Tragedies reveal deep compassion

The world of professional golf is not immune, and based on what’s happened recently to a handful of players, it’s caused hurt and heartache to many who play the game for a living. Just like the circus or the Red Sox, those who play pro golf enjoy a special bond, part of a unique family, and when tragedy occurs, everyone, on some level, feels it.

In the past month, Champions Tour rookie Ken Green, and Nationwide Tour players Chris Smith and Skip Kendall have been affected by automobile accidents. Green was driving a recreational vehicle that crashed in Jackson, Miss., June 8, killing Green’s girlfriend, his brother, and his dog. Green was seriously injured, and had his lower right leg amputated a week later. Smith, who has spent nine seasons on the PGA Tour, lost his wife, Beth, when the car she was riding in struck a Greyhound bus June 21 - Father’s Day - near Fort Wayne, Ind. The Smiths’ two children were critically injured in the accident. Kendall, also a longtime member of the PGA Tour now playing the Nationwide, lost his mother, Shirley, in a car crash in Arizona.

Separately or collectively, it’s affected many pro players, and it comes soon after Amy Mickelson was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“If one of these things happens once a year it’d be tough,’’ Brad Faxon told the Golf Channel. “It seems like in the space of a couple weeks, with Amy’s news and the tragedies of the Green family and the Smith family . . . it’s really unbearable, if you think about it.’’

Lucas Glover, less than 48 hours after winning the US Open, commented on it at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Conn., without being asked. “Condolences to Chris Smith and his family and what he’s going through,’’ Glover said. “I haven’t had a chance to call or text him, but I want him to know that I, for one, and the rest of the tour is thinking about him. None of us can imagine what he’s going through. But our thoughts are with him.’’

So were their gestures. Across the Champions Tour, PGA Tour, and Nationwide Tour last week, you didn’t have to look very hard to know that Green, Smith, and Kendall were on the minds of their peers. In Connecticut and at the Champions Tour stop in Endicott, N.Y., many players attached green ribbons to hats, visors, and shirts, letting Green know they’re thinking of him. A fund was created for Green, with players donating a portion of their prize money. Black ribbons were worn by many in support of Kendall and Smith, and every caddie at the Nationwide Tour event in Bridgeport, W.Va., had “Chris Smith’’ on the back of their bibs instead of their player’s name. Many players also had “15,’’ which is Smith’s lucky number, written or pressed somewhere.

Green, a five-time PGA Tour winner and a native of Danbury, Conn., had a difficult time with mental illness in his later years on the PGA Tour, something he has since spoken about publicly. His doctors have said Green’s goal is to resume his professional career despite the accident, wearing a prosthetic limb.

Smith, a popular player from Indiana who has won five times on the Nationwide Tour and also won the 2002 Buick Classic on the PGA Tour, had missed the cut in the Nationwide event that weekend, but quickly traveled to Fort Wayne when word of the accident reached him. The Smith children - 16-year-old Abigail and 12-year-old Cameron - are recovering from non-life-threatening injuries.

Smith issued a statement last week: “Our family is in a state of shock right now as we cope with the devastating loss of Beth and the recovery of our children who were injured in the accident. Words cannot begin to express how difficult of a time this is for our family and we appreciate the generous outpouring of support that we have received. We would appreciate it if you would continue to keep our family in your thoughts and prayers.’’

Paul Goydos, whose former wife, Wendy, died in January, knows how valuable and comforting that support can be, because he and his two daughters have been on the receiving end the past five months.

“These are tragedies. It’s been a rough year in a sense on the PGA Tour,’’ Goydos said. “But I think we’re lucky. With my particular situation, you’ve got 200 players out here. It’s really an extended family. You travel together. We’re all showing up at the same places. Instead of having a few family and friends supporting you, out here you’ve got 200.

“It’s a great group of people who come together in tough times. And I can’t speak enough for my fellow competitors and how supportive they were, and still are, through this tough patch for me and my family. I think [Smith] knows, though, from being out here. He knows that everyone out here will do whatever they can to make sure his life is as good as we can make it.’’

In Connecticut, Perry has stayed with Steve and Martha Kirsche. He already had won the FBR Open (this year) and the Memorial (2003, 2008), so adding the Travelers title made for a very fulfilling achievement.

“I won those two events. I never could win this one,’’ said Perry, who finally won the Travelers on his 21st try. “[Steve] always would get on my case, and I told him I guess his cooking wasn’t good enough.’’

Perry said he met the Kirsche family in 1987, when he was a tour rookie without much money. “They were going to keep Jay Haas that week and Jay said no. So they said they’d take the rookie with no money, and I’ve never left. I’ve been a bum ever since.’’

When Perry met the Kirsches, their youngest child was in diapers. Now two of the three Kirsche children are married, and there are three grandchildren.

“It’s just a special week for me. We’ve played games. I’ve watched their kids grow up,’’ Perry said. “We just have so much fun, and it makes the week special. I always look forward to coming here each and every year. I’ve been fighting each year to do something special.’’

With his second-place finish at the Travelers, Goydos was under the media microscope. A sampling of his thoughts from the week:

“We live in the era of Tiger Woods, who makes winning look ridiculously easy. The more I think about it, the more I feel Tiger Woods is the most underrated player on this tour. You guys have no concept of what he accomplishes on a weekly basis when he plays. It’s ridiculous how good he plays.’’

“You learn from losing. You learn from your mistakes. Kids are in school and they take a test, and if they get 100 percent on every test, then they shouldn’t be in the class. They should be in something harder. If you didn’t learn from losing - I mean, that’s where all the lessons come from. I’m sure Tiger’s the dumbest guy around. He never loses.’’

On being joined at the top of the leaderboard by Perry and David Toms, giving the tournament a very experienced look: “They have a lot of experience winning. I have a lot of experience playing.’’

“I like these par-70 courses. It’s easier to shoot in the 60s, at least.’’

On himself, Perry, and Toms all being in their 40s and at the top of the leaderboard: “Yeah. Wasn’t paying attention to their age, I’ll be honest with you. I think [24-year-old] Casey Wittenberg was up there, too. What is he, like 8 years old?’’