PALM HARBOR, Fla. — It's been a week of fun for golf fans in the Tampa Bay area. The Valspar Championship draws in tens of thousands of fans each year.

It takes a lot of help behind the scenes to make the event happen. More than 1,800 volunteers donate their time. 

Michael Mays is a family and marriage therapist by trade. But when Valspar rolls around, he puts on a different hat. Mays has been volunteering in the championship for 24 years, overseeing the team that prepares caddie bibs and manages crowd control during player crossings.

“We want to make sure our work is above board because a lot of people depend on us to do it so they don’t have to worry,” he said. 

There are a lot of moving parts, and Mays is constantly on the go. He has about 40 people on his team and working together is key to their success. Mays draws on his two decades serving in the U.S. Air Force to help run a well-oiled machine.

“There’s certain people you can depend on,” he explained. “You get the same people, just like I’ve been doing it for 24 years.”

Mays and his team split into two six-hour shifts, ranging from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. – sometimes even later. But Mays says it’s all worth it to see their teamwork come to fruition on the course.

“I get to see a little kid’s face brighten up when he sees his player, and he gets a signed ball or something like that,” he said. “Or one kid says ‘hey, can I get a glove?’ and the player stops and he gives him the glove. This child is just as happy as they can be. That’s infectious.”

Mays keeps coming back year after year because he feels this is his way of giving back. The Valspar Championship is run by the Copperheads, which raises money for local charity organizations. Organizers explained by having volunteers like Mays, they’re able to donate more money back into the community.

More than $1 million was generated during the 2023 Valspar Championship, according to the organization.