Do you know the Special Olympics Golf Tournament?

These days you hear so much about entertainers and athletes that do so much for themselves that you hear little else about people doing for good causes. Far too often the major news media, and even sports news, just ignore events because they don’t fulfill the torrid scandal meter that tends to capture national attention. But when I do run across these kinds of events, I like to mention them.

Once such item deserving of such attention is the following item:

Special Olympics Golf National Invitational Tournament - Wright joins more than 200 golfers from 24 U.S. Special Olympics programs who are competing on PGA Golf Club's Ryder and Wanamaker courses, Oct. 4-6.

The Special Olympics is not a new event, I think most of us have seen a commercial on television at the least. In many ways the acheivements of these handicapped individuals confirms the credibility and reality of the term hanicapable. As such it’s a due honor to mention their acheivements just as we would and have those that went to the Bejing Olympics this summer.

But I am not sure how many people, or golfers, are aware of this event. I can honestly say that I was unaware of the event until today. But having learned of it I cannot imagine not saying more about it.

Golf has always been a sport of individual triumphs and challenges. Golfers of every skill go out each season and tackle the only 2 opponents that really matter, the course and themselves. And each golfer has their own moments of success.

Whether it’s a hole-in-one or an eagle, or just making par each is an accomplishment. But sometimes we need to notice the outstanding actions of some. Like the blind golfer I’ve read about, or the one-armed golfer. It just says something about the human spirit that moves me.

In this event, there are several levels of competition. Level II is an alternate shot team play, where a Special Olympics athlete is paired with a non-Special Olympics partner of more advanced skill for a 9-hole competition. I think that deserves attention.

So I present the Level 2 9-hole leaders. I wish them luck in their efforts to win on Monday.

Johnson/Wilbanks, Murphy, Texas -- 49-49 98
Binggeli/Binggeli, Clarkesville, Ind. -- 49-49 98

There are far more competitors and leaders in each of the 5 levels of skill and play in this event. But rather than just tell you about them I invite you to look and find out more yourself.

www.specialolympics.org