WS Chronicle

Forsyth County Special Olympic athlete Matthew Smitherman and his partner,  Lawrence Blume, brought home a bronze medal at the 2012 Special Olympics North America Golf Invitational Tournament, which was played from Sept. 6-9 in Litchfield Park, Ari.

Special Olympics North Carolina athletes competed with more than 200 golfers from the U.S. and Canada.  Local Special Olympics North Carolina programs represented include Alamance, Forsyth, Mecklenburg, Orange, Rowan and Wake counties.

Smitherman and Blume medaled in the Level 2 Alternate Shot Team Play category. The Level 2 (9-hole play) competition creates a partnership between a Special Olympics athlete and a partner who does not have an intellectual disability in which they train and compete as a team.

In all, seven Special Olympians and two partners from North Carolina competed. All athletes participated in three rounds of competition on the award-winning Wigwam Resort course at one of five levels ranging from individual skills to 18-hole play. At each level, athletes were placed in divisions based on age, gender and ability level.

The PGA of America, USGA and PGA Tour are presenting sponsors of the Special Olympics North America Golf Invitational Tournament.  KPMG is also a Special Olympics sponsor of the event. With the support of golf’s allied organizations, Special Olympics golf has grown to include some 18,000 athletes participating throughout North America and more than 28,000 athletes participating in golf in 25 international programs.