Ken Green Strives Forward

Happier Times - Ken Green, 1988 Canadian Open Champion

Twenty-four years ago, Ken Green finally reached his true potential when he captured the 1985 Buick Open in Grand Blanc, Michigan. The victory was his first on the PGA TOUR, a win which had been widely anticipated by both Green and his family, along with his fellow PGA TOUR competitors. A member of the PGA TOUR since 1980, Green's Buick Open victory propelled him to further worldwide successes as he eventually captured four more PGA TOUR victories during the next four seasons, along with three other tournament wins overseas.

Fast forward to 2009. Life has certainly not been as easy for Green in recent years as it typically was back in the 1980s. This past June, Green was seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident in Mississippi. The accident took the lives of Green's brother, William, his girlfriend, Jeanne Hodgin, and his dog, Nip, whom he famously saved from an alligator back in 2003.

While the accident has, of course, stirred various emotions within Green, it also led to the amputation of his lower right leg. Despite losing his leg, Green recently told Golf Digest in an interview, "Somebody might say losing the leg's a 'bad break.' Well, I've had bad breaks; this ain't one of 'em. And I can't complain about bad breaks anymore. I can't believe I'm alive."

Green has lived through other various hardships in the past, including losing his golf game and full-time PGA TOUR membership status multiple times, struggling through two divorces, battling depression, and overcoming debt. As Green has survived so many different hardships throughout the past two decades, he has shown the virtue of perseverance to the fullest extent. There seems to be no doubt that Green is prepared to continue to persevere, even after the most serious, tragic event of his life.

To show that even a serious injury will not keep him away from the game of golf and his goal of further professional golfing successes, Green is already preparing for a return to professional golf. After a long-lasting slump, Green had been playing some of his best golf in years on the Champions Tour. Now, with the amputation of his leg, he is even more prepared to work towards reaching the level of play he once had back in the 1980s, when he was consistently viewed as one of the top golfers in the world.

In his interview with Golf Digest, Green stated his passion for the game and his desire for one of the greatest golfing comebacks of all time. "There's no way I'm gonna to quit. I love the golf. I love it. If I couldn't play golf, I wouldn't want to be on the planet. My intensity is there, and there's no way I'm gonna quit. I am going to play professional golf again."

There is no doubt that Green's fellow competitors, family, friends, and fans are pulling for Green to make a Hogan-esque comeback for the ages. As Green works towards rebuilding his life and golf game, may we all remember the virtues of perseverance and patience, as we continue to 'play the game of life' and strive to perform to the best of our abilities, no matter the circumstances.

Ken Green Victories

PGA TOUR (5)

1985 Buick Open

1986 The International

1988 Canadian Open

1988 Greater Milwaukee Open

1989 KMart Greater Greensboro Open

International (3)

1985 King Hassan Open

1988 Dunlop Phoenix

1990 Hong Kong Open