Amy Bockerstette is a golfing superstar, but you don’t need to tell her that – she’s already well-aware.
The teen from Phoenix is a Special Olympics golfer who’s proven time and time again that nothing can hold her back from her dreams. She recently became the first Arizona student with Down syndrome to play in the state high school playoffs and receive a college athletics scholarship. And she dazzled us all –along with thousands of fans – yet again on Jan. 29.
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Amy was attending a practice round for the Waste Management Phoenix Open when Gary Woodland, the tournament’s defending champion, invited her to play with himself and Matt Kuchar on the par-3 16th tee at TPC Scottsdale. She proceeded to steal the spotlight before the tournament even began, with footage of her making par going viral.
“I hear you’re a heck of a player,” says Kuchar’s caddie, John Wood, as he shakes Amy’s hand.
“Yes,” she agrees.
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TPC Scottsdale’s signature 16th hole is notoriously difficult because of its layout and intimidating stadium-like setup, meaning players are surrounded by a massive crowd much like that of a football game. But Amy is more excited than anything as she waves to her audience, later telling her dad, “they love me.”
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Amy’s first shot lands in a sand trap, but for her, it’s no problem. To the astonishment of the professional golfers who offer to help her, she hits the ball out, landing it feet away from the hole.
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From there, it’s a cinch for Amy to tap the ball straight into the hole as her adoring fans erupt into cheers.
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“That is so awesome,” Woodland gushes as he gives Amy a hug. “That is so good.”
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PGA Tour uploaded the video to Twitter, where it racked up over three million views. At his pre-tournament press conference, Woodland summed up everyone’s feelings about Amy:
“She was dealt with some serious issues and she’s overcome them and she is phenomenal. She was so sweet, she was so excited and happy and that’s something that we can all learn from. When things aren’t going our way we can definitely look back at her. And I told her she was a hero and to keep doing what she’s doing because we’re all going to be following her.”
What an inspirational young lady. We love her confidence so much and can’t wait to see more of what she can do! Watch her amazing feat below, and don’t forget to share with anyone who needs a little motivation.
"Amy … you're our hero."
How a superstar named Amy teamed up with @GaryWoodland to win the hearts of the 16th hole crowd @WMPhoenixOpen.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/iRhZbvdjuP
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 30, 2019
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