Charlie DeLucca Jr.’s commitment to youth lives on in Doral-Publix Junior Classic

If Charlie DeLucca Jr. could have been at Trump National Doral on Wednesday, he would have displayed the biggest smile you could imagine.

And if he could have been there, DeLucca would have been staring proudly upon all the kids running around, hitting golf balls and making friends with other golfers from all around the world.

Unfortunately, for the first time, DeLucca wasn’t there to run the Doral-Publix Junior Classic that he founded 38 years ago. DeLucca, the man generally acknowledged as the most important figure in Miami golf history, passed away at age 78 some three months ago on Sept. 9.

Not going away was his legacy, the golf, the tournament and the kids he embraced by constantly teaching them life values. Those values included education first, golf second.

For the tournament, DeLucca Jr. had prepared a successor with a familiar name — his son, Charlie DeLucca III.

And DeLucca III felt his father’s presence on Wednesday.

“Did you see the weather forecast this morning?” DeLucca III said. “It definitely was not looking good for playing golf.”

Indeed, there was rain over much of Miami-Dade on Wednesday, but there was an exception — it did not rain at Trump National Doral. Nary a drop.

“I think I know who had something to do with that,” DeLucca III said. “I am willing to bet my father is sitting in a chair up there watching all the kids playing golf and having a good time today. If you gave my father a roomful of kids, he was the happiest person on the planet.”

As for the tournament, DeLucca III said he was reasonably comfortable taking over the event, which has an international field of 600 kids ranging in ages from 5 to 17.

“I’ve been working the tournament with my dad for 38 years and feel prepared, but even so it was very odd and very different he was not there at the 7 o’clock meeting this morning. The entire time I am out here my mind is on him. There is no doubt there is an element missing this year.”

Making things a little more difficult for DeLucca III was the fact that many of the people at the tournament were not aware his father had passed away.

“It was odd,” he said. “Many of these people are from far, far away, so they did not know. I’ve had to tell people —50 or 60 — that my father had passed away.

“It’s difficult . . . and it’s strange doing that.”

The Doral-Publix Classic is likely the only golf tournament in the world that requires both an outstanding golf game and strong grade-point average to participate.

“Education was very important to my dad,” DeLucca III said. In fact, DeLucca III has first-hand knowledge of that fact.

“I played in this tournament as a 14-year-old, 15-year-old and 16-year-old,” he remembered with a laugh. “As a 17-year-old, my GPA wasn’t good enough. I didn’t qualify. My dad absolutely would not waive the rule for me — not even a slim chance.”

Two weeks ago, waking up from sleep, DeLucca III had a question in mind to ask his dad. “I wanted to call him and actually tried to call him before I realized what I was doing. Call me crazy, but it happened.”

In the lobby of the tournament headquarters at Trump National Doral there is a large artistically enhanced photo of Charlie DeLucca Jr.

“Every time I walk past that picture, I smile and cry at the same time,” DeLucca III said. “Every day I miss him.”

Results

Doral-Publix Junior Classic: Annika Kohoutkova of Naples and Larissa Carrillo of Saltillo, Colorao, led the girls’ 13-under division of the Doral-Publix Classic with 3-over-par rounds of 74 at Trump National Doral. In the boys’ competition, Kostka Horno of Spain and Giovanni Binaghi of Italy were tied for first with 3-under 68s.

Dixie Amateur: Zack Moss of Toronto has a two-day total of 1-under 143 after rounds of 70-73 to lead the men’s competition. Brett Schell of St. Augustine is one back at Eagle Trace with a 75-69—144. In the women’s competition, Katherine Schuster is in first at 6-under 138 after rounds of 71-67 at Woodlands.