by Jeff Skinner
Ken Green was as nervous as ever was when he teed off at The Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf on Friday. He was worried he would embarrass himself and his partner, Mike Reid as he struggled to come back to professional golf after his life shattering accident last June. Green took a few holes to shake off the jitters but then warmed up to display some crisp shots and even tally a few birdies for his team.
After the first round his team sits five strokes back of the leaders with a score of five under par. The score isn’t what really matters this weekend for Green and Reid, it’s the fact that Ken Green is there and is back and is able to play golf with his friends on tour once again. Birdies are nice, finishing near the top would be great but just being back on the course is enough for Green. To be playing again with a prosthetic right leg less than a year after his accident can only be called miraculous.
Green said himself that this is a chance for him to do more than just play golf. He is the first professional to try and compete with an artificial leg. “I haven’t been known for inspiring people throughout my career,” he said. “But I’ve got a chance to do something good for people, something important in golf, and for people who are disabled, and people who have had accidents.”
He carries with him the memory of his brother, girlfriend and pet dog that were killed in the crash and also the memory of his son who died last January. That’s a heavy burden to bear but Green has fought through the anguish to try and regain some sense of normalcy in his life, that of playing golf again.
With the support of his family, his fellow professionals and the cheering fans he was able to make his first day back a success. It’s the first step of a long journey that green is determined to complete.
Related Articles
