Meet The Team
Team USA
Team USA is made up of talented and determined blind and visually impaired golfers, as well as golfers that face other various physical challenges who embody the true spirit of the game. Each player brings passion, perseverance, and skill to every round—proving that vision is more than what you see. This incredible group will proudly represent the United States at the Phoenix Disability Golf 2026, competing against top players from around the world. Get to know the athletes driving our mission and inspiring others both on and off the course.
Mark Arnold
Team Captain | Team USA
Mark Arnold, a 69-year-old from Wadsworth, Ohio, has been named Captain for Team USA at the 32nd Phoenix Cup. Arnold, along with Pine Valley Golf Club, the City of Wadsworth, and the State of Ohio, considers it an honor to host the event.
Arnold has played golf since age 10 despite having a degenerative retinal disorder. He was taught the game by his father and once shot his personal best of 3 under par on the front nine at Ridge Top Golf Club in Medina, Ohio with his father at his side. As his vision has declined, his appreciation for the game and his father has grown.
He currently serves as the National Co-Director of American Blind Golf. Since its rebranding in 2010, the organization has raised over $1.5 million for visually impaired individuals and Wounded Warriors. Arnold is particularly proud that their "Memorial" tournament, hosted by Ohio Blind Golf, has raised over $500,000, exemplifying their motto: “Motivate, Inspire & Serve!”
Mark is pictured with his coach and friend Randy Forrer.
Sarah Larson
Vice Captain | Team USA
Introducing 32nd Phoenix Cup Vice Captain Sarah Larson from Wisconsin. Sarah was born with two rare conditions—amniotic band syndrome and a meningocele. She was known in her small town as "the one-handed girl." However, she never let this title define her. Instead, she has embraced life with a powerful, can-do spirit.
In her mid-thirties, Sarah discovered golf and has been making up for lost time ever since. She's not just passionate about the sport, but also about its power to inspire others, regardless of ability. Known in the adaptive sports world as a dedicated cheerleader, Sarah is often seen on the course wearing pink, radiating positivity and encouragement. She has amazing passion for golf and community
Her commitment extends beyond the game itself; she has organized three fundraisers to help new adaptive golfers attend their first events and support other adaptive charities. She is always looking for the next opportunity to make an impact.
When she's not on the course, Sarah is busy with her family, her career, and her education. She is also a key leader in the adaptive golf community, holding positions on numerous boards and committees, including:
USAGA Competition Committee
USAGA Women's Para-Golf Chair
North American One-Armed Golfer Association Board
Mid-Western Amputee Golf Association
Bruce Hooper
Vice Captain | Team USA
Introducing the 32nd Phoenix Cup Vice Captain, Bruce Hooper, and his wife and coach, Judy Hooper, from San Antonio, Texas. The couple has been a blind-golfing team since 2003. They are United States National Blind Golf Champions in both the B3 and B2 categories, and Bruce also won the World Blind Golf Championship in the B2 division in Tokyo, Japan, in 2006.
In 2023 and 2024, they qualified for the United States Golf Association’s Adaptive Open Championship in Pinehurst, North Carolina, and Wichita, Kansas.
Bruce worked as a Territory Manager for Spalding Sports Worldwide for 23 years and was named to Spalding’s Master Sales Council in 1985 and 1993. He also served on the PGA’s disability initiative committee for several years and was appointed to the Governor’s Council for the Disabled. Bruce is the co-founder and co-director of American Blind Golf, a national organization that promotes golf for blind and visually impaired individuals.
Before retiring, Judy spent 35 years in education. While teaching, she received the University of Texas Health Science Center Sigma XI award and was named Outstanding Science Teacher for the State of Texas. Both Bruce and Judy served for 14 years on the Board of Directors for the San Antonio Lighthouse for the Blind.
Jeroen de Wever
Team USA
Introducing USA player, Jeroen "Jerry" de Wever, a native of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Since 2000, he's lived in Medina, Ohio, with his wife and two children. His son, Cayden, shares his passion for golf and assists him as a coach.
Jerry began playing golf a few years before losing a large portion of his sight to Stargardt's disease, at which point his previous sport, field hockey, was no longer an option.
Over the years, he's found it challenging, fun, and an honor to compete with other disabled athletes, giving a new meaning to the term "handicap" in golf. As a stay-at-home dad, he sometimes has the opportunity to play a round with friends. However, he always enjoys a competitive round with the American Blind Golf and the WMGA league. He plays in the latter at his home course of Bunker Hill in Medina, where he continues to work on getting his numbered handicap down toward 10.
Cindy Lawrence
Team USA
Introducing USA player, Cindy Lawrence. Cindy is an adaptive golfer whose passion for the sport is driven by an inspiring story of survival and resilience.
Twenty-eight years ago, two nights after delivering her daughter, Natasha, Lawrence was diagnosed with Invasive Group A Strep. She survived a life-threatening ordeal that included a week of multiple surgeries to debride necrotic tissue and two weeks in a coma. She ultimately awoke as a bilateral below-knee amputee, beginning a long recovery process that required her to relearn basic life skills. After 12 weeks of hospital and rehab care, and another 12 weeks at home, she reached a major milestone: walking with prosthetics before her daughter took her first steps.
As part of her rehabilitation, Lawrence learned to golf, and the sport has since become a major part of her life. She found a welcoming and growing community in adaptive golf, noting the significant exposure generated by the USGA Annual Adaptive Tournaments. In 2022, she was proud to participate in the Inaugural Tournament at Pinehurst, along with many other adaptive events.
In 2023, due to complications with her skin-grafted limbs and the Florida heat, Lawrence pursued osseointegration to eliminate issues with traditional liners and sockets. Unfortunately, the two-stage surgical process was complicated by prolonged healing, and an infection ultimately necessitated the removal of the implants in July 2024.
After a long period of recovery, she returned to golf in January 2025. She set an ambitious goal to play in as many adaptive tournaments as possible that summer, and by the end of the year, she will have competed in seven across the US. Lawrence considers it a distinct honor to be nominated to play in the upcoming Phoenix Disability Golf.
Jack Hansen
Team USA
Introducing USA player, Jack Hansen. Jack is a distinguished blind golfer from Overland Park, Kansas. His dedication to the sport is supported by his father, Russ Hansen, who serves as his coach.
Professionally, Mr. Hansen is a highly regarded Financial Advisor with Edward Jones. In this role, he assists clients with achieving their financial goals and planning for a secure retirement.
Away from the course and the office, Mr. Hansen and his wife, April, enjoy traveling. They are also the proud parents of two grown daughters. When reflecting on his participation in American Blind Golf, Mr. Hansen emphasizes that his favorite aspects are the valuable friendships he has cultivated and the unique opportunity to raise funds for other charitable organizations.
Scottie Fehlberg
Team USA
Introducing USA player, Scottie Fehlberg. Scottie is an inspiring adaptive golfer who has demonstrated immense determination to overcome adversity and return to the game he loves.
Fehlberg's passion for golf began 15 years ago, but his life and game were drastically altered in the summer of 2020. After a severe motorcycle accident in which he was struck by a car, he sustained irreparable damage to his lower right leg and foot. Following six months of multiple unsuccessful surgeries to save his limb, his right leg was amputated below the knee on December 8, 2020. As a result, he was forced to relearn how to play the game, a challenge he met with unwavering resolve.
Scottie's personal life has flourished alongside his return to golf. He married his wife, Candice, in September 2022, and credits her with being an unbelievable source of support as he pursues his golfing dreams. They are the proud parents of two children, daughter Valkyrie (born December 2023) and son Fenrys (born September 2025). Fehlberg hopes to pass on his passion for the game to his children. He lives by a clear set of priorities: God, Family, and Golf.
Fehlberg is excited and grateful to be a member of the 2026 US Phoenix Disability Golf team and looks forward to representing his country on the fairways as part of the adaptive golf community.
Britton Muñoz
Team USA
Introducing USA player, Britton Muñoz. Britton is a highly accomplished individual whose dedication to service and inspiring others transcends the challenges of vision loss. A retired police officer, Muñoz served his community for 23 years before his career was brought to a close due to a significant loss of vision.
The vision impairment resulted from a severe ocular condition involving the detachment of both retinas, requiring extensive surgical intervention. This included having 15,000 holes lasered in each eye and a vitrectomy to remove the vitreous humor. He describes his current vision as akin to "looking through a thick piece of scratched-up plexiglass."
Despite this substantial challenge, Muñoz discovered a passion for competitive Blind Golf, an activity he only began after losing his sight. For the past eight years, he has been a devoted competitor. His main goal in the sport extends beyond competition; he is focused on building friendships with fellow blind competitors and adaptive golfers.
Muñoz is a fervent promoter of blind and adaptive golf. He actively wears shirts and hats featuring his personal motto: "I am not disabled. I have been modified to inspire." Through this platform, he seeks to illuminate the "beautiful adventure playing golf" for disabled individuals. He believes that by offering encouragement and shining a light on this opportunity, he can provide hope and motivation, potentially helping someone who may be "in a dark place and just needs a little encouragement to step out of their norm."
Tim Jackson
Team USA
Introducing USA player, Tim Jackson. Tim is a highly accomplished adaptive golfer whose life embodies the priorities of faith, family, and the game he loves.
A resident of Galloway, Ohio, the 70-year-old is a dedicated family man, sharing 47 years of marriage with his wife, Joyce. Together they have two daughters, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. A graduate of Ohio Northern University, Jackson retired after a distinguished 32-year career with the Federal Government.
Jackson lost his eyesight in his early 30s but refused to let this stop him from excelling in golf. For the past 25 years, he has been a dedicated member of the American Blind Golf Organization (ABG), where he has achieved significant success, including: two Net National Championships, two Memorial Match Play Championships, and being named Golfer of the Year twice.
His competitive spirit has also led him to proudly represent the U.S. on six Nations Cup teams. Beyond playing, Jackson actively gives back by helping to organize various blind golf tournaments and fundraisers.
For the past seven years, he has also served as the high school golf coach at Shekinah Christian School, using his role to mentor young players and share lessons about God, golf, and the genuine love of the game.
Adolfo Gomez
Team USA
Welcome USA player, Adolfo Gomez. Adolfo is a father, husband, public affairs lawyer, and competitive adaptive golf player. He was born without a left hand due to amniotic band syndrome. From an early age, he embraced the philosophy that limitations are not definitions but challenges to overcome. Sports became the primary platform for him to prove this truth, first to others and then to himself. Of all the sports he engaged in, golf remained a constant.
The sport instilled in him accountability, focus, and patience—critical lessons that have shaped his professional and personal life. In Mr. Gomez's view, adaptive golf stands out as the only sport where individuals with disabilities can truly compete evenly with any player.
After establishing his career as a public affairs lawyer and competing in his first adaptive golf tournament in 2023, he recognized the potential of his story to inspire others to embrace their own challenges. Consequently, he co-founded The Mochamp Foundation with his wife, Monica. The foundation is dedicated to providing 3D-printed prosthetics for children with upper-limb differences, reinforcing the belief that ability is defined by action, not limitation.
Nick Carter
Team USA
Welcome USA player, Nick Carter. Nick is an inspiring adaptive golfer who has demonstrated strength and resilience since being diagnosed with Stargardt’s disease, a rare form of macular degeneration, at the age of six. His vision has been closely monitored by specialists at the Cleveland Clinic Cole Eye Institute since first grade.
Despite facing a disease with no current cure, Nick has excelled. While in grade school, he received a scholarship from the Ohio Blind Golf Association (OBGA) for adaptive equipment, which aided his academic success. As he grew older, he developed a passion for golf and built a strong bond with the OBGA community. With the encouragement of fellow golfers and the support of his father, Jim, who became his coach, Nick entered his first Ohio Blind Golf tournament at age 16.
For the past 14 consecutive years, he has been a dedicated competitor, becoming an inspiration to others navigating vision loss. Nick and his younger sister, who was also diagnosed with Stargardt's disease, continue to face their shared challenge with courage and hope.
Brian Oglesbee
Team USA
Welcome USA player, Brian Oglesbee. Brian is an adaptive golfer, coach, and educator. He currently resides in Georgia and is a dedicated high school Social Studies and Special Education teacher who also coaches the school's golf team.
Despite being totally blind, Oglesbee has found immense success in competitive blind golf, which he discovered 16 years ago through American Blind Golf (ABG). His life motto stems from bible verse Philippians 4:13 , "Anything is possible if you believe," reflected in his determination on and off the course.
His accomplishments include winning nine championships through the ABG and the United States Blind Golf Association. Furthermore, he has proudly represented the U.S. in three Nations Cups, including co-captaining one team to victory. Oglesbee's journey is supported by Coach Jason Hogan
Marcus Pierce
Team USA
Welcome USA player Marcus Pierce, a resident of the small community of Marshall, Wisconsin. Marcus is a professional golfer and a three-time survivor of synovial cell sarcoma. His journey is defined by remarkable resilience and a deep commitment to the sport of golf.
Pierce’s battle with cancer began at the age of 11, with subsequent recurrences at ages 13 and 21. Following his third diagnosis, he underwent a leg amputation. In the years since his surgery, golf has served as a primary source of purpose and mental drive, providing both a competitive outlet and a personal passion.
A dedicated professional in the industry, Pierce serves as a Golf Pro at Pioneer Pointe in Verona, Wisconsin. His expertise on the course is matched by his competitive success on the international stage.
He is honored to represent the United States for the second time as he prepares for the 2026 Phoenix Cup. Having previously contributed to a championship win, he looks forward to competing for the "Stars and Stripes" and aims to help win the trophy again.
David Bonfiglio
Team USA
Welcome USA player, David Bonfiglio. David began his golf career later in life, finding that the sport came naturally to him as an amputee. He consistently approached the game without letting his physical difference create discouragement or limitations, recognizing that everyone faces unique challenges. Growing up as the youngest of nine, Mr. Bonfiglio and his family always maintained an attitude of gratitude for what they had.
Mr. Bonfiglio is currently focused on refining his game, confident in his ability to compete consistently among the top players. He understands that golf is a game of precision, often decided by mere centimeters, which makes diligent practice an absolute necessity for him.
He remains grateful for the opportunities the sport provides, viewing it not just as a competition but as a platform for growth and engagement.
--
