It wasnt that long ago that Jeff Klauk was enjoying the good life on the PGA Tour, debuting in 2009 with three top-10 tournament finishes while chipping and putting his way to more than a million dollars in earnings.
He even capped his early success with a tie for 14th in the 2009 PGA Players Championship at TPC of Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., his home course since childhood as the son of the clubs longtime superintendent.
But now, after several health setbacks and more missed cuts than he cares to remember, Klauk is back down on the Web.com Tour, where hell attempt to take another step forward this week at the United Leasing Championship at Victoria National.
Theres nothing wrong with my golf game. Its just getting back mentally to where I need to be and thats what Im really working on now, said Klauk, 35. Theres nothing stopping me from playing well. Its just getting out there and doing it.
As added motivation, he has a few more million reasons numbers not fronted by a dollar sign to keep aiming for the flag. With every round Klauk plays, he carries a message of hope for the millions of Americans afflicted with epilepsy.
Hes the spokesman for a campaign (www.goingbeyondokay.com) to encourage those suffering from the chronic neurological disorder not to become discouraged if one treatment approach fails.
There are so many ways a doctor can help you, but you have to be honest and tell them that you have had a seizure, said Klauk, the 2000 NCAA Division II individual champion and member of three team titles at Florida Southern. A lot of times people dont do that because they are embarrassed Im not embarrassed to talk about epilepsy.
Klauk said he experienced his first grand mal seizures in 2006, but he wasnt diagnosed as an epileptic until two years ago after undergoing tests at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla.
Medication had controlled his previous seizures for years, but while driving to church on Christmas Eve in 2010, Klauk said he spaced out behind the wheel for about 20 seconds. That got my wifes attention, needless to say, he said.
At the time Klauk was trying to rejoin the PGA Tour through medical exemptions that had been granted after surgeries for a torn rotator cuff and an ankle injury. But when he had more seizures while in Hawaii and Palm Springs, he knew he needed more tests.
Read more:
BEARD: Epilepsy a continuing battle for Web.com Tour golfer