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Special Olympian creates new NCAA golf tradition

Special Olympian Randy Rogers hits the first drive of the Division III NCAA men’s golf tournament

With golfers from the nation’s top Division III teams looking on, Randy Rogers stepped up to the first tee of Grandover Resort’s East Course and made history.

The ceremonial first drive by the Special Olympian from Colfax and Triad Baptist Church member marked the first in DIII national championship history.

“Congratulations, Randy, that was a great shot,” said Kim Strable, president of the Greensboro Sports Commission which led the effort to secure back-to-back engagements hosting the tournament at Grandover in 2015 and 2016.

Then it was off to a live interview with WFMY-TV’s Meghann Mollerus — there to record his historic shot — and talk to Randy’s parents, Roy and Sandy Rogers.

Such opportunities are the latest of many for Randy since Special Olympics North Carolina selected him to represent the state at the Special Olympics World Summer Games July 25-Aug. 2 in Los Angeles.

The announcement came at Oak Hollow Golf Course during the state games last fall, complete with a ceremonial torch lighting and Randy leading a crowd of nearly 100 people in a chant of “U-S-A, U-S-A!”

Randy is one of four North Carolinians selected. His teammates will compete in equestrian events, swimming, and tennis.

The tee-shot opportunity at Grandover came as a result of the partnership between NCAA Division III sports and the Special Olympics. The night before the tournament, Randy addressed golfers from the 41 teams competing during a banquet in the Imperial Ballroom of the Greensboro Sheraton.

Randy’s speech impressed Connor McDonagh-poh. Before his own round May 12, the golfer from Salem State University in Salem, Massachusetts, asked Randy to pose with him for a picture on the practice green.

Randy Rogers with Special Olympics medals

Rogers with some of his Special Olympics medals (H. Scott Hoffman/News & Record).

“He made it very simple,” Connor said. “He said golf is fun so always remember that and make sure you have a great time playing. That’s good advice no matter what level of golfer you are.”

“Keep your head down, keep your mind on your game,” is another one of the mantras Randy has followed in his last 18 years playing Special Olympics golf.

Sandy says Randy’s faith in Jesus Christ guides his golf game just as it does every other part of his life — a dedication revealed in one of his daily pursuits: copying the Bible, word for word in pencil and onto paper. The pages go in three-ring binders.

“He has truly hidden the Word of God deep in his heart,” Sandy says. “The fact that makes this all so remarkable is that he reads at a second- to third-grade level and he does this by the hour, every day.

“Randy’s childlike faith humbles us and anybody else that’s around him for very long.”

Randy used to compete in gymnastics and won six medals at the Special Olympics 1991 World Summer Games in Minneapolis/St. Paul — his first world games — before he switched to golf when the Kernersville business supporting Special Olympics gymnastics closed.

Randy will travel to Los Angeles with the team on July 19. Along with Team USA’s other golfers, he got to play two practice rounds in February at the Griffith Park complex courses that will host more than 200 golfers from 177 countries.

“We won’t see him again until the Opening Ceremonies,” Roy said.

Randy will play an opening round to establish the groups that will then square off in three days of tournament play. Like the rest of the games, the golf competition will be broadcast live by ESPN and ABC.

The top three golfers in each group will win medals. On Team USA, Randy is one of nine golfers who can walk and play 18 holes. The other 20 play an alternate-shot format with someone who isn’t handicapped.

“I want to get a gold medal,” Randy said. “It’s a pretty good golf course.”

Since Randy took up golf, Roy has been his caddie and eyes and ears on the links — support that comes in handy because Randy is legally blind in his right eye.

While Randy’s golf ability inspires many, Roy and Sandy know his life shows the fingerprints of God in other ways. Born on the Fort Leonard Wood Army base in Missouri while Roy served in the Army, Randy required life-saving surgery because of an intestinal blockage. A few months after the surgery and 27-day hospital stay, Roy and Sandy got more bad news: Randy had Down Syndrome.

“It made me grow up real quick,” Roy told the Greensboro News & Record in a feature they did on his son. “I was only 25 years old at the time.”

In the car on the way home, Roy told the paper he turned to Sandy and said, “Honey, he is still our son, no matter what he can or can’t do. It’s no longer about us, it’s about how we can make the best life for our son.”

And that’s just what they’ve done. While Roy wishes he could caddy for Randy in Los Angeles, the rules governing international competition won’t allow it so he’ll be cheering him on with Sandy on the spectator side of the gallery ropes.

Roy and Randy try to play together at least once a month. From May through November, Randy also practices each Thursday at the Greensboro Golf Center with the Guilford County Special Olympics golf team. Roy leads the squad.

“Randy doesn’t play golf for the final score,” said Roy, who added that Randy regularly shoots between 110 to 112 for 18 holes. “Randy plays for the compliments and the satisfaction of being with others just like him.

“He’s pumped up about playing in Los Angeles. He is a pretty happy kid.”

 

Making NCAA Division III golf tournament history– Image 1 of 6

 

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