Augusta, GA
Marine Legentil Overcomes Blindness In One Eye to Compete On the Golf Course – Augusta University
Augusta, Ga- When the Augusta women’s golf team hosts the Valspar Augusta Invitational this weekend, they’ll do so with a golfer who’s passion for the sport is above and beyond most others. Marine Legentil came to Augusta University wanting to play Division One golf. She spent two years at Columbus State and was familiar with the team and program. The timing was right and now she’s in the lineup on a regular basis with the Jaguars.
What separates Legentil from others, she was born blind in her left eye. In a sport that requires tremendous hand-eye coordination, Legentil has found a way to excel. But it didn’t happened without some battles.
“I’ve kind of struggled with depth perception, which can be a little tricky sometimes,” said Legentil with a laugh. “For example, something I always laugh at with my teammates and my coach is that if I’m 20 yards off the green, I’ll pull out my range finder because I literally can not tell how far it is.”
Since she hasn’t known anything else, it’s no big deal to her and has accepted it. Another struggle she has at times, is one every golfer has had, following where the ball goes.
“It can be a little scary because when I don’t know where it is, I’m not sure if I’m in trouble or not,” said Legentil.
You certainly can’t tell by watching her that she is blind in one eye, and very rarely will her competitors realize it when they are on the golf course. She doesn’t shy away from it, but she just goes about playing her game.
Legentil followed in her brother’s footsteps when she took up the sport.
“I was seven years old and I started because my brother played golf. He started thanks to my grandmother, and was obsessed with it and I decided I’m going to try too,” she said.
She readily admits she didn’t like the game early on since she would swing and miss the ball and was frustrated by it.
“As it turns out, I kept going to practice with him and I was never able to stop playing,” Legentil said.
Originally from France, Legentil also spent ten years in South Africa with her parents so she was able to pick up English quickly and was comfortable coming to the United States. She knows how big golf is in Augusta and said this was the right move.
Her game has struggled a bit this year and said part of that was playing places she wasn’t that familiar with. Now it is trending in the right direction.
“I think now in the spring, I’m starting to settle in a bit more and hopefully get some low scores by the end of the season,” Legetin said.
She is really looking forward to the Valspar Augusta Invitational.
“I’m really excited,” she said. “I love Forest Hills Golf Club. In my previous two years, I played the Peach Belt Conference tournament on this course so I’ve played it in tournaments before and I feel really good about it. Also the fact that we’ll have a lot of people supporting us and knowing that we’re home is going to feel really good.”
Two Augusta-area Walmarts are among 13 Georgia locations that the retail giant plans to remodel and modernize in 2026.
In the past five years, the company said it has spent $961.5 million to upgrade its stores statewide.
Now, the company plans to change store layouts and services in its Augusta and Grovetown locations to make shopping faster and more convenient.
The locations are the Augusta Walmart Supercenter at 3338 Wrightsboro Road, near Augusta Mall, and the Grovetown Walmart Neighborhood Market at 5303-A Wrightsboro Road, where Wrightsboro and Harlem-Grovetown roads meet.
The Augusta location has been undergoing renovations since last fall.
The stores, when completely renovated, will include updated pharmacies offering vaccines, free delivery and clinical services such as basic health screenings and same-day testing for strep, the flu and COVID-19. Vision Centers also will be redesigned for improved privacy.
Also, computer apps will help customers better navigate stores, scan products’ prices and find exclusive app-only shopping deals.
Augusta, GA – Entered into rest Sunday, April 19, 2026. Mr. James Byron Duncan, 80, was the loving husband of Estelle Mulherin Duncan as well as devoted father, doting grandfather, and lifelong friend to many.
Byron was born and raised in Augusta, GA, the son of W.B. and Kathleen Duncan. After graduating from Butler High School in 1965, Byron’s kind heart called him into Social Work. He earned his Bachelor of Sociology from Augusta College in 1969. After 34 years of dedicated service to the State of Georgia, Byron retired in 2003 as Director of Jefferson County Family and Children Services. He devoted his life wholeheartedly to both service to others and dedication to his family, working in the tough field of social work while remaining a fiercely loving, spirited and unwaveringly passionate man.
His deepest commitments were to his wife, children, granddaughters, siblings, church, the Knights of Columbus and the Georgia Bulldogs.
Byron was deeply rooted in his faith and community. He was an active member of St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church, where he had served as an usher, Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, and finance committee member. He was also a proud member of the Knights of Columbus, Patrick Walsh Council 677 and Assembly 174, the Irish American Heritage Society and the Rotary Club of Louisville, GA. A true Georgia Bulldog at heart, Byron never missed an opportunity to cheer for his Dawgs, whether they were playing football, basketball, baseball or any other sport. He loved the simple joys of life – days at the beach, Jimmy Buffett, beach music and shagging, and a house full of family and friends. For many years, Byron delighted young and old alike by donning the red suit and playing Santa Claus at various events as well as visiting the classrooms at St. Mary on the Hill Catholic School as St. Nicholas.
Byron possessed the gift of gab! He never met a stranger and could often be observed enthusiastically carrying on a deep conversation with old friends or a stranger he just met on the street. No conversation with him was brief!
Family meant everything to him. He is survived by his beloved wife of 40 years, Estelle Mulherin Duncan; his children Sean M. Duncan (Jennifer), Matthew M. Duncan and Megan E. Duncan; his bonus daughter, Allison Crow (Joe), and his treasured grandchildren Riley, Emma and Harper Duncan, who brought him endless joy. He is also survived by his brother Keith Duncan; sisters Sheryl Werrick and Marcia Golden; brothers-in-law Dr. Joe Mulherin, Robert Gibson and Tom King; sister-in-law Janet M. Gibson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, April 24, 2026, at 1:00 P.M. at St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church with Fr. Mark Ross as celebrant. Interment will follow at Westover Memorial Park. A Rosary service will be held Thursday evening at 6:00 P.M., followed by visitation from 6:30 until 8:00 P.M. at Thomas Poteet & Son.
Memorial contributions may be made to Aquinas High School, 1920 Highland Ave., Augusta, GA 30904 or St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church, 1420 Monte Sano Ave., Augusta, GA 30904 for the Our Faith Our Future Capital Campaign.
Thomas Poteet & Son Funeral Directors, 214 Davis Road, Augusta, GA 30907, (706) 364-8484. Please sign the guestbook at thomaspoteet.com
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Georgia Gubernational candidate Geoff Duncan made another appearance in Augusta on Monday, speaking at the IBEW Local 1579 on Reynolds Street.
Duncan is one of the three candidates vying for the Democratic nomination. Duncan said when he served as lieutenant governor of the state, he fought to expand access to health care in rural communities. He said if he’s elected, he’ll focus on lowering costs in other areas.
Duncan stopped by NewsChannel 6 ahead of the campaign stop to speak about his plans.
“Look, 90% of Georgians know what they’re talking about when they want to pass commonsense gun legislation like universal background checks, red flag laws, and in-home safe storage laws. As governor, I want to lead the charge, and I want to give political cover to those Republicans that want to do the right thing, build those consensus around those bills,” Duncan said. “I hope to get some of them the cosign that legislation. Because it meets people where they’re at. It’s common sense. Look, I don’t want anybody to ever walk by a television screen and make another excuse for a mass shooting when it could have been stopped. With just common sense laws that are on the books.”
Photojournalist credit: Regynal McKie
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