Disabled golf trio to represent Arizona at inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open

PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) – America Golf Affiliation (USGA), which places on all the nation’s golf nationwide championships, together with the U.S. Open, U.S. Ladies’s Open and U.S. Newbie, will introduce a brand new one subsequent month. The inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open, to be performed at Pinehurst No. 6 in North Carolina, showcases 96 of the world’s finest golfers with disabilities. Three of these golfers name the Valley residence and can symbolize Arizona within the historic occasion.

Amy Bockerstette is without doubt one of the best-known beginner golfers within the U.S. after her inspirational par on the sixteenth gap throughout a Phoenix Open follow spherical in 2019 went viral. The 23-year-old, who will compete within the Mental Impairment class, is busier than ever. Amy helped create the “I Acquired This” Basis, which promotes golf for folks with mental disabilities, and have become the primary individual with Down syndrome to compete in a university nationwide championship in 2021. This 12 months, Amy completed her taking part in profession at Paradise Valley Neighborhood School, went to the U.S. Ladies’s Open, and gained a silver medal on the Particular Olympics USA Video games in Orlando.

Larry Celano, aka The Seated Golfer, is on the hunt for his third event victory this 12 months. The U.S. Military veteran was unintentionally shot thrice in the course of the U.S. invasion of Panama in 1989, leading to nerve injury to his backbone and leaving him paralyzed. Larry, who will compete within the Seated Gamers class, gained on the Conquistador Paragolf Championship in Tucson, taking pictures an 80 within the ultimate spherical, then adopted that up by touring to Virginia and successful his flight on the U.S. Disabled Open, after completed 2nd and third within the event the 2 earlier years.

Rob Walden is a scratch golfer with a clean and easy swing who pipes drives 300+ yards. You’ll by no means guess that each time the 50-year-old hits the ball, “it looks like anyone’s taking a hammer and smacking it into my fingertips.” In February of 2016, Rob, who flies large mannequin airplanes, went to launch a model new one at his home. As an alternative of beginning at idle, the airplane malfunctioned and went full throttle. The 32-inch propeller sliced off many of the 4 fingers on his proper hand. Now, the First Tee of Phoenix coach basically swings one-handed however is best on the course than earlier than the accident. Rob will compete within the Arm Impairment class.

Copyright 2022 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.