Special Olympics Athletes and PGA Pros Team Up For State Open Pro-Am, July 23

Alec Kelsey is a great athlete – but he’s not your typical high school senior.  After spending 18 days in a coma at age four, doctors didn’t know if he would ever wake up, let alone play sports.  But Alec has defied odds his entire life — recovering from a devastating illness, coping with cognitive delays due to bilateral brain damage, dealing with life-threatening seizures on a daily basis – and is now involved in athletics like most teenage boys.  An avid golfer, Alec is one of 27 Special Olympics athletes participating in the Minnesota State Open Pro-Am on July 23, kicking off the State Open weekend.

This is the third annual State Open Pro-Am, hosted by the Minnesota Section PGA and Special Olympics Minnesota.  The event, held at Hastings Country Club, partners Special Olympics athletes with PGA professionals and corporate or private sponsors for nine holes of golf.  The day begins with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. and includes an afternoon clinic for the athletes.

“The State Open Pro-Am is a great opportunity for Special Olympics athletes to show off their golf skills and hit the links with professionals,” said Jay Meyerhoff, PGA member and assistant golf professional at Medina Golf and Country Club.  “The Minnesota Section PGA is thrilled to continue our relationship with the Special Olympics Minnesota for this great event.”

“The relationship between Special Olympics Minnesota and the Minnesota Section PGA is a true partnership in every sense of the word,” said Chris Nelson, corporate relations manager of Special Olympics Minnesota.  “We consider ourselves very fortunate to be able to partner with such a wonderful organization.”

The Pro-Am is the first event of the Minnesota State Open weekend, held July 24-26 at Hastings Country Club.  The defending champion is former Gopher Yu Katayama.

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