Once we found the ball in the creek it was a foregone conclusion we would pick it up and take a drop. Peter Jacobsen asked the marshal four times whether the ball might have crossed the hazard and rolled back in. No such luck. The ball went in on the fly. Lietzke said, “Maybe you didn’t see it right. It looked like it crossed to me.” Again the answer was “no.” All this time Ken stood looking down at the ball twenty feet below the putting surface sitting on a moss-covered boulder. It was clearly beneath the surface and oscillating gently in the current. Jacobsen finally noticed a place where Ken could take a drop.

No one, and I repeat, no one, conceived he would attempt to hit that ball. The marshal bent down to pick it up and Ken stopped him. “I really think I can get it out,” Ken said.

When Lietzke heard it he was in shock. “Maybe you better rethink this, Kenny. A guy with two good legs couldn’t get down there.”

Jacobsen echoed the sentiment.

Ken said, “Look, there’s a low point about thirty yards away. I’m pretty sure I can make my way back to the ball.”

When he started down, Rose Lietzke, who was caddying for her husband that day, pinched me and said, “Stop him. He’s going to kill himself.”

Quite frankly, I didn’t know what to do. Nor did Mark Woods, the tournament chairman, who was doubling as a marshal. Nor did the Golf Channel cameraman, who had climbed down out of the tower and had come over, ready to jump in and rescue Ken.

It took several minutes of slipping and sliding for Ken to negotiate the slippery rocks and make his way to the ball. All the while Peter Jacobnsen kept muttering to himself.

Ken finally steadied himself and swung.

Water and mud flew into the air. A second later a arched upward and landed twenty-five feet from the flag. There was a collective gasp from the people there. The gum the cameraman was chewing fell out of his mouth. One woman actually started to cry. I swear.

Ken told the crowd, “I didn’t think I would hurt this leg,” he said, referring to his prosthesis. He then went on the make the putt.

By this time it was obvious we weren’t going to win the tournament. But it didn’t matter. What I saw was the essence of guts, determination, and a love of the game so great, a man was not going to give in without a fight. He job was to shoot the best score he could and that’s what he did.

On the way down the fifteenth fairway, Peter Jacobsen fell in step beside me and said, “I hope you know you just witnessed a miracle back there.”

That night, I wrote to my agent about what had happened. He sent the email verbatim to a book publisher who called me and asked me to recount the events. As I did, he become choked up. So did I.

There is an old expression that goes, “A man who won’t be beaten, can’t be beaten.” I never knew exactly what that meant until the other day.

AJ

What a wonderful beginning! You accomplished EVERY SINGLE goal you set, and you should be overly proud of yourself! Didn’t even come close to last, in fact you moved up a few spots in the final round. And 80 was so far away I bet Munch couldn’t even sniff it! Obviously your ball striking is coming along…I’m assuming much better than you thought it would if you were worried about just breaking 80.

I don’t want to be critical because you’re doing AMAZING, but just the fact that you can go out there and have a Godzillion putts and still average 75 for the 3 days, given all the circumstances, it’s crazy good! Just don’t ever sell yourself short, because I gotta tell you, after watching you this week I think you can easily get your game back to where it was, without a freaking doubt. The last time I saw your golf swing prior to this week was in 2003 at a Nationwide Tournament. Low and behold what happens? You loose a leg and your swing gets better. Only Ken Green! Seriously, 100% honest to God truth from one pro golfer to another, your swing is better. I’m guessing Peter must know exactly what the hell he’s doing with you. You’re plane is perfect on the way back, getting it right in the slot and turning through the shot…if the 20 handicappers only knew how easy it is. I’m sure the timing is difficult because it’s so new for you, but so much better! And by the way, the amount of natural talent you must have to be doing what you’re doing is utterly disgusting ~genuinely jealous of your talent~. After getting this tournament out of the way, the words “last” and “80″, shouldn’t even be in your vocabulary anymore. Set some higher goals and just put your mind to it and you, and everyone else will be amazed at what you can do.

One final note/question. Has there been any change in your so-called medical extension they gave you? Will you be able to get in any tournaments after July? Is there ANYTHING you or anyone else can do? I have no doubt you’ll get you’re share of sponsor exemptions, but hell! You know!? You played on tour God knows how many years just to get 2 on the Champions and they take it away. Some greedy bastard wearing a suit and tie telling you when you can and can’t play. Do you know how stupid this situation would sound to the average person who knows nothing about golf? You should put him in contact with your doctor, maybe he can give him a heart.

From one rambler to another, stay patient, go to the practice green and keep up the good work!

All the best. Andy and Ruth Ann Peters