Celebrities turn out for Jeter golf tourney kickoff party

Derek Jeter hopes to score big in Tampa this weekend by raising money for his charitable foundation.

Jeter is best known for his feats on the baseball field as captain and shortstop of the world champion New York Yankees, but he also has a passion for helping kids. In 1996, he started his Turn 2 Foundation, which funds programs aimed at keeping kids off drugs and alcohol.

"We're coming up with some great programs and really trying to help the community," he said Wednesday night at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.

Jeter held a star-studded party to kick off the weekend's events. The guest list included Michael Jordan, wrestler John Cena, James Blake, Derrick Brooks and a number of other sports stars and celebrities. The evening was slated to include a performance by English soul and R&B singer Joss Stone.

The culmination of the weekend is the Seventh Annual Derek Jeter Celebrity Golf Classic, which takes place Friday at the Avila Golf and Country Club in Tampa.

Partygoers paid big to get into Wednesday's event: tickets cost $500 apiece. The Seminole Hard Rock donated $150,000 to the foundation.

Jeter said the money raised is used to help kids in West Michigan, where he grew up, as well as children in New York and Tampa.

"I live down in Tampa. It would be kind of tough to golf in New York or Michigan right now, so we really didn't have much of a choice," he said with a laugh.

Friend and Yankee teammate Jorge Posada came to the party support Jeter.

"It says a lot about the guy. People start foundations and they don't follow up. He's been pretty honest about what he wants to do and what he wants to accomplish and he hasn't backed down," he said.

NASCAR racing legend Dale Jarrett said he's excited to take part in the event.

"This is something he's very passionate about and obviously it's for a great cause," Jarrett said. "I enjoy seeing athletes get involved in making a difference when they have that opportunity."

Don't expect Jeter to be as good on the golf course as he is on the baseball field, though. He admits he's not a great golfer.

"Not good at all, no," he said.

But if that's the case, he'll be in good company. His pal, Kevin Connolly, who plays Eric Murphy on the HBO show "Entourage," said he's not much of a golfer, either.

"Listen, if my gambling is any idea of how my golf game is going to be, then I might skip that golf tournament," said Connolly, who'd spent some time inside the casino. "I'm just going to try and have fun and not put too much pressure on myself."

Posada agreed, saying the event is about raising money for the kids.

"I'm a bad golfer! But I have a lot of fun, so that's all that matters," he said.