Miss-Delectable
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Deaf Perth golfer flies flag for Scotland - Perthshire Advertiser
PERTH’S Steven Cafferty played a pivotal role in Scotland winning the men’s team title at the eighth World Deaf Golf Championships.
The 20-year-old current Scottish Deaf champion, who has a three handicap and hopes to turn pro next year, came a close second in the individual men’s event. He was pipped for the first place flag by team-mate, Edinburgh’s David Ewan, who has a one handicap.
But the pair’s outstanding performances helped the six-man Scots trump rivals Australia and England, in second and third place respectively.
The championships were held at Fairmont, St Andrews, last week, the first time Scotland had hosted the biennial event, which attracts teams from countries as diverse as Japan, South Africa and Sweden.
Deaf after contracting meningitis at age one, Cafferty was among a competitive field of 114 male and female golfers representing 15 countries vying for individual, team and senior honours at the four-day event.
“I expected a close team event, which is what happened,” he told the PA yesterday.
“We were leading by three after the first day, and behind by three after the third day – and we ended up winning by only four shots.”
Meanwhile, in the individual rankings, Cafferty was trailing the leader by only four on the first day, but after a bad round on day two, the winner’s flag appeared to be out of reach.
“But my caddy, Scott Moffat, got his yardages and putt lines perfect on day three, Thursday, and put me back in contention,” he said.
“He couldn't caddy for me the next day so I had to measure the yardages myself and I didn't do too bad!”
Ultimately finishing second to team mate Ewan, he said the response from spectators at the 18th hole on Friday was amazing.
“It was a fantastic finish to a great event, with my playing partner and good friend, David Ewan, lapping up the applause on the last as Scotland team came on the green to celebrate what is now their most successful event to date,” he said.
“It was a great experience and I hope to defend our title in Japan in two years with some top young talent in Scotland at the moment.
“Winning the team event has made it a double over the English in two weeks, with my close hearing friends Paul McPhee and Ian Redford beating England at the home internationals.”
Cafferty, an expert lip-reader who works as a sales assistant at Nevada Bob’s in Perth, said he and his peers had achieved their goal – demonstrating that, regardless of hearing abilities, they could win a world title.
His mother Susan Baird said she was incredibly proud of her son, who she had seen only briefly post-event before he went to Glasgow to celebrate.
“I think he’s been celebrating since Friday and judging by his texts, he’s very happy,” she said.
PERTH’S Steven Cafferty played a pivotal role in Scotland winning the men’s team title at the eighth World Deaf Golf Championships.
The 20-year-old current Scottish Deaf champion, who has a three handicap and hopes to turn pro next year, came a close second in the individual men’s event. He was pipped for the first place flag by team-mate, Edinburgh’s David Ewan, who has a one handicap.
But the pair’s outstanding performances helped the six-man Scots trump rivals Australia and England, in second and third place respectively.
The championships were held at Fairmont, St Andrews, last week, the first time Scotland had hosted the biennial event, which attracts teams from countries as diverse as Japan, South Africa and Sweden.
Deaf after contracting meningitis at age one, Cafferty was among a competitive field of 114 male and female golfers representing 15 countries vying for individual, team and senior honours at the four-day event.
“I expected a close team event, which is what happened,” he told the PA yesterday.
“We were leading by three after the first day, and behind by three after the third day – and we ended up winning by only four shots.”
Meanwhile, in the individual rankings, Cafferty was trailing the leader by only four on the first day, but after a bad round on day two, the winner’s flag appeared to be out of reach.
“But my caddy, Scott Moffat, got his yardages and putt lines perfect on day three, Thursday, and put me back in contention,” he said.
“He couldn't caddy for me the next day so I had to measure the yardages myself and I didn't do too bad!”
Ultimately finishing second to team mate Ewan, he said the response from spectators at the 18th hole on Friday was amazing.
“It was a fantastic finish to a great event, with my playing partner and good friend, David Ewan, lapping up the applause on the last as Scotland team came on the green to celebrate what is now their most successful event to date,” he said.
“It was a great experience and I hope to defend our title in Japan in two years with some top young talent in Scotland at the moment.
“Winning the team event has made it a double over the English in two weeks, with my close hearing friends Paul McPhee and Ian Redford beating England at the home internationals.”
Cafferty, an expert lip-reader who works as a sales assistant at Nevada Bob’s in Perth, said he and his peers had achieved their goal – demonstrating that, regardless of hearing abilities, they could win a world title.
His mother Susan Baird said she was incredibly proud of her son, who she had seen only briefly post-event before he went to Glasgow to celebrate.
“I think he’s been celebrating since Friday and judging by his texts, he’s very happy,” she said.
