Dundalk's Lawlor paves the way for disability golf

Dundalk golfer Brendan Lawlor is one of the world's top-ranked disabled golfers and he is hopeful that his inaugural Irish G4D Invitational tournament will pave the way for a brighter future for disability golf.

The three-day event was held at Carton House in County Kildare this week and saw some of the world's best-disabled golfers compete for a prize fund worth €35,000.

The 27-year-old believes this event can "get the ball rolling" for the future of the sport by showing the world what disabled athletes are capable of.

The Louth Village man has been a driving force in disability golf and plays on the Golf for the Disabled (G4D) Tour which was launched in 2022 by the DP World Tour.

Despite being told in the past that large prize funds in disability golf were a long way off, he is determined to change that narrative.

He told the BBC: "We needed someone to do it, to get it started everywhere else. We're trying to prove to the DP World Tour that we're athletes. 

"We train the same as Rory McIlroy, if not harder, with some of the limitations these guys have."

Lawlor is ranked second in the world and hopes that events like this will help make disability golf a mainstream sport. He also wants to inspire younger people with disabilities to see a future in golf.

He said: "For the sick person in hospital that's 10 years old, I want them to see a future for them to get to a really good level of golf and they can make money from the game. It might go nowhere, or it might start a huge trend."

Lawlor was born with a rare bone growth disorder known as Ellis-van Creveld syndrome and has been a trailblazer in disability golf since taking up the sport six years ago.

He became the first disabled golfer to compete on the DP World Tour at the UK Championship in 2020.

The tournament was won by England's world number one, Kipp Popert, who finished at nine-under-par, four shots ahead of Alan Gaynor, with Lawlor finishing third.