\n<\/p>\n
Lawlor has a rare condition called Ellis-van Creveld syndrome, a bone growth disorder that leads to shorter limbs and stature.<\/p>\n
Having started his journey in golf six years ago, he has been a trailblazer, becoming the first disabled golfer to compete on the DP World Tour<\/a> when he teed it up at the UK Championship in August 2020.<\/p>\n Having been told that large prize funds in disability golf were a “long way away”, he decided to put together an event that showed his fellow competitors what could be possible in the future.<\/p>\n He says that it might “go nowhere” or “start a huge trend”.<\/p>\n “We’re trying to turn disability golf into what the PGA Tour is, what the DP World Tour is,” added Lawlor, who is ranked second in the world.<\/p>\n “I guarantee you that when people see there is a prize fund, it will take them out of that hospital bed.”<\/p>\n The tournament at Carton House was won by England’s world number one Kipp Popert, who finished on nine-under, four shots ahead of Alan Gaynor second with Lawlor third. <\/p>\n While Popert’s amateur status prevented him from picking up his winner’s share of the prize fund, he was delighted to have featured in what he feels is an important week for disability golf.<\/p>\n “People that have known me since I was 11 years old know I’ve said I want to be a pro golfer,” said Popert, 26, who was born with a form of cerebral palsy, external<\/span><\/a> called spastic diplegia.<\/p>\n “The only reason I’m not pro is there isn’t the opportunity for disabled golf. I’ll be trying to do tour schools for the able-bodied stuff, but I don’t believe that other disabled people shouldn’t have the option to play for a living.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n