Jenkins takes first at national golf event
By News-Argus Staff
Published in News on October 4, 2007 1:51 PM
Alan Jenkins, a Special Olympics athlete from Goldsboro, recently participated in the 2007 National Golf Invitational in both individual and team events.
Part of the 11-member North Carolina golf team, he also competed in the individual skills division at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
The individual competition consisted of six events -- the short putt, long putt, chip shot, pitch shot over a barrier, long iron shot and a drive. With 35 competitors in various divisions, points were accumulated for how close each hit the ball to the hole and a combination score on the driving range for distance and accuracy.
During the three-day event, Jenkins competed against athletes from Texas, Connecticut, Virginia, Maryland, Utah, Florida and his home state.
The first day, he received 65 points and trailed the leaders by 12 points. When the second day concluded, he was in third place, having gained four points on the leader after compiling 61 points.
He went on to take first place and received the golf medal for his division.
Jenkins, accompanied on the trip by his parents, Don and Charlotte Jenkins, is now preparing to defend his 2006 gold medal performance for the state games next month in High Point.