So a one-legged golfer…
Sounds like the beginning of a cheesy golf joke doesn’t it?
It’s not. Meet Manuel de los Santos a 25 year old Dominican Republic golfer who will realize his dream this week when he plays at St. Andrews, on one leg.
A TimesOnline article noted “…at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland — the one tournament on the European Tour in which amateurs are paired with professionals — De los Santos will fulfil a dream by playing at St Andrews, the home of golf. He will not be there to make up the numbers, but to compete for all he is worth.”
As the Times piece covers, Santos had his left leg amputated above the knee after being struck by a car when he was 18. A once promising baseball player, he instead fell in love with the game of golf after being intrigued by the movie The Legend of Bagger Vance.
Oh and um, no carts thank you. Santos uses his crutches to get around the course. Think about that the next time you’re feeling winded after walking a long uphill par 5.
Another one-legged golfer that is on the mend was in the headlines this week – Ken Green. We wrote about Green and our friends at Triple Bogey found this great photo of him that shows while the body may be beaten up, the spirit is pretty intact.
Nicely done Manuel and good luck to ya Ken *hat tip*.
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“I want to show the world I love this game. When I go back home I say to my friends I play St Andrews. This is enough for me”
Here is someone with total respect for the game and it’s roots.
Doing this at age eighteen is one thing. Doing it over the age of 50 is completely different. Plus, Ken Green may be smiling, but he looks 65 years old. He is one guy where a disease kept him from being one of the top echelon players in his era. The fact he could play to the level he did dealing with depression and being bi-polar is a miracle.
Ken Green reminds me a little of Moe Norman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8bphcoEGc4
Austism kept him from being a champion
Hey it would be a stretch re: Green coming back, no doubt. But crazy sh*t has happened before.
I’ll say this (to toot my own horn, which I normally only do in the privacy of my own home) if nothing else I’m proud of NBZ for finding stories like Santos’ and staying on the Ken Green one as well.
It’s harder and more rewarding than just doing another Japanese Bikini Golfers post…not that there’s anything wrong w/that.
Shit Hoops…I wish I’d seen the Moe Norman thing sooner. Thanks for posting it here.