BVA’s own William Mathis, president of the Rocky Mountain Regional Group, has qualified to compete in both the South Africa Blind Golf Open Championships and the International Blind Golf Association World Championships March 26-31 in Cape Town, South Africa. 

William, an Army veteran who lost his sight gradually after sustaining a Traumatic Brain Injury during a mortar attack in Iraq in 2011, will represent the United States as he plays against legally blind golfers from across the globe at the renowned Milnerton Golf Club in Cape Town. Championship Officials and golfers alike will stay at the Lagoon Beach Hotel near Milnerton.

Although his injury occurred in 2011, William did not realize he had lost some of his sight until he was driving five months later near Fort Drum, New York, and could not see the signs on the road. He was diagnosed with open-angle glaucoma but remained on active duty until 2013, when he was medically discharged.  He was still not declared legally blind for three more years.

Golf was never in William’s DNA, or so he believed at least. He had scarcely ever picked up a club until Central Blind Rehabilitation Center (Hines) Recreational Therapist Melissa Waters convinced him to give the game a try on a course during his rehabilitation training in 2016. William enjoyed himself that day, and it was a turning point. Since then, he’s never looked back but always forward to the next opportunity to excel at a tournament or to teach others what golf has taught him.

“Golf has become an extreme passion for me—my PTSD therapy and a way to give back to something that has helped me so much,” he said. “Totally aside from any of the competition, it’s just so much fun and exhilarating just to be out on a course anytime, anywhere.”

Prior to his departure for South Africa, William will compete in the U.S. Blind Golf Association’s U.S. Open March 19-23. BVA Happenings will be tracking and reporting both his scores as well as the intensity of his fun and enjoyment!