TEAM NORTH AMERICA

Linda Port   Rancho Santa Fe, California  USA       
Guide: Fred Port

 
In the early 90’s, Linda took up the game seriously and played team golf, serving as Captain for a couple of years.   She then returned to work and played relatively little golf.  15 years later,  she was back on the course and in 2014 began competing in United States Blind Golf Association (USBGA) competitions.  Linda’s Dad has been her inspiration; he was totally blind at an early age but lived a long (93), active and athletic life -- an educator, coach, musician and the Principal of the Washington State School for the Blind.  She has often commented, “ … I feel privileged to have grown up among the teachers and students at the School for the Blind.”
 
Since August of 2014, Linda has competed in some 12 Blind Golf events with several victories including:  the Canadian Open, the Italian Open, the British Open, the US Open and U.S. Nationals.  In addition, she played on the North American (Ryder Cup format) Team vs. The-Rest-of-The-World team in the matches at Villa d’Este, Como, Italy (2016).   In November, 2016 she won the Ladies World Championship in Tokyo, Japan.   [Most of the time, her Coach/Caddy is husband Fred].   Also , Linda serves on the IBGA Board of Directors.
 
Her goal is to encourage vision-impaired children,  “I want to create an approach to training vision-impaired children to play golf; this could truly change the path of their lives:  introducing competition, building self confidence and engaging a whole new ‘family’ of potentially life-long friends”
 
 
 
 

 Mario Tobia  Mount Laural, New Jersey  USA   
Guide: Frank Hesson

Mario started playing competitive blind golf in 2007 as a visually impaired golfer.    With his son, Matthew, as his coach, Mario dropped 10 strokes off his handicap.  
 
In 2011, Mario competed in the B1 division for the first time, winning the American Blind Golf National Championship and the Ohio McCulloch Match Play Tournament and finishing second in the USBGA National Championship and the Guiding Eye Classic.  
 
In January of 2013, Mario received the Most Courageous Athlete award given by the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association.  This award is given to an individual who has overcome some hardship to excel in his given sport.  Other winners of the MCA was Ben Hogan, Tommy John, Jim Abbott and Tom Dempsey.
 
In 2014, Mr. Tobia won his first United States Blind Golf National Championship along with a first place in the American Blind Golf National Championship, Becoming the first blind golfer to win both events in the same year.
 
Mario repeated as USBGA National Championship in 2015 and won the Guiding Eye Classic and American Blind Golf Championships in 2016.  Later that year, Mr. Tobia took fourth place in the IGA World Championship held in Saitama prefecture, Japan.
 

Gerry Nelson   Saskatoon, Saskatchewan  CANADA  
Guide: Chris Villeneuve

Gerry and Chris are from Saskatchewan and were both born and grew up in North Battleford.  They are previous winners of the Western Canadian Blind Golf Championships and the Canadian Open.  They finished third at the 2012 World Blind Golf Championships and Gerry is the current president of Blind Golf Canada as well as a member on the Board of Directors of the IBGA.  Chris and Gerry took part in the inaugural Vision Cup held in Columbus, Georrgia in 2013. Both are thrilled to be back and playing in the Vision cup!

Chad Nesmith    Brentwood, Tennessee USA  
Guide: Stuart Shearing

When I was 12-years old, I was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa.  It was a devastating time for me and my family.  Over the next twenty years, my eyesight gradually declined.  Before losing my sight completely, I was able to complete an undergraduate degree in Psychology, two Master’s Degrees and a Doctorate in Counseling Education with a Minor in Educational Psychology.  I was married to my wife at the age of twenty-seven.  Her strength over the past twenty-one years of our marriage has motivated me in so many areas of my life. 
It was her idea for me try to play golf after losing my eyesight.  With her support, I practiced (and still do) every weekend that weather would allow, and I was able to qualify and win the USBGA. National Tournament in 2016.  My goal is to help blind golf grow all around the world.  I want to assist the game of golf in any way that I can.  I feel fortunate and blessed to be where I am in my life.  I fought depression for a long time, and it is still a demon that I work hard to keep at bay.  Along with my on-going growth spiritually, golf has been an outlet for me to feel a sense of accomplishment

Harry Hester- Austin Texas
Guide: Margaret Hester

After working twenty-five years for the US Postal Service, Harry was forced to take disability retirement when he became legally blind due to macular dystrophy.  He then worked for ten years as a Specialist Education Teaching Assistant and retired from that career about three years ago.  With the help of friends, Harry was able to return to the game of golf after he lost his central vision.  He has been involved in Blind and Low Vision golf tournaments for the past twelve years and has competed in both National and International events. Harry loves the competition and camaraderie that Blind and Low Vision Golf provides him and feels honored to have the opportunity to represent North America in the 2017 Vision Cup.  He will be coached by Margaret, his wife of forty-one years, at this tournament.   
 

Jeremy Poincenot    Carlsbad, California  USA     
Guide: Lionel Poincenot

 At 19, Jeremy was your typical college sophomore. Friends, sports, fraternity and most importantly, perfect 20/20 vision. Then it happened, no warning, no time to prepare. Life began to blur. Over just a few months, Jeremy lost central vision in his right eye, followed closely by his left. The diagnosis: a rare genetic disorder called Lebers Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), a disease that affects a mere 100 people in the U.S. each year, with no treatment or cure.
 
When he lost central vision in both eyes, Jeremy thought the game of golf that he loved was over. Jeremy had competed on his high school’s golf team, and had grown up competing regularly against his dad, Lionel.  Now, instead of competing against each other, Jeremy and Leo play as a team, and Leo is Jeremy’s guide in blind golf tournaments.  They’ve been a very successful team, beginning with a dramatic chip-in in a playoff to win the 2010 World Blind Golf Championship, and most recently winning the 2016 B2 World Blind Golf Championship. In 2011, Jeremy was honored as the San Diego Hall of Champions Challenged Athlete of the Year.
 
Championships
2 010- IBGA World Blind Golf Champion
2011 – USBGA National Blind Golf Champion
2012 – USBGA B2 National Blind Golf Champion
USBGA B2 Arizona Regional Champion
2013 – USBGA B2 National Blind Golf Champion
2014 – USBGA B2 National Blind Golf Champion
ABG B2 Australian Open Champion
2016 – IBGA B2 World Bind Golf Champion
USBGA B2 National Blind Golf Champion

Derek Kibblewhite   Calgary, Alberta CANADA     
Guide: Chris Chambers

Derek is 32 years old and resides in Calgary Alberta Canada. Derek started golfing at the age of 3 thanks to his grandparents. At the age of 11 Derek started losing his vision due to a rare genetic eye disease called juvenile retinoschisis. Derek joined Blind Golf Canada in 2014 and currently plays in the B2 division and is coached by his Dad Chris.

 Some of their achievements include:
 

-2016 ISPS Japan Open, overall low gross winner
-2016 ISPS World Blind Golf Championship, B2 runner up
-2016 ISPS US Blind open, B2 division winner
-2016 Western Canadian Blind Golf Championship, overall low net winner
-2015 ISPS Canadian Open, overall low net winner

Darcy Furber   Winnipeg, Manitoba CANADA  
Guide:  Ron Oliver

 
   Since the age of 14, Darcy has been playing golf at a competitive level. He played throughout high school and continued to play for the University of Southern Mississippi for his university career. After returning home, Darcy continued to compete out of the Elmhurst golf and country club. He competed at the highest amateur golf level in Manitoba. Darcy was born into a family who was affected by a degenerative eye disease called RP (Retinitis Pigmentosa). As years passed, Darcy’s eyesight deteriorated to the point where golf could not be his first priority. 

In 2014 Darcy joined the MBSA. That year and the following 2015 and 2016 golf seasons, he won the title of B2 Division champion in the MB blind open Championship. During the summer of 2015 Darcy travelled to Nova Scotia and took a seat on the winning team in the Nations Cup. Last year in Creston B.C. Darcy played in the Canadian Blind open and won the B2 division. Also in Creston he played and finished runner up in the Western Canadian Championship. Darcy looks forward to representing the North America team in the 2017 ISPS Handa Vision Cup! 

Tommy Marks  Danville, Pennsylvania USA  
Guide: Chris Walzer

Tommy has been involved in Blind Golf for 3 years involved with both the USBGA and the ABGA and competing in the B3 category.  He has competed in 11 individual competitions and winning his first nine in the gross category in a row.  Tommy has won the only two USBGA National Championships that he has played in as well.  His coaches for all but one of these tournaments has been his father Bob.

Doug Penner    Winnipeg, Manitoba  CANADA   
Guide: Doug Drennan  Calgary, Alberta  CANADA

Doug started losing his vision as a teenager because of the genetic disorder of Retinitis Pigmentosa.  He joined the W.C.B.G.A. in 1995 and has represented his Province and Canada with distinction at many tournaments.  Doug enjoys the competition but also enjoys  the fellowship and friendship of all the players he has met over the years in his travels.  Doug's coach is his good friend Doug Drennan.  The two Doug's play a similar style  of golf so it is easy for him to guide Penner around the course as long as he goes where he's supposed to.  Doug has been playing for quite  a long time  and is still trying to figure it out!  Doug was President of the W.C.B.G.A. from 2007 to 2012 and is currently the Manitoba representative and a Director with Blind Golf Canada.

Recent Accomplishments:

2012   W.C.B.G.A. Champion (Overall)
2013  Ohio Stableford Winner
2014   W.C.B.G.A.  Champion (Overall)
2016  Ohio Stableford Winner
2016  Canadian Open B3 Champion

Joe Furber    Winnipeg, Manitoba   CAN     
Guide: Francis Oliver

My name is Joe Furber, and I , along with my sister/ coach Fran Oliver, are thrilled to be participating in the 2017 Vision Cup.  We both reside in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.  Competing at the B1 level, this will be my first time teeing it up in this prestigious event.  I have Retinitis Pigmentosa, a hereditary degenerative eye disease, that has caused my vision to deteriorate over the years.   I began to play golf around age 12, but gave it up in 1999.  Then in 2011, with the encouragement of my wife, I began to  play Blind golf.  Thankfully, now at age 55, Blind Golf has afforded me the opportunity to meet many new people, play golf all over the World and, to once again, enjoy the game I love.  All fore one and one fore all!

Darren Douma  Creston, British Columbia  CANADA  
Guide: Walt Harder  Coach: Darcy Douma  Medicine Hat, AB   

Darren Douma started participating in blind golf in 2013 when he was coping with vision loss due to Stargardt’s Disease.  Darren started golfing at the age of 7, and was involved in the golf industry since the age of 13.  Golf experience included Outside Pro Shop services, Pro Shop Assistant, and Clubhouse Manager, all at the Creston Golf Club.
Darren now keeps busy and focused on blind golf by serving as president of the Western Canadian Blind Golf Association and VP of Administration with Blind Golf Canada.  Darren is also President of the local Chapter of Canadian Council of the Blind-VIBE and a Director with Canadian Council of the Blind/BC-Yukon Division. Recently, Darren became President of the Creston Men’s Golf Club.   Darren previously hosted the 2015 Canadian Championships in Creston.  This was a rewarding experience, and hosting the 2017 Vision Cup will be no different.  Daren is thankful for the strong support of the Creston Golf Club Management and Board of Directors and all the many members who step up to  volunteer each and every time to make our events exceptional and unforgettable.
Darren also recognizes the dedication of our guides, and without them, we could and would not be able to participate as we do in blind golf.   So for this Darren recognizes his two guides, Walt Harder, a close family friend,  and his brother Darcy Douma for their past and future support of his blind golf endeavors.
Darren enjoys the competitiveness of all that participate in the tournaments.  Yet even more, the comraderies that exists during a round of golf and after.  It truly feels like a special family that has been brought together to share in something special like blind golf.t.  After the dust settles and we have collected some dust collectors or paper weights, we soon forget about them.  The friendships and memories we have gained from each event are never forgotten.
 
Blind Golf Highlights:
2013 WCBGA B3 Champion
2014 Canadian B3 Runner-Up
2014 Australian Open B3 Runner-Up
2014 World Championships B3 Runner-Up
2015 Canadian B3 Champion
2015 Vision Cup North America Team Member
2015 Nova Scotia Championships Runner-Up
2015 Nations Cup Team Canada Championship Team
2016 Canadian B3 Runner-Up
2016 WCBGA B3 Champion