Good guy Brandon Matthews will be making his PGA debut this week at the Arnold Palmer invitational. It is a huge opportunity for the former Temple Owl, all of Branded will be rooting for him and here is why you should be too.
Last fall Matthews was playing in the Visa Open de Argentina and was an 8-foot putt away from forcing a 4th playoff hole with the chances of an exemption into the British Open on the line. While he was attempting the biggest putt of his career there was a scream from the crowd. Matthews flinched and missed the putt.
"Some things in life are just bigger than golf."@B_Matthews12 missed a putt in a playoff of a @PGATOURLA event when a fan yelled in his backswing. It cost him the win and a spot in The Open.
When he learned that the fan had Down syndrome, he immediately asked to meet him. pic.twitter.com/kBbVNqNwsh
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 18, 2019
After he got back to the locker a tournament official apologized to him and told him the fan that yelled has Down syndrome and made the sound involuntarily. Brandon being the great guy he is, immediately asked to be brought to the fan. He embraced the fan and wanted to make sure he didn’t feel bad or was upset.
“My mom used to work in group homes, and I was around that kind of stuff my entire childhood,’’ Matthews said. “My best friend’s little sister has Down syndrome. So I saw it on a daily basis and I just kind of have a special place in my heart for it. I just wanted to make sure that [Juan] didn’t feel bad. I gave him a hug and I asked him, ‘Hey, are you doing OK? Are you having fun?’ I didn’t want to anyone to be mad at him. I didn’t want him to be mad at himself. I wanted to make sure he knew that I wasn’t mad.’’ –NYPost
The video of the hug went viral and in the process caught the attention of Amy Saunders, Palmer’s daughter. Her and her husband are on the committee that handles the invitations to the tournement.Â
“I know that, had Mr. Palmer been here with us, he would have given him an exemption,’’ Roy Saunders told The Post on Tuesday. “For him to have his first opportunity on the PGA Tour to be at Mr. Palmer’s tournament, I think that’s a very fitting launch.’’–NYPost
He will be a massive under dog but if you’re not rooting for this guy you’re insane. Also, I’m no golf expert but the dude is best known for hitting the ball a mile. He carries the ball 330 yards with his driver. That puts him up there with the best of the PGA tour. And not for nothing, chicks dig the long ball.
So to recap, guy is a Philly native, he has a heart of gold and he hits a golf ball further than Paul Bunyan.
Go Brandon Go!!!