizers said more than $800,000 was raised to benefit the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children. J.B. Holmes shot a 9-under par 63 to won the PGA Tour division of Sunday’s pro-am celebrity tournament.
Hart is a scratch golfer, but said he’s barely had time to pick up his clubs in the past three months since moving back into full-time duties with the Braves. He left a Braves advisory role to become interim general manager after Frank Wren was fired Sept. 22, and one month later Hart, 66, signed a three-year contract to become president of baseball operations, a newly created position with GM duties.
