A 22-year old Irishman named Brendan Lawlor became the first disabled golfer to participate in the European Tour last August 27. He took part in the ISPS Handa UK Championship in England’s “The Belfry”, where he shot 84 in the first round. Lawlor has an uncommon condition called “Ellis van Creveld syndrome”, a disease causing the limbs, fingers, and/or toes to be short, and sometimes accompanied by heart problems. But the disorder did not prevent Lawlor from going after his dream of playing professional golf, instead, it pushed him to be an inspiration to others.

Lawlor shared that while he was shorter than most players, he never thought he was any different. After contending against major winners, the 22-year old hopes that more disabled golfers would be allowed to compete against the world’s best players. For Lawlor, it is his goal to give disabled people a chance to come forward and get them to a high level that could possibly earn them a living.