What’s Jack Bonifant’s handicap? That question had more than the usual golf implications Thursday in the Bobby Bowers Memorial.
As the Silver Spring resident limped around Springfield Country Club, it became clear he had more than a simple foot injury. Bonifant, a rising junior at Good Counsel High, is partially paralyzed on his left side.
But Bonifant’s condition didn’t hinder him in the championship round of the 16-17 division as he defeated Michael Taylor of Ashland, Va., 1-up.
Bonifant did it by sinking 15-foot birdie putts on two of the final three holes. Both times, Bonifant pumped his fist vigorously, showing the emotion and determination that has allowed him to overcome his unusual condition.
“I can’t move my fingers individually. I can’t make a fist,” said Bonifant. “I don’t have much feeling at all on my left side.”
In fact, according to his mother, Bonifant plays golf against doctor’s orders.
“They told us he couldn’t do anything requiring bilateral movement — ride a bicycle, rollerblade, certainly not play golf,” said Debbie Bonifant.
As a 6-week-old, her son was accidentally dropped down a flight of stairs by a baby-sitter and suffered a fractured skull that required nine hours of surgery. After 10 years of rehabilitation, doctors told Bonifant further efforts were fruitless. He would never regain feeling in his left side.
But Bonifant found a way to play golf and — perhaps more amazingly — baseball. As a right-handed pitcher, he threw like former major leaguer Jim Abbott, tucking his glove under his left arm and shifting it quickly to his right hand. Bonifant became accomplished enough to “make a few all-star teams,” he said. But in recent years, golf has become his driving ambition.
Thursday at the Bowers, Bonifant beat Taylor, who shot a 69 Monday to capture medalist honors and the tournament’s top seed.
In the finals, Bonifant was 2 up through 12 holes. But at No. 13, Taylor sliced the lead in half as he put a birdie putt on the lip and yelped with joy as it dropped in the cup. On No. 14 Bonifant had the advantage as Taylor had to play up the fairway on a parallel hole. But Taylor saved par to earn a halve, then won the next hole to pull even as Bonifant hit a shot into a water hazard.
Bonifant’s response to that bit of adversity? On the 15th green, he took his driver out of his bag and sprinted approximately 150 yards uphill to the next tee box.
“I just wanted to forget about those last few holes,” said Bonifant. “I guess it worked.”
It was the biggest win of Bonifant’s career. His only other victory came in a 13-and-under tournament at his home club, Argyle.
“It’s huge. It’s awesome. It’s very emotional,” said Bonifant. “Seeing my dad on the 18th green after I made that putt, it’s something I’ll never forget.”
And it’s unlikely anyone who witnessed Bonifant’s victory will forget it either.
Other division winners
In the girls division, Sofia Montenegro of Oakton defeated Amanda Steinhagen of Oak Hill, 3 and 1.
In the boys 14-15 division, Michael Moyers of Standardsville, Va. defeated Jerrell Parrish of Glen Dale, 5 and 4.
In the boys 10-13 division, Jay Pinkos of Clifton, a playoff runner up last year, defeated Denny McCarthy of Burtonsville, 2 up.
