Perseverance &...

   Most of you all know that our Island is well known for golf. After all, we have a bunch of good courses to play and a world class training facility at Sea Island, but it is the golfers that live here that keep us in the limelight.

   I may miss a few,  but right now Matt Kuchar, Davis Love III, Brian Harmon, Jonathan Byrd, and Zach Johnson, live here full time. Some others come to train as part timers as well.

   Zach and Jonathan both attend our church and have been active there for a number of years, but today my focus is on Jonathan.

   JByrd turned pro out of Clemson in 2000. He was rookie of the year on the PGA Tour in 2002. He won 5 times on the Tour, the last being in 2011. In other words, he saw success, made a lot of money as well as a name that the golfing world recognized.

   Then times changed. Jonathan had injury problems and surgery. His game deteriorated, his winning stopped, and he lost his PGA card.

   For three, and I suppose for him, long, years ensued. Practice, getting into a few events on exemptions, and finally the Web.Com tour where success did not come either.

   For a multiple winner on the "big" tour, it must have been hard to drop back to the lower level with those younger guys in order to try to work himself back to the big time, especially at the age of 39 in 2017.

   I know this man when I see him at church, and we are only passing-in-the-hall friends, but people I have talked to who do know him on a personal basis, say that this time was very difficult for him and his family, wife Amanda and 3 kids.

   On the verge of quitting golf altogether, he went for the Web Tour Championship series, four tournaments where he had the opportunity to play well and win his card back to the PGA Tour.

   Round 1, JByrd made the cut and finished 31st,

   Round 2, he missed the cut,

   Round 3, he missed the cut again, and he almost did not want to show up for Round 4.

   As he says, Amanda prodded (maybe a not-so-gentle prod) him not to quit, but to persevere to the end.

   He did, and the rest is history.

   Perseverance led to Payoff...

   He played very well, won the tournament, made money, and got his card back.

   But, was winning that event, money, and card the end of the story? Was it the Payoff he was working for?

   By his own words, the things that God taught him, during that 3 year period in the valley, was worth it all, winning or losing on that last Monday.

   The payoff in golf may, or may not, stop there, but the payoff in living a life for God is eternal.

   Perseverance is great, especially in adversity, but realizing the true meaning of the outcome can be a beacon for a family that he leads, and the community around him.

   And I am proud for him and for them...