Inspiring San Diegan Triumphs at World Blind Golf Championship

LAST YEAR AT AGE 19, Jeremy Poincenot went from 20/20 vision to legally blind in two months. Jeremy has a rare genetic disease called Leber’s Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON). As you can imagine, it’s changed his life. But it hasn’t slowed him down.

A full-time college student, entrepreneur, surfer, cyclist and nationally ranked golfer from San Diego, Jeremy won the World Blind Golf Championship played in England last month. The field consisted of 60 legally blind golfers from around the world. (Watch the video to see how Jeremy, representing the United States, clinched the victory.)

Bike Ride and Marathon

Jeremy was just getting started.

Following his golf victory, he rode in the Cycling Under Reduced Eyesight (C.U.R.E.) bike ride, a four-day, 230-mile bike ride from Santa Barbara to San Diego. The goal of the bike ride was to raise awareness and funding for LHON research at USC’s Doheny Eye Institute.

Recently, Jeremy recruited a team for the San Diego VisionWalk in November. He also will be running for LHON research, an official charity of the January 2011 Carlsbad Marathon.

A nice dose of inspiration on a Thursday. If something looks too hard, try it anyway and see what happens.

−The Armchair Golfer