LPGA star Sophie Gustafson brought down the house at the Golf Writers Association of America's Annual Awards dinner in Augusta on Wednesday night, and she didn't even say a word. Gustafson was there to accept the Ben Hogan Award, which is given to a player who remains active in the game despite a physical handicap or serious illness. Instead of giving a speech, Gustafson, who suffers from a severe stutter, played a videotaped message.
"When Ron [Sirak] told me that I had won this award, I was absolutely thrilled," the video began, "until I realized that I have to give some sort of speech. I hope we can all agree that this is the best way of doing this, if you want to get out of this room before the first tee time tomorrow."
In the six-minute taped speech -- done all in one take without any cuts or edits -- Gustafson managed to showcase the warmth and sense of humor that has made her one of the most popular players on the LPGA Tour. She shot the video at home by herself on March 6, and it wasn't easy. "I'm trying to video record my speech for the Golf Writers dinner," she wrote in a tweet that afternoon, "I can tell u being a stutterer and a perfectionist doesn't mix AT ALL!!"
Twitter has become a wonderful medium for Gustafson to reach her fans and showcase her no-holds-barred sense of humor. (For instance, after the second round of last week's Kraft Nabisco Championship, she tweeted, "Putted like my dead grandmother today, and she didn't even play golf.")
Gustafson's acceptance speech wasn't only humorous. She acknowledged that she's become more comfortable in her role as an inspiration to others with speech impediments, and she admitted that while her stutter is sometimes difficult to deal with, she doesn't consider it a handicap. Those in attendance were clear on one thing: There is nothing wrong with Sophie Gustafson.
Watch the taped acceptance speech here:
--Stina Sternberg
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