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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Like any young golfer, UNC Wilmington’s T.J. Harvey has always dreamed of the opportunity to play with her favorite golfer on one of the toughest courses in the world.

Thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, professional golfer Jim Furyk and the PGA TOUR, Harvey had that opportunity Tuesday when the redshirt freshman teed it up with the 2003 U.S. Open Champion at TPC Sawgrass, home to tour’s signature event, THE PLAYERS Championship.

"I feel like I got the opportunity that any TOUR player would have and a presidential experience," Harvey told PGATOUR.com. "Everyone treated me so nice. It was just awesome."

For Harvey, just the chance to be playing golf at all is a dream come true. Eighteen months ago, Harvey was in an intensive care unit in Chapel Hill battling Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis, a life-threatening blood disease that affects approximately one in a million young people. Harvey, who also suffers from Crohn’s disease, was able to overcome the illness that causes white blood cells to attack vital organs with aggressive chemotherapy.

"To see her in the intensive care room a couple of nights (was awful)," her father, Tom Harvey said. "And then you're counting your progress by the amount of oxygen she's on or the heart rate. And to see her now, it's just amazing."

Harvey’s special day with Furyk began shortly after 8 a.m. when T.J., her parents Tammy and Tom, and her 20-year-old brother Thomas arrived at the clubhouse in a black stretch limousine. Furyk was already there to open the door and greet the family.

The two then made a trip to the back driving range, a place usually reserved for only the top professionals and the Munchkins, the original members of the TPC Sawgrass. While on the range, Harvey not only impressed Furyk with her ability to hit solid drives and delicate chips, but with her coolness in front of a camera. Asked to film the opening for the tour’s weekly highlight show, "INSIDE the PGA TOUR,” the 19-year-old Wilmington native needed just one take to provide a flawless intro.

Following their warm-up, the duo headed to the 10th tee of the Stadium Course, where Harvey and Furyk were formally introduced by Doug Kidd, the player ambassador for TPC Sawgrass. Furyk and Harvey then played the back nine, including the infamous 17th par-3 island green. Even with a Sunday pin placement in the back right-hand corner of the green, Harvey played her tee shot within 10 feet, prompting Furyk to tell Harvey that she could sell that shot during THE PLAYERS Championship for “half-a-million dollars.”

While on the course Harvey had the chance to soak up the knowledge of the 13-time PGA TOUR Champion. Among the tips she received from the five-time Ryder Cup participant was to keep her cool on the course and how to achieve the proper putting speed.  

“He's a great guy," Harvey said of Furyk. "He's given me plenty of pointers. It was just awesome to be out there with a guy who really knows what he's doing and able to see how the game should be played."

For Harvey, the opportunity to play with Furyk was a dream come true. All she needed to do was to make a wish.