Down Syndrome Man Headed to World Games with Golf Clubs

[syndicaster id=’5822564′]
OKOLONA,Miss. (WCBI) — A very special young man from Northeast Mississippi will headed to Los Angeles later this summer, to represent both his state and his country in athletic competition.

He nailed his putt on the second hole.

And he nailed his putt on the third hole. Taylor Rosenthal is a very special golfer.

The Down syndrome man turns 21 years old later this month. And on Saturday he played with his father and brother at the Okolona Country Club in a special event to raise money for the Down-Syndrome Society of North Mississippi.

And this past week, Taylor accompanied Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson bringing the special torch for the World Games to Tupelo on its way to Los Angeles, where he will compete in alternate shot nine-hole golf with his father Bill Rosenthal.

“Taylor hits a shot. I hit a shot then whoever teed off the hole before the other person tees off the next hole, ” he explains.

Rosenthal says golf has been a great way him to bond with his son.

“You know I was a football coach for a long time. You know your thought as a coach when you have a boy yo want to coach him. When I found out Taylor was Down syndrome and had open heart surgery when he was six months old and we knew that he would never be able to play sports. And we got hooked up with Special Olympics about 13 years ago and he’s been to national games in track and field and the national games in golf so it’s been a great experience with Special Olympics with us,” Rosenthal notes.

And Taylor’s brother Tyler has been very supportive giving him encouragement on the golf course.

“It’s so easy to teach him he listen really well,” his brother proudly exclaims.

What is the blessing of having a Down syndrome brother?

“I mean it was a blessing when we found out. I wouldn’t have it any other way sir. It’s just been a blessing,” Tyler exclaims.

And Taylor is very excited about playing with his dad against athletes from all over the world.

“I might bring home the gold medal,” he beams.

And the way Taylor can putt, the competition in Los Angeles needs to watch out.