Monday July 30, 2007Golf: Yance reaches goal of World Deaf Golf Championships

By MIKE MARSEE
marsee@amnews.com


Mike Yance has never been to Australia before, but he knows where he's going in 2008.



The Danville golfer has qualified for the World Deaf Golf Championships for the second time in four years after his best finish in the United States tournament recently.



And even though Yance made the most of his first appearance in the WDGC in 2004 — he was part of the U.S. team that won the gold medal — he said he's looking forward to this trip even more.



“It was successful last time, and this gives me more time to prepare and go back to training,” Yance said in an e-mail interview. “I am very excited and looking forward to the tourney because I am confident and better prepared than last time.”



Yance earned his spot on the U.S. senior team after finishing third in that division in the U.S. Deaf Golf Championships in Caseyville, Ill. Among the players he defeated was 2005 U.S. open champion and 2006 world champion Wally DeVe.



“I felt so honored because I played among the greatest deaf golfers,” Yance said.

After playing in the 2004 WDGC in Sweden, he failed to qualify for the 2006 championships in Canada. He was the first alternate.



“When I failed to qualify for 2006 ... by a few strokes, I felt so heartbroken, so I determined to work harder,” he said.



Hard work



Yance did his best to make sure he got one of the three spots on this 2008 U.S. senior team, working with trainer Rob Longwill on nutrition and weightlifting and with local golf pros John Mesplay and Dan Schott.



“I really appreciated their help. Lots of credit goes to them,” Yance said.



Yance also said he increased his tournament schedule, playing in five tournaments from Texas to Virginia prior to the U.S. championships and winning four of them.



He added to his string of state deaf championships in the Kentucky Deaf Golf Association tournament at his home course, Old Bridge Golf Club, and he sank a 15-foot putt on the final hole for a win in the DeafNation tournament at Williamsburg, Va.



“I felt that this is my best ever year in my career,” he said.



Yance said he felt a little intimidated by Far Oaks, the course outside St. Louis where the USDGC was played, because it was playing at about 6,500 yards for seniors with 4-inch rough and greens that were at 10 on the Stimpmeter.



"My wife kept telling me I would be fine..."



“But my wife (Jan) kept telling me I would be fine, so I went to practice there three days before the tourney began,” he said.



Yance said he played well in the first three rounds of the 72-hole tournament, shooting 81-76-79 to position himself just four strokes out of second place entering the final round. But he said three bad holes made for a bad final round, and he was in jeopardy of missing out on another trip to the world championships after a 45 on the front nine.



Still, he finished with an 86 to take third place in the tournament by three strokes and to take the second of the three world qualifying spots. (One of the two players ahead of him doesn't meet the minimum age of 55 for the WDGC.)



“I just tried to figure out if I shot 85 and (could) make it, which is a mistake,” he said. “I almost blew it but managed to (shoot) a 41 on the back nine and knew I would make it.”



Yance said his wife's support was a major factor in helping him hold it together in the final round, and he said qualifying for the WDGC was a wonderful wedding anniversary gift for them.



“When I putted out on the 18th, my wife ran to look at the scoreboard and realized and ran to inform me that I was in,” he said. “She and I had tears of joy, and I said to her, 'Happy anniversary.' What a perfect gift!”



As he did four years ago, Yance will attempt to raise money to help cover the cost of his trip to the WDGC, which will be played Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 2008 in Perth, Australia.



He said he'll need about $6,000 for the trip, but he's confident he can reach that goal.



“I am looking forward to a big challenge and (to seeing) a different deaf culture and a different country,” he said. “And I'm even more looking forward to the playing with the highly-skilled European golfers.”



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Contributions to Yance may be mailed to Mike Yance, 127 Majestic Prince Drive, Danville, 40422.



For more information on the U.S. or world deaf golf championships, visit www.usdeafgolf.org or www.worlddeafgolf.com.Copyright:The Advocate-Messenger 2007