They Dwell in Somewhat Obscurity

   It is easy to look at the world of professional golf and see the Tiger Woods, the Phil Mickelsons, and the Rory McElroys, but there are others, guys (and girls, too on the LPGA) who work from week to week to get into the big time.

   It is these guys that I usually draw in my threesome in our local PGA event. I'm sure that they are known in their local area, their own club and the school where they played in their younger years, but they are not household names for sure.

   Here is my group from yesterday:

                                  David Lingmerth

                                 Cory Whitsett

                                 Carlos Sainz, Jr.

   Of the three golfers above, Lingmerth ended Friday's round at -5 and is four shots back of the leaders, Whitsett ended at even par and made the cut right on the cut line and Sainz finished at +5 and will not get to play on the weekend.

   As I walked the 18 holes with them yesterday, I wondered about their lives and how they got to this point. They were talented, they were among the top 1 percent of the golfers in the world for sure, they were young and had their lives stretching out before them.

   Perhaps I would hear about them again, but maybe not

   What did God have in store for each? What would their life look like in the days ahead, the days after golf?

   Today, two of the three continue play, and their McGladrey story goes on. One will probably go home and go back out on the range to practice.

   As I stood by the scoring trailer, waiting to see if the scores I had recorded as I walked with these three guys were needed for verification, I think I found the secret to the game and the motivation to play well.

   When David came out he got a big smile and hug from the young lady who had followed us the whole way.

   When Cory came down those trailer steps, he received a bigger and longer hug from the other girl who was in our small gallery on the course.

   When Carlos came out, he and his caddy walked off without any hugs at all.

   Could it be the personal touch, that love and support represented by the public display of emotion that was the key?

   In each of their cases, they are the only ones who know, but I wish I had had my camera to catch the faces of each of them.

   And I pray for each as their life goes on, with or without golf on the weekend.

   God has a plan.

   These three men are a part of the larger story of life, and I pray that each will find his own particular bit part in His Story.