ATLANTA -- Miles golfer Marquis Taylor enjoyed the opportunity of a lifetime on Wednesday as he participated in the PGA TOUR Championship Charity Challenge at East Lake Golf Club.

"This was such a great experience. It meant a lot ot be out there," Taylor said. "I got a chance to represent Miles College, which I love. I was a little nervous. But the end result was I really enjoyed it."

Miles golf coach Leonard Smoot thought Taylor was a great candidate to wear the Miles colors on such a big stage.

"This was a great opportunity for him to experience the TOUR Championship. It was also a good opportunity for him to represent not only the golf team, but our institution as well," Smoot said.

Taylor, a junior from Tallahassee, Fla., was one of six HBCU students to tee up during the challenge, which pitted PGA TOUR veteran Billy Andrade and Baseball Hall of Famer Tom Glavine against former NFL star Larry Fitzgerald and former Atlanta Braves world champion Andruw Jones in a Nine-hole Scramble. Each of the HBCU students would hit one tee shot from either the 11th and 15th holes. The teams would choose the best shot to play from on that particular hole.

With a chance to swing from No. 11, Taylor had to calm his nerves. But when he was done, he had the Shot of the Day, as selected by the Golf Channel, which broadcast his shot on their network.

"When I got over the ball, I was petrified," Taylor said. "But having the Shot of the Day, that was the highlight of my trip." 

Taylor was also able to meet one of the pioneers of the game, Jim Dent, an African-American golfer who won 12 tournaments on the PGA Champions Tour and is an inspiration for many golfers of color.

"I noticed him on the range. He was really nice. I was able to talk to him, getting info on my game and also how he came up in the game," Taylor said. "It was a cool experience having him around and watching us swing."