Life
Golfer embraces a fan who made him flinch and lose the game
What a guy!
Heidi Kennedy
12.06.19

Though some of us may not have an appreciation for the game of golf, we can certainly understand that there is an incredible amount of pressure to be in a sudden playoff. Tied for the lead at the Visa Open de Argentina in Buenos Aires, Brandon Matthews was posed against Ricardo Celia. The stakes were incredibly high and when someone yelled while Brandon was making a putt, he lost his concentration which cost him the game. But when he found out the reason behind the disruption, Brandon’s heart went out to the fan.

GolfDigest
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GolfDigest

Brandon Matthews, a professional golfer, was in a sudden death match against Colombian golfer, Ricardo Celia.

Brandon Matthews and Ricardo Celia were tied for the lead at the Visa Open de Argentina in Buenos Aires. The stakes were incredibly high as the champion receives an exemption to The Open Championship. Ricardo had just made a 30-foot birdie putt, placing him at the lead when Brandon stepped up to take his shot.

PGATOURLA
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PGATOURLA

He had an 8-foot putt to make. On a normal day, it would have been a piece of cake. But when you have thousands of people watching you, the pressure can be immense. If he made this putt, the playoff would continue on to the fourth hole to draw out the winner of the tournament.

As Brandon Matthews wound up his shot, he heard someone yell, causing him to flinch and miss the shot.

Pexels
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Pexels

Brandon was focused on the ball and as he drew his club back to make a shot, someone yelled. The noise completely threw off his focus and instantly Brandon knew his shot would go in.

Brandon told GolfChannel, “I got over the putt, took the putter back and heard kind of a yelp or a scream. I kind of flinched on the putt and immediately knew I missed it.”

Understandably, Brandon was frustrated and devastated at first by what had just taken place. He missed the shot which caused Ricardo Celia to win the Visa Open. Brandon’s chance of making it to The Open Championship was now gone.

“I thought someone had done it intentionally,” Brandon said. “I was frustrated. Really, I was in shock that that just happened.”

But when Brandon learned that the fan who yelled had Down Syndrome, his frustration disappeared.

Brandon immediately went to the locker room. Embarrassed and frustrated by what had just happened, he needed some time to think. But then Claudio Rivas, the senior administration manager of PGA Tour Latinoamérica, walked in with news. Claudio explained that it was not an intentional sabotaging act, but rather someone with Down Syndrom who got so excited, he could not contain his emotions and yelled out. Claudio said that Brandon “almost broke into tears” when he learned what happened.

Brandon’s heart melted when he learned this news and immediately asked to be taken to the man. His name was Juan and Brandon’s only thought was to make sure he did not feel bad.

Brandon Matthews said, “I gave him a hug, and I asked him, ‘Hey, are you doing OK? Are you having fun?” I just wanted to make sure he was enjoying himself, that he had no hard feelings, that he didn’t feel bad about what happened.”

Having a special place in his heart, Brandon grew up around people with special needs as his mother worked for a group home and a sibling of a childhood friend had Down Syndrom. Brandon’s big heart and kind actions are a credit to his character. Caring more about people than the game, Brandon is a brilliant role model for the sport of golf.

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B_Matthews12

Brandon sums it up wisely, “Some things are bigger than golf. This was one of them.”

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Source: Golf Channel

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