cnn
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Brendan Lawlor is a man of his word.
In October 2020, the Irishman told CNN Sport that he hoped to “keep the ball rolling” for the next generation of disabled golfers.
Lawlor, now ranked No. 1 in the world among disabled golfers, has driven that ball through the fairway and over the top, and it doesn't look like it's going to land any time soon.
Three years ago he was acclimating to his new life as a professional athlete. The 25-year-old has since become the first disabled golfer to compete on the European Tour, winning three disability events in a row through 2021 and rocketing to the top of the world disability golf rankings.
Brendan Lawlor: Irish pioneer paves the way for disabled golfers
In recent weeks, he has helped Prince Harry improve his swing and headlined a historic new Tour for disabled golf; However, perhaps Lawlor's most treasured moment came at the final trials for her home country's European Disability Golf Championship team.
“It's pretty crazy: last year in Ireland we had no disabled golfers and this year we had a final test with seven players, all under three handicaps, which is amazing,” Lawlor told CNN.
“Everyone says, 'We started this because… we saw you playing at The Belfry (on Lawlor's European Tour debut), we see you doing this,” he added. “It's a good feeling in your stomach when people try something because you're creating a path for them.
“I don't really care about rankings; I just want to go out and win as many events as I can and change as many people's lives as I can.”
From his hometown of Dundalk, north of Dublin, Lawlor was chatting before the start of the inaugural Golf for the Disabled (G4D) Tour at the British Masters.
Four-time Ryder Cup host The Belfry in Warwickshire, England, provided an iconic setting for the launch of the Tour, which will be contested by the world's 10 highest-ranked golfers with disabilities in seven events in six countries.
While disability events were once separate between European Tour events, the new G4D Tour will take place in association with the European Tour and over two days immediately before. With each tournament the subject of a full documentary broadcast on Sky Sports, disability golf enjoys more exposure than ever.
World No. 2 Kipp Popert emerged victorious in the opening event, with Lawlor finishing four shots behind the Englishman in fourth place.
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“If we can continue to send this message, if we can impact even 10 people's lives, it will be huge,” said Lawlor, who already dreams of expanding the Tour to up to 50 players. “This will have a continuing effect on handicap golf.”
Lawlor's recent Belfry outing marked a return to the field where he made headlines in 2020 when he competed alongside big winners Danny Willett and Martin Kaymer, as well as former world No. 1 Lee Westwood, at the Kingdom Championship Joined ISPS Handa, the first time a Golfer with a disability played in a professional European Tour event.
Born with Ellis-van Creveld syndrome, a rare genetic condition characterized by short-limbed dwarfism, Lawlor has no knuckles on the top of his fingers. While he welcomes his platform as a leading disability golfer and the opportunities he provides, the Irishman wishes he and his teammates would not be defined by his disabilities.
“We're getting these huge opportunities because we're doing abnormal things — we shouldn't be able to do what we can do with a golf club or a golf ball,” he said.
“So we have these opportunities because we are disabled athletes, but I don't like when people classify you and put you in a disability category, because golf is for everyone: it is played at any level.”
“That's the beauty of our game,” he added. “Yes, we play handicap golf on a handicap circuit, but if you are good enough to play on the European Tour with able-bodied golfers, you have that opportunity.”
Lawlor turned pro in September 2019 and signed with Modest! Golf Management, a company founded by fellow Irishman and singer-songwriter Niall Horan. An advocate for golf for the disabled, the former One Direction star is now a close friend.
“He's really changed my life, since I signed he's given me some incredible sponsorship deals and he's really embraced disability golf,” Lawlor said. “He's a really nice guy and would do anything to help you.”
And as if a highly successful music career wasn't enough, Horan is also an impressive golfer and currently plays with a handicap of eight.
Horan isn't the only famous face who has taken issue with Lawlor. In April, the Irishman gave swing advice to the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, in The Hague, Netherlands.
Lawlor was promoting the fifth edition of the Invictus Games, an international event for veteran and wounded military personnel, with Prince Harry as a patron of the Games Foundation.
Using a golf simulator room, Lawlor spent the day giving lessons to veterans from around the world who shared their stories of various battles, both physical and mental.
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“These guys were trying golf for the first time and making contact with the ball,” Lawlor said. “It only takes one person to get involved and start the game and that can attract more people.”
And what was the Duke of Sussex's swing like? Not bad, says Lawlor.
“He grabbed the club and I just changed one or two things and he hit it really well,” Lawlor added. “He was a really nice guy.”
