Homeless SA Man En-Route to Golfing Glory
From being homeless to hitting holes-in-one, a man from South Africa has a new lease on life and will soon be playing at a major golfing tournament.
Fifty-nine-year-old Llewellyn Barnes worked as a caddie at Zwartkops Golf Course in Centurion, Gauteng. He began caddying when he was only 10-years-old, sparking his passion for the sport.
However, a series of unfortunate events – from the death of his father to falling out with his relatives – resulted in Barnes living on the streets. Last January, his luck began to change when Zwartkops club management offered him a storage container to live in.
He soon asked his friend, Gareth Frost – who co-ordinated a “breakfast club” on Saturday mornings for the homeless at Wierda Bridge – to sponsor him.
With Frost gathering enough funds for him to enroll for qualifying school, Barnes soon became a professional golfer. In March, he is set to participate in the Senior Tour, a tournament that’s part of the South African Sunshine Tour.
A crowdfunding campaign was also recently launched, whereby a whopping R130 000 was raised to cover Barnes’ kit, golf clubs and lodging expenses.
Things are certainly looking up for this once down-on-his-luck caddie!
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