2015

Kevin M Hall Professional Golfer 2015

Turned Professional September 2005

More than just a Golfer……… First African American Golfer at Ohio State University Four Year Scholar Athelic at the Ohio State University Co Captain, Ohio State University Team Junior/Senior Year 2004 Big Ten Champion, Medialist by 11 strokes All Big Ten – Academic & Athletic March of Dimes 2000 FDR Inspiration Award Inspirational Speaker Role Model

BIO

Kevin M. Hall

I was born in 1982 to Percy and Jackie Hall. At the age of 2 ½, I lost my hearing to H-Flu Meningitis. I was diagnosed as profoundly deaf. Through prayer, faith, hard work, and the love and support of my parents, I was able to overcome this loss and not allow it to be used as a or prevent me from doing what I wanted to do in my life. My parents are a big reason for this. They vowed to do whatever it took for me to have the opportunity to be a productive human being and have the opportunity to be successful and to live a full life. This is a vow that is being kept to this very day. They taught me about God and about Faith and Belief. They began to learn sign language with the help of some good friends, who worked actively in Deaf Education and taught it to me. After enrolling me in a Public School program, my parents realized it was not for me and within the year enrolled me in St. Rita School for the Deaf at the age 3 ½ years old despite opposition from professionals who felt I would be stigmatize. They enrolled me in Speech Therapy and I worked with a wonderful Therapist privately for 12 years along with the Therapist at St Rita’s. I am very grateful to my Parents for sending me to St Rita but had the understanding and sense of urgency to realize that I must be mainstreamed in every other area of my life within the hearing world. This decision has proven to be extremely important to me in functioning in the hearing world. My parents exposed me to everything they felt would make me a well-rounded, educated and functioning human being. They also exposed me to organized sports, baseball and bowling. I began to bowl in a bantam league when I was six years old and when I finish my senior year of High School I had a 200 scratch average. I was a pitcher on my baseball team. But nothing was the same once I picked up a . I was taught golf by a family friend (Donald (Sonny) Barnes). I practiced for a year under Sonny and at age 10, I entered my first tournament, finishing second at a local club championship. I soon won my first National tournament in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the PGA Junior Series. I participated in the Junior World tournament as a member of the team for two years. I played in AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) events and finished in the top ten twice, I qualified for the Independence Insurance (Big I) tournament. I also qualified for the US Junior Amateur and I won several City tournaments. I became the first student in the history of St Rita School for the Deaf to be mainstreamed into organized sports at my public high school, Winton Woods High School. As a senior, I was the number one junior golfer in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, with an average of 36.5 for nine holes. I finished fourth in the State tournament. Upon graduation from Hi school, I was named Valedictorian and carried a 3.5 GPA.

Education Achievement

I attended St. Rita School for the Deaf, 1986-2000 I Graduated Class of 2000, Valedictorian with a 3.5 GPA I earned an Academic and Athletic Scholarship to the Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio and became the first African American to play on scholarship for The Ohio State. OSU Scholar Athlete four years Graduated with a Journalism degree in 2005 with a 3.2 GPA

Golfing History

I was introduced to the sport of golf when I was nine years old. I entered my first junior tournament when I was ten years old and finished 2nd. In 1996, I was allowed to play golf for a local mainstream school, Winton Woods High School. I lettered all four years, cumulating in one of the best years I have ever had, my senior year. I was the number one golfer in the city of Cincinnati and the number four golfer in the State of Ohio. I was the captain of my team. From there, I earned a full scholarship to the Ohio State University. I also lettered all four years and was Co-Captain of the team both my junior and senior years. I won two collegiate events my senior year, including the Big Ten Conference Championship by 11 strokes. I turned professional in September of 2004. To date, I have played part time on both the Hooters Tour and the National Pro Golf Tour. I have also competed in five PGA Tour events as well as 11 Web.com events. Currently I am playing on the NGA Pro Golf Tour.

Kev

ASPIRATIONS

I have accomplished everything I wanted to accomplish as a golfer in High School and in College. As a professional, I want to win on the Mini-Tour level, qualify and win on the Web.com Tour level and ultimately qualify for the PGA Tour.

When I have achieved most or all of my goals in golf, I will be in a position to give back to people who seek to fulfill and succeed in their dreams and aspirations. In my 21 years of playing golf and having witnessed firsthand what it takes to achieve your goals, I know that hard work is required. I know that goals are required because without goals, there is nothing for you to work towards. But I also know that every successful person has had a door or two opened for him/her by other people. As we forge our own paths to success, there are always people who have helped along the way. It doesn’t matter how big or small your contribution is, sometimes it only takes a little bit of help from you for the door to open wide. If I was blessed enough to be helped on my way to success, it should be the same for others if I was in a position to help.

My ultimate goal is to play on the PGA Tour and to inspire others who don’t have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and to give back what I’ve been blessed to have during this journey of my life. I know I have a lot of work to do and I am prepared to do so to achieve my goals. My motto is, work, work, work and dig, dig, dig and to never take my eye off my goal. I was always taught that anything is possible if you are willing to work for it. I was always taught that with God, all things are possible. I was taught that the sky is the limit, to always reach for it, and to never give up.