Mets great David Wright will be an honorary ambassador of the 2019 PGA Championship at Bethpage Black this May.
Wright, the seven-time All-Star who played his last game in September and has taken a role in the Mets' front office, will take part in a ceremony before Friday's Mets-Cardinals Grapefruit League game in which Cardinals Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith will pass the "honorary ambassador torch" to him.
"David Wright epitomizes what being an Honorary Ambassador of the PGA Championship is all about," 2019 PGA Championship director Scott Reid said in a press release. "New Yorkers are familiar with his strong connection to the community and his reputation for being one of the most charitable athletes in professional sports. David's not too shabby on a golf course either. It's his love of golf and his passion for New York, in addition to the quality of his character, that make him the perfect fit as our Honorary Ambassador."
The 36-year-old Wright will be honored at Bethpage Black during PGA Championship Week, which takes place from May 13 to May 19.
"It's an honor to carry on the PGA Championship's Honorary Ambassador legacy established last year in St. Louis by my friend, Ozzie Smith," Wright in a press release. "To advocate on behalf of the PGA of America, as they bring their major championships to New York, was an exciting opportunity I could not pass up. After so many summers at the ballpark, I am really looking forward to spending the second full week in May at Bethpage Black."
Wright's baseball playing career ended last September when the Mets gave him a grand finale at Citi Field. Wright dealt with various neck and back injuries over the past four years, first being diagnosed with spinal stenosis midway through the 2015 season.
Wright was limited to 38 games in 2015 and 37 games in 2016. He missed the entire 2017 season and only played twice last year. He ended his Mets career with a .296/.376/.491 batting line with 242 home runs and 970 RBIs in 1,585 games played since debuting in 2004.