Remember the impressive line-up of players in the upcoming International Blind Golf Tournament that we mentioned a few weeks ago? Well somehow, one player was left out and his resume is so impressive that we just had to post to let you know a little about him.
Jeremy Poincenot
Carlsbad, California USA
Age 21! Finished 2nd in the B2 category in Lompoc, California (September 2009) Finished 3rd in the B2 category in the National Championships in San Antonio, Texas (October 2009) Won the IBGA World Blind Golf Championships in Whittlebury. England (August 2010) Finished 2nd in the B2 category in the British Blind Open In Whittlebury, England (August 2010) Played in the HandaSenior Masters Pro-Am in Japan (November 2010) Played in the Farmers Insurance Open Pro-Am at Torrey Pines in San Diego, California (January 2011) Played in the Hand-a-Senior World Championship Pro-Am in China (March 2011).
Lionel Poincenot is Jeremy's dad and works in Product Development at Callaway Golf. Jeremy and Lio played golf every weekend when Jeremy was growing up. When Jeremy suddenly lost his central vision at age 19 due to Leber'sHereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a rare genetic disorder with no treatment and no cure, both Lio and Jeremy thought their golf days together were over. Since finding the USBGA, they have continued golfing regularly and enjoy playing competitively together as a TEAM. When Jeremy Poincenot turned 19 in October, 2008, he was a typical San Diego State University sophomore. He enjoyed college life, friends, and sports, and had 20/20 vision. Over the next few months Jeremy mysteriously lost his central vision first in one eye, then the other, suddenly becoming legally blind. Eventually Jeremy was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Leber'sHereditary Optic Neuropathy, or LHON, that has no treatment and no cure. His mom, brother and sister also carry the LHON mutation and are at risk of also suddenly becoming legally blind, a fact that inspires his passion to help find a cure. Rather than dwell on what he has lost due to LHON, Jeremy has focused on what is possible. He learned that being blind doesn't matter when you're on the back of a tandem bike. He and his fraternity brothers created an annual bike ride from Santa Barbara to San Diego called CURE - Cycling Under Reduced Eyesight - to raise awareness of and funding for LHON research. Last year the CURE Ride received a CLASSY Award for Best Fundraiser. Last summer Jeremy represented the US in the World Blind Golf Championships, and won the event with a dramatic playoff chip-in. Last January he participated in the Farmers Insurance Pro-Am at Torrey Pines, where his team placed second. He has become a spokesperson for blind golf, participating in exhibitions and Pro-Amsin Japan and China Jeremy was named SDSU’s Greek Man of the Year in 2010. His career goal is to be a motivational speaker, and he currently entertains audiences with tales of his experiences. The media page at www.jeremypoincenot.comincludes links to the many newspaper, radio, magazine, TV and web stories about his life, and he will be appearing in an upcoming episode of MTV’s True Life, called “I’m Losing My Sight”.
Want more information on the International Blind Golf Association? Click here or for specific tournament info call the Columbus Sports Council at 706.660.1996.