By Gary Curreri

Greg Norman returned to his roots, sort of, and hopes to give the city of Pompano Beach a “memorable” golf course.

Norman, 57, the former World No. 1 ranked player who had 20 wins on the PGA Tour, two British Open titles and 80 wins worldwide, was on hand at the Pompano Beach Municipal Golf Course on April 26 for the groundbreaking ceremony of his redesign. This will create a signature course bearing his name.

Redesign of the Pines Course at the Pompano Beach Municipal Golf Course is Norman’s first work on a public course, which is where his career got started in his native Australia.

“My golf career started on a public golf course and I wouldn’t be here today if I didn’t have the access to public facilities,” Norman said. “With that being said, the game of golf can only be started and promoted and grown through public facilities.”

The Greg Norman Golf Course Design company was established in 1987, has opened 74 courses worldwide and has an additional 39 projects in various stages of development. The project began April 2 and the former Pines course is scheduled to reopen on Nov. 16. Norman’s group was the low bidder.

He said the course would be accessible by all walks of players.

“It will be for someone who can hit the ball 40 yards in the air or 300 yards in the air,” Norman said. “They made a big move, a courageous move and I think, from an overall economic side of things, it will be one of the cheapest moves they would have done, in the long period of time. They will see that.”

Bob Loring, head golf professional at Pompano Beach Municipal Golf Course, looked around at the gathering on-hand for the ground breaking and smiled.

“I have been in the golf business for 26 years and this is the most exciting thing that has happened to me as a golf professional,” Loring said. “To have Greg Norman and a Greg Norman Signature Golf Course is just great!”

Dr. Richard Porraro, 75, a member of the Pompano Golf Advisory Board, said because the current course has good soil, it would save on the overall cost.

“It’s an unbelievable day,” Porraro said. “I have been a resident of this city for 48 years and played this course when I was a kid. To think that we would have a signature golf course and the first in the man’s portfolio is phenomenal.”

By Gary Curreri

Mitch Evron was named the new Athletic Director at Zion Lutheran on April 10, succeeding Cody Loomis.

Evron, who spent the past nine years at the David Posnack Jewish Day School in Plantation, has a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training and Sports Medicine from the University of Pittsburgh.

Evron has more than 20 years of athletic experience, having been an award-winning coach three times in tennis and soccer. He has also coached professional athletes, includingAndyRoddick and Marty Fish, and has developed dozens of Division I college scholarship athletes.

Tigers fall in ESPNHS classic

Ely High School’s boys’ basketball team recently dropped a 67-61 decision to St. Benedict’s of New Jersey in the opening roundoftheeight-teamESPNHS National High School Invitational at Georgetown Prep in suburban Maryland.

Ely coach Melvin Randall said his team, which won the state title in the spring, showed it deserved to be among the country’s elite teams.

Clide Geffrard led the Tigers with 18 points. Blanche Ely (30-3) led, 40-32, at halftime as Geffrard had 14 points and the Tigers made 57.7 percent of its shots from the field; however, St. Benedict’s employed a manto- man defense in the third quarter and pulled away.

Flegel shines at local event

Lighthouse Point wakeboarder Noah Flegel won the Open Men’s Division at Board Up in Ft. Lauderdale with 80.55 points and helped the USA team capture the 2012 IWWF Pan Am Region Wakeboard Championships recently at Mills Pond Park in Ft. Lauderdale.

Colombia placed second with 540 points, while Ecuador was third with 510 points. Mexico (280 points), Argentina (80 points) and Guatemala (55 points) rounded out the top-six teams. Divisions included Boys, Junior Boys, Junior Men, Junior Women, Masters Women, Masters Men, Veteran Men, Open Women, Open Men, Pro Women and Pro Men.

The win may help the local teenager possibly be part of the World Cup for next year. With two different 720-degree spins and landing his first Crow 540 in competition, it was tough for the other competitors to keep pace.

Golf trick shot artist Dennis Walters, 62, of Jupiter, hits a shot as students from Deerfield Park Elementary look on during a recent show. Photo by Gary Curreri

By Gary Curreri

Dennis Walters said he is living a dream, just not the one he originally had 50 years ago after his father took him to a professional golf tournament.

His message today is a simple one.

“If you have a dream and it doesn’t work out, never stop dreaming, get a new one,” said Walters, who was left paralyzed from the waist down when his golf cart flipped over in 1974.

“That’s what I did and I use my own personal experience as an example.”

Since then, the 62-year-old Jupiter man has put on more than 3,000 shows featuring golf trick shots in a 38-year career. He averages between 90 and 100 shows a year.

“Almost every person I met 38 years ago said it would be impossible to play golf because I couldn’t stand up and they were 100 percent correct,” Walters said after performing a recent show for the South Florida PGA Foundation at Deerfield Park Elementary School. “That’s when I started hitting them sitting down.”

Walters’ show featured amazing golf tricks, a message of inspiration, along with a special performance by Bucky, who is best known for his uncanny ability to correctly answer questions by barking out the answers.

“I didn’t think he could play when I first saw him,” said fourth grader Caroline Maya. “He’s very good. I was really amazed because I don’t think I would do that if I was in a wheelchair.”

Deerfield Park P.E. teacher Shelton Smith said this is the annual field trip that the school generally attends in Boca Raton.

“They weren’t able to hold it there this year,” Smith said. “They asked if they could bring it here to the school. My principal thought it would be nice to make it an incentive for third, fourth and fifth grade so they could improve on their academics. The students who scored three or higher on the mock, standardized FCAT tests were allowed to come out.”

“I am trying to grow the game of golf,” Walters said. “Golf is a game for everyone. I am living proof of it. I think if we can [get] more of these young people exposed to the game of golf, some of them will take it up.

By Gary Curreri

Everybody loves a parade and what better way to celebrate Blanche Ely’s Class 7A boys’ basketball state championship than with a ride down victory lane on Saturday?

Blanche Ely’s boys recently punctuated a stellar season with a 78-46 victory over Orlando Oak Ridge in the FHSAA Class 7A state championship game as senior 6-ft., 6-in. star forward Clide Geffrard scored a game-high 33 points and pulled down 14 rebounds to power the Tigers to thier third state title in school history.

The victory gave Ely coach Melvin Randall his second state title at Ely (2006-07) and fourth overall, following two at Deerfield Beach (1997, 1999). The Tigers also won in 1993.

“The young men played very well,” Randall said. “Not taking anything away from Oak Ridge, but these young men did a very, very good job. For the seniors to go out in style like this is a plus … They deserve it because I know how hard we worked.”

It was a belated 49th birthday gift for Randall, who is 429-133 in his 20th year of coaching.

When asked to pick which team, the Class 7A No.1 Tigers or his 1999 Deerfield team (which went 34-1), was more dominant, Randall didn’t hesitate.

“You’re looking at it,” Randall said, “not just because this team won a state title. It’s the way they went about doing it, getting up Saturday mornings and hitting the beach … two-a-day practices and the intense workouts. Not saying the ’99 team didn’t do it, but the cohesiveness this team had consistently through-out made them better.”

The Tigers (30-2), winners of 18 consecutive games to close out the season, are ranked No.16 in the ESPN FAB 50 poll and have accepted an invitation to participate in the ESPNHS National High School Invitational at Georgetown Prep in Bethesda, MD March 29-31.

The only blemishes on the Blanche Ely ledger are a one-point loss to ESPN FAB 50 No. 13 Bishop Gorman (NV) and 67-53 to ESPN No.14 Montverde Prep (21-3) on Dec. 30.

Geffrard, who scored 12 of his team’s 22 first-quarter points, felt he had to deliver on a promise.

“I wanted to keep my word I made in ninth grade when I told everyone we would win one before we left high school,” Geffrard said. “I guess I helped keep that word.”

The Tigers are also the third school in Broward – joining Deerfield Beach in 1999 and Dillard in 2003 – to win a state championship and win at least 30 games.

The 32-point margin of victory marked the 14th time this season the Tigers won a game by at least 30 points. It was also the 14th time the Ely defense held opponents under 50 points, including the state semifinal which produced a 62-29 victory over Saint Petersburg.

Zion Lutheran’s Vince Stubbs (left) goes up for two points in a game against Wellington Christian’s Charlie Brown.Photo by Gary Curreri

By Gary Curreri

While Blanche Ely and Deerfield Beach boys’ basketball teams are within one game of the state final four in their respective classes, another local team, Zion Lutheran Christian School, had a stellar season.

Zion Lutheran boys basketball coach John Guion said he couldn’t have been happier with his first year at the school. The Lions finished the season at 16-6, but suffered a first round loss in the district tournament.

“We set the bar high for the future of Zion basketball,” said Guion, who moved to South Florida from North Carolina to take over the program.

“We look to improve upon our success next season. Losing in the first round of districts was a disappointment that will fuel our hunger to get better in the off-season. I want to especially thank our administration, parents and student body for the support they gave us through the season.”

Guion moved from Charlotte, North Carolina. He has family and friends in South Florida.

“I really liked the feel of the place,” Guion said. “I knew they were coming off some rough years and that they had an Athletic Director here, Cody Loomis, who wanted to do things the right way, and turn the program in a right way.”

“I know their middle school team had also gone to nationals and had success there,” added Guion, who had four players from the middle school team playing varsity this season: Vince Stubbs, Manny Rojas, Keith Stone and Hunter Redeker. He said the team also got a stellar season from senior Bruno Mendoca who averaged 23 points a game.

“They had a good feeder program and I knew that I could develop a program here, not just a basketball team.”

Guion said the intensity of playing high school basketball and the structure of playing a varsity school was an adjustment for his young team. He said he gave them “small bites” of what to expect.

“They had never heard of a scouting report before,” said Guion, whose team ran off eight consecutive wins at one point.

“I wanted to give them time and not overwhelm them. I thought we’d come in here and, if we got them to have a .500 season, that would have been a great job. This was the most resilient group of kids I have ever been around. We still have a lot of maturing to do.

“It wasn’t important for us to win this year,” Guion added. “We just wanted to compete every night, get better at what we are doing and see the growth there. Winning wasn’t the obstacle. We just want to build the program the right way.”

Ely rallies; holds off Raiders

Benji Bell scored a game-high 24 points as host Blanche Ely (27-2) rallied for a dramatic, 56-52 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas in a Class 7A regional semifinal on Tuesday night.

The Tigers, ranked No. 19 in the most recent ESPNHS Powerade Fab 50, will now travel to Atlantic for a regional final on Saturday.

“St. Thomas really outplayed us for the first three quarters,” said Blanche Ely coach Melvin Randall. “We just started to pick it up and dug in during the fourth quarter and played Ely basketball … I think I aged about 10 years.”

Bucks top Cypress Bay

Marcus Owens led Deerfield Beach with 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Terence Johnson added 18 points as the host Bucks held off a late charge by Cypress Bay, 64-57, to advance to its first regional final since 1999, when it won the Class 6A state championship.

The Bucks (24-4), who also received eight points and a game-high 14 rebounds from Janoris Jenkins, will host Spanish River on Saturday night.

Fifth-year coach Kenny Brown said his team, composed mostly of sophomores and juniors, has the ability to win state if they cut down on the turnovers and missed free throws that plagued them Tuesday night.

“They just have to settle down,” said Brown, whose starting unit has been intact for three years. “It is so hard for some reason for them to relax and we are winning. I am like, why are we rushing? Take your time, spread the floor and play basketball.”

Deerfield’s Jason Pierre-Paul celebrates winning Super Bowl. Submitted photo

By Gary Curreri

Two years ago, Deerfield Beach’s Jason Pierre-Paul was a relative unknown.

The 23-year-old Deerfield Beach High School graduate was a first round draft pick in 2010 for the New York Giants (15th overall). Now he has quite a resume starting with Super Bowl XLVI champion after the Giants held on to defeat the New England Patriots, 21-17, recently.

“It didn’t really hit me until the parade,” said Pierre-Paul, a 6’5”, 278-lb. defensive end, named to the Pro Bowl this season despite not being on the ballot. “It is a great feeling. I’m having a great time. I am soaking it all in until it is ready to go again for next season.”

Pierre-Paul had a breakout season this year as he was named to the Pro Bowl after he recorded 65 tackles, 16.5 sacks, a safety and two forced fumbles during the 2011 season. Pierre-Paul became the first player in NFL history to record a sack, forced fumble and blocked field goal in the same game in a 37-34 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 11. With injuries plaguing the Giants’ starting defensive ends, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck, Pierre-Paul received a significant amount of playing time, including 12 starts.

Pierre-Paul’s father, Jean, who is blind, took in his son’s Super Bowl performance in Indianapolis in person.

“I talked to him about it,” Pierre-Paul said. “He said it is a blessing to see me play. He said this is the happiest he has been in his lifetime. Even though he couldn’t see me, he knew I was doing good. He listens to the game and my whole family tells him what is going on and he understands it.”

The Giants were 7-7 and facing elimination before winning its last two regular season games and finishing the year winning six straight. Pierre-Paul said the team never gave up and he is looking forward to defending the title and contributing again.

“I knew I could be good,” Pierre-Paul said. “Two years ago, I was going into the draft and now I am a playmaker in the NFL. I am still learning the parts of the game and I am taking it all in.”

Another local, Blanche Ely High School grad, Patrick Peterson, also had a stellar rookie season for the Arizona Cardinals as he set several NFL marks and was also named to the Pro Bowl.

Peterson had the most punt return yards by a rookie in a season with 699, tied for most punt returns in a season for touchdown with four, longest game-winning punt return touchdown in overtime with 99 yards.

Peterson was selected fifth overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2011 NFL Draft and immediately made his mark on his first NFL play when he intercepted a Philip Rivers pass and returned it for a touchdown.

Pompano’s Patrick Peterson. Submitted photo

Peterson, 21, a 6’-0”, 219-lb. cornerback, was selected to the 2012 Pro Bowl and was the only rookie to be selected to the 2011 All-Pro First Team, as a kick return specialist. He finished the season with 64 tackles, a sack, 2 INTs and four punt returns for TDs.

Peterson said his teammates, Adrian Wilson and Kerry Rhodes, have kept him grounded.

“Those guys have definitely given me the keys to success and taught me how to be a professional,” Peter-son said. “They taught me how to grow up fast – faster than I probably needed to.”

Nathan Revell was recently named Highlands Christian Academy’s new football coach on Jan. 24. Submitted photo

By Gary Curreri

Revell, who graduated from Highlands Christian Academy in 2006 where he played football (linebacker and fullback), basketball and track, was named the school’s new football coach on Jan. 24.

“Nathan is an incredible young man who has a positive future as a head coach,” said Jim Good, athletic director and boys varsity basketball coach at Highlands Christian Academy.

“It’s amazing how God is in control and literally has worked out all the details. Coach Revell is definitely an answer to prayer. It’s obvious he has a love for football and the weight room, but his ultimate priority is to honor and glorify Christ, and football is just the platform.”

Revell graduated from Liberty University in 2011 with a degree in Exercise Science and a minor in Youth Ministry. He played five years at Liberty as a fullback and linebacker.

Last season, he was the special teams coordinator and offensive line coach for Calvary Christian, also the defensive coordinator for the J.V. He is currently leading the HCA seventh hour weight training class and after school weight training programs. Revell is also an assistant coach for the track team, specifically working with the throwers.

Abbate records first ace

Pompano Beach’s John Abbate recorded his first-ever hole-in-one at the Oriole Golf Club when he used a 3-wood on the Par-3, 150-yard third hole recently.

“That’s my first one,” said the 69-year-old Abbate, who has only been playing golf for the past three years. “I have only been playing three years, so I am pretty happy when I just get on the green. I hit the ball up, it bounced before the green and I am walking up and figured with the 3-wood, it probably went over.

“I am picking up my tee and one of the guys said, ‘I think it went in,’ ” Abbate recalled. “I am thinking, ‘yeah, he’s kidding me.’ We walked up to the hole and I am looking behind the green and couldn’t find it. I looked in the hole and there it was, in the cup.”

When he saw the ball in the hole, he smiled and said the three other members of the group, three Canadians who he was paired with that morning, were probably more excited than he was.

“I thought I was pretty damn lucky,” Abbate said with a laugh. “I like being outside and I like sports. Golf is a pretty tough game because it changes every day.”

The retired construction worker said he had played “maybe twice” in his life before some men who live in his condo got him started.

“It is mostly me against the game and me against the course,” Abbate said. “It is funny because when you play against better guys, you sort of up your game. You try a little harder maybe.”

Denard Robinson (center) became the first player in NCAA history to pass for 2,500 yards and rush for 1,500 yards in a single season in 2010. He is pictured above in the Wolverines’ 40-34 victory over Ohio State this past season. Photo courtesy of University of Michigan Photo Services

By Gary Curreri

Denard Robinson has been making a name for himself on the football field since he was a member of the Deerfield Beach Packer Rattlers.

However, not by his birth name of Denard Xavier Robinson, but “Shoelace,” a nickname he got when he was 10 and playing for his Pee Wee team with his shoelaces untied. That practice has still continued to this day and Robinson hasn’t been tripped up from making noise on the college gridiron.

Robinson, who led the University of Michigan to an 11-2 record this year and a 2012 Allstate Sugar Bowl Championship as he threw for two TDs in a 23-20 overtime victory over Virginia Tech at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana, recently announced he would forgo the NFL draft to return to school for his senior year.

“It’s been a dream to play in the NFL, and, hopefully, after next year, that becomes a reality,” Robinson said. “But, I wouldn’t pass up being here with my teammates and coaches for anything. It’s my second family. I love my teammates. I love Michigan.”

“Seeing how the seniors led our team this year, I want to be that type of leader,” Robinson added. “We made steps and had a good season, but we didn’t accomplish our No. 1 goal. We’re still hungry.”

Robinson, who threw for 2,173 yards and ran for 1,176 in his first season under new coach Brady Hoke, is one of the early favorites for the Heisman Trophy.

From his Pee Wee coach Sammie Huggins to his Deerfield Beach High School football coach Art Taylor, his coaches knew they had a special athlete in Robinson, the son of Thomas Robinson, Sr., and Dorothea Robinson.

“He listened,” Huggins said. “That was the difference … Denard’s attitude was always great. That’s why you knew he’s going to go somewhere.”

In his junior year (2007) at Deerfield Beach High School, Robinson was one yard short of taking the Bucks to the state championship game and an upset victory over the nation’s No. 1 ranked team, Miami Northwestern.

Taylor marveled at the athleticism and the leadership of Robinson.

“As soon as he stepped on that field his sophomore year playing varsity, we knew we had something special,” Taylor recalled. He also laughed at the nickname. “After 25 years coaching, if the kid can throw it 90 yards in the air and is accurate and the kid can run as fast as he does … as long as he feels comfortable not lacing his shoes, fine with me. The kid’s been doing it all his life, why mess with it?”

Robinson has made quite an impression at Michigan as well. He became the first player in NCAA history to pass for 2,500 yards and rush for 1,500 yards in a single season in 2010, and just the fourth player in NCAA history to gain 2,000 yards passing and 1,000 rushing in a season twice in his career (2010, ’11) – joining Missouri’s Brad Smith, UAB’s Joe Webb and Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick.

There is even a YouTube video out, put together by The Friars, an a capella group at the University of Michigan, that is a unique way of honoring the Wolverines quarterback.

During a concert on Dec. 3, the group performed a parody of Simon & Garfunkel’s Mrs. Robinson, set to the Michigan star. To view it, go to: tinyurl.com/72pklav

Local beach volleyballers Mark and Steve Van Zwieten (right), said the competition on Deerfield Beach could be fierce. Photo by Gary Curreri

By Gary Curreri

With the Ranse Classic and the Red Bull Spiked Tournaments, Deerfield Beach has been making a name for itself both locally, nationally and now internationally as four Olympic teams have recently practiced on the local sand.

The most recent were the Canadian women and Russian men, who have spent the past two weeks at the local beach honing their skills and going through vigorous workouts and even playing against some of the top local competition.

Mark Van Zwieten, 24, of Pompano Beach, has been playing volleyball competitively for the past 15 years and played against the Russian team.

“I started in the backyard when I was 3 and that was because my family was into it,” said Van Zwieten, who graduated from Cardinal Gibbons High School in 2005 and led his team to a 31-0 mark and a state championship. He was named the MVP.

“It is really nice that the beach is attracting top teams. It is something that I haven’t utilized as much as I would like to and it is something I am ready to start. I’ll be able to get out here more on weekends.”

Van Zwieten has also excelled on the beach. He has played in four FIVB Beach Volleyball Junior World Championships and competed in the Under 19 Beach Volleyball World Championships in France in 2005.

In October, Mark Van Zwieten and his partner, Andrew Fuller, placed fifth in the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

“It’s nice to represent the country,” Van Zwieten said. “I’ve gone to a lot of places through volleyball. The Pan Am games was an amazing event and I got to see the top players from around the world.”

Van Zwieten said the attraction to Deerfield Beach is simple since everything is so close.

“People can come down here and spend the whole day here,” he said. “You could play for a couple of hours, go grab lunch and come back and play some more. You don’t have to go and try and find parking or anything like that.”

The “pickup games” are very competitive.

“It varies throughout the year, but they can get really competitive,” Van Zwieten added. “There are consistently top level players coming through Deerfield and it is nice to see the variety of players from throughout the world.”

His brother, Steve Van Zwieten, 27, of Coconut Creek agreed:

“It is really cool,” said Steve Van Zwieten, who recently played in the USA Cuervo pro tournament with Mike DiPierro and placed 13th after losing to the second ranked team in the U.S. in Nick Lucena (Ft. Lauderdale) and Matt Fuerbringer. Van Zwieten’s wife, Kendra, is also a top player. “Just growing up here and being able to play all over the world. You go to California and Europe. It’s been great. California is definitely a little bit stronger, but everything is spread out. Everything on the east coast is here. Teams from Brazil and teams have come from California come here on a regular basis.”

Steve Van Zwieten believes the sport can continue to grow because of the juniors now playing.

“When I was 18, there was no juniors tour,” Steve Van Zwieten said. “Now, alongside our tour, there are junior kids. The sport is starting to grow, especially with the economy. It is a really cheap sport to play. Here, you just need a ball to play. You have to really be in shape because of the heat and the beach sand …  running around all day.”

Captain Lee Magnuson, who has a court dedicated in his name, helped get the courts built. Now, roughly 100 volleyballers, ranging in age from 14 to 72, will filter through Deerfield Beach on a weekly basis.

“Instead of going to Ft. Lauderdale or Miami, they will come to Deerfield Beach,” said Jimmy Mason, 54, who spends four months a year from Michigan. “It has a lot to offer – the restaurants, the pier and seven regulation courts and one futbal court.”

Local veteran volleyballer Hank Hoffman, 70, of Deer-field, said the sport got a boost locally when former Deerfield Beach resident, Cindy Phillips, started with Beach Dig and offered clinics.

By Gary Curreri

Vernon Shazier got an early Christmas present when he won a $20,000 car in a charity golf tournament.

Shazier, a 41-year-old Pompano Beach reverend, made a last-minute decision to play in the Rod Evans Memorial Golf Tournament, hosted by the Church by the Glades, and it paid off as he won a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze after getting a hole-in-one on the 170-yard, 12th hole at the Palm Aire Country Club’s Cypress Course.

“It was a last minute deal,” said Shazier, who used a 6-iron on the shot. “The guy (Pastor Anthony Burrell) I normally play with on Fridays, I called him on Thursday night to see which course we were playing because he normally makes the tee times. He said, ‘man, I am not going to be able to make it tomorrow, there is a tournament I am playing in.’”

Shazier was asked by Burell if he wanted to play with him in the tournament and, since it was for a church, Shazier agreed. Shazier is the chaplain for the Miami Dolphins and carries a 15 handicap. He will play once a week or once a month.

Shazier believes there might have been a little “divine intervention” during the tourney when it came to the shot.

“The whole thing was kind of comical with both of us being pastors,” Shazier said. “When we walked up to the 12th hole, he said he was going over to lay hands on the car and pray for this car. I said, ‘just leave that car alone and let’s try to make a birdie.’ I said ‘don’t even think about making a hole-in-one or winning a car.’ He was over there praying and clowning around with the car and I hit my shot. I wasn’t thinking about making no hole-in-one or winning the car. The ball took one bounce and went in the hole.”

Shazier said after Burrell hit his shot, they walked to the green and Shazier stopped short, wondering where the ball was. He eventually discovered it was, in fact, at the bottom of the cup. Shazier, who won a 2012 Chevrolet Cruze for his first ever ace, took delivery in late December of the $20,000 car.

“I know there was some divine intervention,” said Vernon, whose family owns a 2002 Ford Explorer and 2002 Chevy Avalanche. “That is a difficult shot to hit with a 6-iron. That ball is moving fast and it took one bounce and, for it to take one hop and dive directly in the hole … It was perfect. It was really kind of numbing. It was hard to focus after that.”

Shawn Shazier said she didn’t believe her husband at first when he called. Then she thought he would never call her during his round of golf.

“He was so excited and said, ‘I got a hole-in-one. I won a car,’” Shawn Shazier recalled. “I was like, ‘you are joking right?’ and he said, “no, I just hit a hole-in-one, I won a car. I’m gonna call you back. I’m gonna call you back.’”

“This is exciting because this is rare and for him to actually do it during a tournament setting,” Shawn added, “This is a blessing. We actually look at it as a blessing.”