Watch: CC Sabathia escapes close call after Ja Rule’s disastrous golf swing at Jeter Invitational

The famed former New York Yankees great was almost taken down Friday by a huge wayward tee shot from rapper Ja Rule, as the day began as a relatively calm day of celebrity golf at the Derek Jeter Invitational. The Bahamas charity event combines sports greats and entertainers in an informal atmosphere, but one swing turned everything from recreational to precarious as the ball immediately started to drift severely off line with crowd members in its path.

Fortunately, no one was hurt during what must have been a terrifying moment. Sabathia narrowly missed being touched by feet, and the non-contact instantly became one of the most talked-about clips of the event, spreading across the internet and eliciting equal parts laughter and shock from fans.

Ja Rule’s misfired tee shot sends shock through the crowd

The incident happened when rapper Jeffrey Atkins (better known as Ja Rule) was about to tee off during the celebrity portion of the tourney at the Royal Blue Golf Course in Nassau. As he swung, the ball sliced viciously to the right instead of down the fairway and straight into the group of photographers, fans, and players nearby.

Video footage of the scene shows the crowd reacting audibly to the near-miss as Sabathia, standing directly adjacent to the tee, ducks down as the ball passes inches overhead. The clip quickly went viral on social media, leaving many viewers shocked at how near a miss the former MLB Cy Young Award winner had with the ball.


Ja Rule seemed to recognize the threat immediately, displaying shock and concern. The mishap was immediately acknowledged by him, checking if everyone was alright and apologising while people started to have a good laugh and sighed in relief. Fortunately, nobody was hurt during the swing from hell, making this moment a clearly alarming near-miss instead of a true hazard.

CC Sabathia and Derek Jeter Invitational maintain focus on charity

Even with that airborne scare, the annual Derek Jeter Invitational marched on undisturbed, vanquishing that atmosphere before its mix of jocularity and bonding resumed. Sabathia, a six-time All-Star and 2009 World Series champ, took it in stride, later tweeting how lucky we all were that the shot literally "missed its mark."

The charity event benefits Jeter's Turn 2 Foundation, an organization that encourages young people to live healthy lifestyles and do well in school. Over the years, the event has attracted all types of athletes, musicians, and celebrities, all attracted to the charity instead of their golfing ability.

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