This past week brought us two amazing feel-good stories in the world of golf.  One from Nate Lashley on the PGA Tour and one from Christiaan Bezuidenhout on the European Tour.  I feel like you see a lot of negativity around most sports these days, but I feel like golf continues to deliver the types of stories I actually WANT to see.

Nate Lashley Wins the Rocket Mortgage Classic

So let’s start with the PGA Tour.  Nate Lashley captured his first ever PGA Tour win at the Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit, Michigan’s Detroit Golf Club.  But a few years ago, this would’ve only been a dream for Lashley.  Fourteen years go when Lashley was still in college, he tragically lost both of his parents and his girlfriend in a plane crash when hey were returning home from watching him play an NCAA golf event.  Somehow Lashley found a way to continue to push on at school and with golf graduating from the University of Arizona in 2005.

Following his gradutation, Lashley had a stint on the then Web.com Tour to start his professional career, but missed 12 of 14 cuts.  Lashley bounced around on some mini Tours for awhile, but started making a living in real estate with his professional golf dreams dwindling.  In 2015 his dreams took an upturn, when he qualified for the PGA Tour LatinoAmerica.  He finished the 2015 season as the Player of The Year, winning him full exemption on the Web.com for the next season.  Through that, Lashley officially earned his 2018 PGA Tour card at 36 years old.

Flash forward to last week when Lashley tried for a spot in the Rocket Mortgage Classic via the Monday Qualifier.  While he didn’t auto-qualify (eventual runner-up Doc Readman DID get one of the Monday spots), he was the third alternate for the event.  On Wednesday, he found out he was in.  Lashley took full advantage of his opportunity shooting lights out the first three days and grabbing the 54-hole lead. Lashley went on to close the whole thing out on Sunday for his first ever PGA Tour victory.  This win almost doubled his career earnings as well!

Through all of the adversity he has been through, I can’t imagine what Sunday felt like.  The best part?  He was able to share the special winning moment with his sister, Brooke.  Amazing to think two guys from the Monday Qualifier finished first and second…  Congrats Nathan, you certainly earned it.  Not only does he walk away $1.3 million richer, but he now has auto entries into the next three Majors and Tour status for 2 years.

Christiaan Bezuidenhout Gets His First European Victory

On Sunday Christiaan Benzuidenhout claimed a victory at the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama Country Club by six strokes.  Most wouldn’t question a 25-year old from South Africa winning on a professional Tour, however, Benzuidenhout’s story is different than most.  Why?  Some would say Benzuidenhout is lucky to be alive today.

At the age of 2 years old, the young South African accidentally ingested rat poison which would kill most toddlers.  Luckily, Benzuidenhout survived, but not without consequences.  From then on, Benzuidenhout suffered from ongoing depression, anxiety, and a stutter that he still battles to this day.

Benzuidenhout has taken a variety of beta blockers to deal with his condition.  Five years ago at the British Masters at Royal Portrush, Benzuidenhout was randomly selected for a drug test.  That test came back positive.  Benzuidenhout was informed of the failed test two days before he was due to tee it up at the World Amateur Team Championship for South Africa.  Benzuidenhout was crushed, but nonetheless, never gave up. He didn’t let his two year suspension (which was reduced to nine months) stop him from pushing forward.  He kept playing professional golf and pursuing his dream, and now he’s a winner on the European Tour.  Congrats, Christiaan Benzuidenhout.  May there be many more victories in your future.

Again, this is why I love golf.  It seems like there’s so many of these types of stories.  I love seeing this type of stuff.  It reminds you that no matter what life throws at you, you can always bounce back and persevere.  As the great Jimmy V once said “Don’t give up.  Don’t ever give up.”  While these two weren’t battling cancer, they still had massive uphill battles they had to overcome to get to where they are today.  And for that, we are all the more proud of them.  Congrats Nate Lashley and Christiaan Benzuidenhout.  We look forward to seeing you on your respective Tours for the next two years.  You both deserve it.