WAGA News
Amy Bockerstette is an amateur golfer, disabilities advocate and co-founder of the I GOT THIS Foundation. She is the first person with Down syndrome to both receive an athletic scholarship to attend college and, as a student-athlete at Paradise Valley Community College in Phoenix, to compete in a national collegiate championship, the NJCAA Women’s Golf Championship.
During a practice round with PGA Tour professional Gary Woodland at the 2019 WM Phoenix Open, Amy parred the iconic 16th stadium hole. The video capturing that moment went viral and currently has over 60 million views. Later that year, Amy and her family established the I GOT THIS Foundation to promote golf instruction and playing opportunities for people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities.
My name is Rob Walden, and I am 53 years old. I grew up in a small copper mining town in rural Arizona named San Manuel. Three weeks after my 18th birthday, I enlisted in United States Air Force. In 1997 I married my beautiful bride Julie, we have one son, Jake, who is 20 years old and is an accomplished golfer in his own right and who is also pursuing a career in professional golf. My grandfather introduced me to the game of golf when I was about 11 years old and have been playing it ever since.
In 2016, I unfortunately had an accident at home with one of my ½ scale model airplanes where I lost most of my fingers on my right hand from the airplane propellor. I not only had to re-learn how to do my day-to-day activities but also how to play golf again with half of my hand missing. I enjoy volunteering my time to promote golf, a couple being the First Tee Phoenix as a youth volunteer golf coach and Special Olympics of Arizona. Watching a kid hit their first good golf shot or seeing how happy the players are within the Special Olympics is incredibly special and truly inspiring. My goal is to bring awareness and inclusiveness in golf for people with all abilities. I love the game of golf and all the challenges it brings and hope to be an inspiration to those around me regardless of handicap or disability by being an example of perseverance and with a good attitude anything is possible regardless of what life throws at you.
I am currently ranked 3rd in the USAGA rankings for US Adaptive Golfers and Top 50 in the world by WR4GD rankings.
Dedicated and Motivated describes our next Western Region representative to the 2025 USGA Adaptive Open Championship, and the 2024 NAGA womens overall National Champion, Chris Oviatt from Oregon.
"Hi my name is Chris Oviatt. I've been an avid competitive golfer over 32 years. I was diagnosed with Charcot Marie Tooth disease in 1987. This disease causes both feet to drop as the nerves below the knee do not communicate with the muscles. My hands are also impacted and mostly in both thumbs. I don't play in the cold as my hands just won't work. My mobility has decreased over the past 5 years but luckily I'm pain free. Just need my braces and a cane to get around the course.
I've won about 20 club championships over the years and just won the Arrowhead Ladies invitational with 108 ladies with a 77. I beat my great friend and my Adaptive caddie by 1. I love the game of golf and will always be positive and supportive towards others on and off the course. My favorite is Play well and have fun. I look forward to what the next few years have in store for me. I'm excited to play in the USGA Adaptive Championship in July."
