The Sunday Post (Newcastle)

Can Rory & Co match up to the Fight?

- By Adam Lanigan sport@sundaypost.com

EUROPE will attempt to make history this afternoon as they seek a fourth successive Ryder Cup victory.

But that will only equal the efforts of European golfers in the Fightmaste­r Cup.

This is a match that was created for one-armed golfers from both sides of the Atlantic and named after Don Fightmaste­r, a famous one-armed player and legend of disability sport.

The Americans won the inaugural match in 2008 but Europe have won the last four, including a narrow 15-13 success last weekend in Indian Wells in California.

One of the stars of the team was Stuart Griffin from Stirling. Stuart lost the use of his right arm when he had a stroke at the age of eight.

But he overcame that hurdle and learnt to play golf aged 10, using only his left arm.

He now plays off a very respectabl­e handicap of 16 and has played in every single edition of the Fightmaste­r Cup.

Stuart said: “The Fightmaste­r Cup is so exciting to aim for every two years. It’s the best 24 onearmed players in the world.

“It’s a great week with our families there and I had my dad, Colin, caddying for me.

“This year’s match was much closer than the previous couple. The Americans had a pair of rookies – one was off 0.2 and the other played off two!

“It would be great to get more publicity and attention because one day, we hope one-armed golf could be in the Paralympic­s.”

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Stuart Griffin.
■ Stuart Griffin.

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