David Ortiz Plans to Host Golf Classic For Children’s Fund

David Ortiz's season may have ended prematurely, but the slugger's charitable efforts are still going strong. On Tuesday, Ortiz announced that he will host the second annual David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic in the Dominican Republic.

The event will be held from Dec. 3-6 in Cap Cana, D.R., at the Sanctuary Cap Cana Golf & Spa and will be played on the Punta Espada course. It will benefit the David Ortiz Children's Fund, which was established by the Red Sox designated hitter in 2006 and seeks to provide pediatric care to children with critical care needs in New England and the Dominican Republic.

Ortiz began the fund in response to a visit to a Santo Domingo hospital, where he encountered children in need of heart surgery who did not have the financial means for the lifesaving procedures.

"When I saw that, it was like I just signed a deal with children, telling myself, 'I've got to do something to help them out,’” Ortiz told the New York Daily News last year.

In 2008, many of Ortiz's former and current teammates — including Tim Wakefield, Pedro Martinez and Sean Casey — participated in the event, and several athletes are expected to return this year. Even Yankees players Alex Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera hit the links for Big Papi's cause.

Ortiz is looking forward to the event.

"It is a wonderful opportunity to showcase my home country — the Dominican Republic — while raising money for children who can't afford the health care they need,” Ortiz said. “Everyone who participates is making a difference in the lives of these children."

To date, the Children's Fund has raised over $1 million for children in need of critical medical care.