Post by blackcrowheart on Apr 4, 2007 13:12:15 GMT -5
Adding Native American flavour to DDC
By A Correspondent
24 January 2007
www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/sports/2007\
/January/sports_January774.xml§ion=sports&subsection=golf
<http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/sports/200\
7/January/sports_January774.xml§ion=sports&subsection=golf>
DUBAI — Notah Begay III will provide the Native American flavour to
the Dubai Desert Classic when he joins a classy line-up, spearheaded by
Tiger Woods – his friend since their Stanford University days —
at the Emirates Golf Club from February 1-4. Notah needed to beat a
chronic back injury and a bout of depression to earn his 2007 European
Tour playing privileges at the Qualifying School Final Stage last
November in Spain. And his performance in the first event at Abu Dhabi
where he finished tied 69 says it all: he is fit and looks hungry for
better results. "Yes, indeed. I played great. I hadn't played
for eight weeks and coming out and playing like this.. it's tremendous.
I have no regrets," said Notah, well-known for putting left and
right handed. "When I played in Abu Dhabi it was the first time in
six years that I had been 100 per cent fit," he said. "I was in
excruciating pain. I could not take a plane because I could only sit
down for 20 minutes and I'd sleep for two hours a night. That
affected my confidence going and led me to depression." The only
full-blooded Native American on the Tour, Notah is no stranger to
competing at the highest level, having won four PGA Tour tournaments and
becoming the only third player in the history of the game to shoot 59 in
a professional event at the Nike Dominion Open. A registered member of
the Navajo nation, Begay is aware that he is different from the average
golfer and believes his presence on the European Tour will raise
awareness of the problems facing his people. Born and raised in
Albuquerque, New Mexico, Notah leads the fight against diabetes by
encouraging Native communities to pursue healthier lifestyles."We
have created a lot of programmes on diabetes awareness since diabetes is
killing us three times more than the national average," he said.
"In addition, we launched an initiative called Notah's Vision Inc
(NVI) in 2005, aimed at getting today's youth active through soccer and
golf programmes," said Notah, a close friend of Tiger Woods.
"We became close mainly because we knew we were different,"
Begay said. "When I started playing golf there were no brown or dark
people. I knew Tiger was special.".
By A Correspondent
24 January 2007
www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/sports/2007\
/January/sports_January774.xml§ion=sports&subsection=golf
<http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/sports/200\
7/January/sports_January774.xml§ion=sports&subsection=golf>
DUBAI — Notah Begay III will provide the Native American flavour to
the Dubai Desert Classic when he joins a classy line-up, spearheaded by
Tiger Woods – his friend since their Stanford University days —
at the Emirates Golf Club from February 1-4. Notah needed to beat a
chronic back injury and a bout of depression to earn his 2007 European
Tour playing privileges at the Qualifying School Final Stage last
November in Spain. And his performance in the first event at Abu Dhabi
where he finished tied 69 says it all: he is fit and looks hungry for
better results. "Yes, indeed. I played great. I hadn't played
for eight weeks and coming out and playing like this.. it's tremendous.
I have no regrets," said Notah, well-known for putting left and
right handed. "When I played in Abu Dhabi it was the first time in
six years that I had been 100 per cent fit," he said. "I was in
excruciating pain. I could not take a plane because I could only sit
down for 20 minutes and I'd sleep for two hours a night. That
affected my confidence going and led me to depression." The only
full-blooded Native American on the Tour, Notah is no stranger to
competing at the highest level, having won four PGA Tour tournaments and
becoming the only third player in the history of the game to shoot 59 in
a professional event at the Nike Dominion Open. A registered member of
the Navajo nation, Begay is aware that he is different from the average
golfer and believes his presence on the European Tour will raise
awareness of the problems facing his people. Born and raised in
Albuquerque, New Mexico, Notah leads the fight against diabetes by
encouraging Native communities to pursue healthier lifestyles."We
have created a lot of programmes on diabetes awareness since diabetes is
killing us three times more than the national average," he said.
"In addition, we launched an initiative called Notah's Vision Inc
(NVI) in 2005, aimed at getting today's youth active through soccer and
golf programmes," said Notah, a close friend of Tiger Woods.
"We became close mainly because we knew we were different,"
Begay said. "When I started playing golf there were no brown or dark
people. I knew Tiger was special.".