Begay continues playing, despite injury - Monday, June 18, 2007
| CROMWELL, Conn -- Leaning forward, two hands on the railing, Notah Begay III said it as if he had the sniffles. "I just found out I have a seven millimeter herniation in my L-5 disc four weeks ago," Begay said. It sounds as if the man should barely be walking around, but he had just finished a pro-am round Monday at the TPC at River Highlands. "The original injury I sustained at the end of 2001 just progressively got worse," said Begay, 34. How does he handle the injury through a round of golf? "I don't know," Begay said. "Just take it day to day and try to stay positive." "I've just got to kind of trust that I can still make the shots." Begay, who joined the European Tour this season, suffered from severe leg pain at the Irish Open in mid-May because of the disc injury. He had to withdraw after one round. The European Tour has been a different experience, he said. He has traveled to the United Arab Emirates, to Southeast Asia, all over Europe. "We've enjoyed all of it," Begay said of he and his wife, Apryl. "The different cultures, especially the food, the different histories of certain countries. It's been fantastic." He's back to the scene of his 2000 Greater Hartford Open championship, ready to play the Travelers Championship this week. "I love it here," Begay said. "I love the tournament. I love the fans, the course." |
