Sitting in the doctor’s office, wondering why his body ached so much, Connor Greenleaf chided his father, Brad, when he asked his son be tested for Lyme disease.
“Everyone knows golfers hang around the woods,” the Windham High senior said. “You go in the long grass, and the ticks will find you.”
But not Greenleaf. One of the top amateurs in the region, he hits it straight.
“I thought testing for it was ridiculous,” said Greenleaf. “I guess it had to be looking for someone else’s ball then, not mine.”
Greenleaf can joke now, especially since he got the last laugh Saturday — overcoming illness, tough conditions and a four-shot hole to win the NHIAA Division 2 State Individual title.
The talented 17-year-old had hardly broken a smile through the fall season, fighting a disease that only was diagnosed correctly a couple weeks ago.
“This was the first time, I’ve ever been ‘disease’ sick. I’ve never been a sick person, so that’s why it was such a surprise,” said Greenleaf, explaining the symptoms.
“I had entered a couple tournaments back toward the end of summer, but had to withdraw because I was vomiting on the course. It’s not like a sharp pain, it’s achiness.
“It gets harder and harder to move and mostly affected my energy. Getting up for school was practically impossible. To even play a rounds of golf after school was agonizing. I had no energy left. It was a grind.”
To Greenleaf’s credit, he gritted out Windham’s second straight unbeaten regular season, only recently having antibiotics prescribed to treat the disease.
Right up until last weekend’s state finals he was feeling the effects.
“At one point, it was just terrible. I remember vomiting in a high school match and continuing on,” he said. “But only in the last three weeks did things start to get better.
Greenleaf and Windham tasted disappointment, coming up third in the team race Thursday, but that set him up to make a run Saturday in the individual.
“I was four back, not guaranteed anything at all, so I was really comfortable out there,” he said.
“At that point, I was the underdog. From the team perspective, we had messed up,and I was playing for the dignity of our team.”
Saturday, he delivered the round of the tournament, a two-under par 70 to defeat first-round co-leader Tom Hickson of St. Thomas by a pair of shots.
“Now that the summer tournament season and school golf are over I may try to take a little break,” said Greenleaf, who typically was back on the range at Windham CC, Tuesday after school.
“I’ve got a couple more tournaments in October and one in December, and I might take a Florida trip in November, if I feel up to it. I’m looking forward to getting away from it now for a little bit. Just not to long.”
Follow Eagle-Tribune Sports Reporter Hector Longo on Twitter under the screen name @MVcreature.
What is Lyme disease? Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. (Source: CDC.gov)
Who has to step up in Utley's absence?
Lazor on who has the upper hand for the Eagles' starting QB job
How much of a concern is Utley's injury?
Davis discusses 'retraining' Cole and Graham in the new system
Gunn and Mosher on the Eagles' defensive scheme and Barkley's arm strength
Briere thinks Bryzgalov wants to remain a Flyer
Briere shares his thoughts on Voracek's car accident
Does Briere have a career in broadcasting after hockey?
Gonzalez on Eagles' talk about the QB race: 'These guys are awful cryptic'
Corbett's view on NCAA lawsuit gaining supporters
Should the Sixers draft Cody Zeller?
Is Utley on the verge of going on the DL?
DeSean Jackson on Chip Kelly's new system
South Jersey native Frank Vogel is ready to face the Heat
Luukko: 'Bryz certainly wasn't the reason we had a disappointing season'
Blame shouldn't all fall on Manuel
Amaro 'not concerned' with Hamels not talking to media
Jawarski and if Chip Kelly's system can work in the NFL
Why was DeSean Jackson tweeting about pot?
Did the NCAA violate antitrust laws with PSU sanctions?
Sportsnet Central: Rangers state of mind
Felger & Mazz: Is it reasonable to start worrying about WIll Middlebrooks?
Felger & Mazz: Caller challenges Felger & Mazz
Sportsnet Central: Tedy Bruschi selected for Patriots Hall of Fame
Rask: 4th line deserved GW goal
Paille on GW goal: 'I had a perfect view on it'
NBA Draft: Top 5 Prospects
Athletes come to aid of Oklahoma tornado victims
Bruins' defenseman Wade Redden On Potential Return
Globe 10.0: Can the Bruins young defensemen keep playing well?
Kevin Dupont discusses Bruins-Rangers Game 2
Globe 10.0: Is Lundqvist the key to the series?
Blakely: Rivers to return to Celtics next season
Globe 10.0: Do the Sox rely too much on Lester and Buchholz?
Bruins Talk About Rangers Blocking Shots
Bruins' Patrice Bergeron On Selke Award, Matchup With Rangers
Julien: 'I'm a tired coach'
Seguin: Thornton said he expected something from me in OT
Rask: 'It's really disappointing'
Julien: 'We've been a Jekyll and Hyde hockey club'
