Golfer King used to looks on the course

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By KEN HAMBLETON / Lincoln Journal Star

They always stare at Owen King.

“They’re almost always surprised, too,” he said.

King was born with a congenital defect. His left arm is very short and ends with a few small fingers. His right arm, a little longer, ends with two fingers and a thumb.

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Owen King of Kearney tees off on hole 14 during the first round of the 100th Nebraska State Amateur Golf Championship at the Country Club of Lincoln Tuesday afternoon. (Heidi Hoffman)

Owen King of Kearney tees off on hole 14 during the first round of the 100th Nebraska State Amateur Golf Championship at the Country Club of Lincoln Tuesday afternoon. (Heidi Hoffman)

“It’s the way I was born, no big deal,” said the 27-year-old banker from Kearney. “I’ve always played golf, probably since I was 5. I learned. Took a lesson once, long ago. I bend over the ball a little more than most golfers, but that’s about it.

“I love playing and I try to play my best,” he said.

He grew up in Imperial and eventually moved to Kearney, where he ran track for the many-time state champion Bearcats in high school and played some golf.

“Track is a year-around deal in Kearney, so I didn’t play much high school golf, only in the summers,” said King, who competed in the 800- and 1,600-meter runs.

He eventually earned his degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and after finishing school, put his free time into golf.

Despite the lack of bulk in his arms, King can slam his drives 250 yards and more. He can chip and putt with the best.

The surprised looks are there every time he plays.

In his second year of trying to qualify for the state’s top amateur tournament, King posted a 2-over-par 74 at Meadowlark Golf Course in Kearney to earn a spot in this year’s championship.

“I’ve been playing pretty well lately, and I wasn’t surprised I made it,” he said. “But like always, people who see me golf, they’re surprised.

“That gets a little old.

“I golf. I try like everybody else. I don’t want attention. I want to make some more putts, but that’s it.” 

King missed the cut to the top 54 players after the first two rounds at the Country Club of Lincoln. He shot a disappointing 89 on the first day and improved to 83 Wednesday.

“I could have done so much better,” King said. “It was so close to being under 80 today. Honestly, it was so much better than my first round. I’m feeling better about it all.”

King had the same head shake as many of the competitors in the state tournament.

The shake, followed by the phrase “just four bad holes” repeatedly, was almost as common at the puzzled looks when asked about the deep rough around the greens.

“I couldn’t believe I hit a couple in the water and had a quadruple-bogey on the par-3 water hole (No 14),” he said. “That was after a double-bogey on No. 12. Otherwise, I was playing pretty good.

“Next year.”

Reach Ken Hambleton at 473-7313 or khambleton@journalstar.com.