One-legged golfer qualifies for Senior Open

A golfer with one leg has qualified for the Senior Open at Royal Lytham after coming through Monday Qualifying.

Amputee golfer Geoff Nicholas was born with deformities in both his legs – a side-effect of the drug named Thalidomide which was used to combat the effects of morning sickness in expectant mothers. At the age of 11 his right leg was amputated, but that did not stop him from playing golf – which he took up after seeing it on television.

He carded a level par 73 at Fairhaven and then earned his place at Royal Lytham & St Annes after a five-man play-off with a birdie on the fourth extra hole.

This will be his Senior Open debut.

“To qualify for the Senior Open, a Senior major championship, is terrific,” he said. “It’s been one of my dreams; and to get through Qualifying was brilliant. It’s just great to be here.

“I like to feel as though I’m inspiring people – and there’s a lot of people out there. Golf is such a great game in which to do that. There’s so many avenues to succeed in this sport – there’s no other sport like it.”

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Currently ranked No.8 Eight on the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD), the 58-year-old admitted he had enjoyed the EDGA Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club to the east of Edinburgh, which took place alongside the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, a Rolex Series event on the European Tour.

“I came over to the UK ten days ago to play in the EDGA Scottish Open which was great and I thought, ‘well, I’m over here, I might as well try and qualify for The Senior Open’ and here I am.”

In 1990 he won the inaugural British Amputee Open and won the U.S. Amputee Open later that year. He would dominate the amputee golf scene in the 1990s – winning both championships every year until 2002. 

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