Handicap? What's that?

Manuel de Los Santos is a sportsman par excellence mainly because he has the spirit of a fighter who confronts all challenges head on.

There is one movie Manuel de Los Santos will never forget: The Legend of Bagger Vance. It's a saga about golf and golfers, directed by Robert Redford and starring Will Smith and Matt Damon. "I saw that film and it changed my life!'' says Santos.

In many ways, Manuel de Los Santos' story reads like a Hollywood saga. When he was 17, Santos, a promising baseball player growing up in the Dominican Republic with dreams of playing in the US, was involved in a road accident that cost him his left leg. Most people would have been devastated by the mishap and possibly decided to give up sport, but not Santos.

Of course, he was upset and depressed but only for a while. "I was tossing about, not knowing what to do with my life," says Santos. Then he happened to see The Legend of Bagger Vance in which an out-on-his-luck golfer, Matt Damon, is pushed to take a shot at the big time by a mystical caddie, played by Will Smith. The film touched a chord in him and Santos decided right there, in front of the television screen, that golf was just what was required to shake off the pall of gloom that had settled over his life.

He moved to France and took up golf. Or was it the other way round? Doesn't matter. What does matter is that Santos took up golf. Cut straight to his life now, which is how Santos likes to see his life – no flashbacks and no bitterness. He lives in Paris, and the loss of his left leg has not stopped him from competing at the highest level in French domestic golf competitions as well as a few international ones.

When he prepares to swing his club, he removes his prosthetic left leg and balances on his right leg. And then he swings. He wins most events for special needs people, and he has become the first special needs player to play in the French Grand Prix alongside able-bodied golfers.

According to a golfer, this man "redefines all the rules of golf playing techniques". Santos is in fact doing more than that ­– he is causing a furore in the golfing world with his performance, spirit and ambition.

"My aim is to be among the best handicapped golfers in the world and to continue to play in the Grand Prix series against able-bodied athletes," he says. Somebody once said golf isn't a game but a choice one makes with one's life. That may have been stated in jest but in Santos' case it's true.

There are videos of Santos hitting the kind of shots many amateur golfers can only dream of. And remember he is doing it while balancing on one leg. He hopes to demonstrate the will to fight adversity. "That's what I want to convey to everybody," he says. "If I can do it, you can too."
He was repeating the same message at a golf clinic he conducted for young golfers in Dubai recently for the second edition of "Tee Off Against Poverty," a friendly golf tournament organised by the UAE branch of PlaNet Finance, an international non-government organisation which aims to alleviate poverty by means of microfinance.

"I remember how I was back then before my accident," he reminisces. "I was full of life, full of myself, self-confident. I wanted to play baseball (in the US), and that was all I thought of. Then, when the accident occurred it was like my life just stopped.

I didn't want to accept the fact that my leg was gone, my whole life had changed. I didn't want to face the truth." That was when he realised the importance of helping. "My friends helped me through that terrible phase," he murmurs. "My wife, Elena, was a rock, she was with me right through.
"I've always been involved in sports so I knew I wanted to get back to playing something, only I didn't know what.'' But that was till I saw The Legend of Bagger Vance. When I saw the character swing the club, it reminded me of baseball where you swing the bat similarly. That's when it all came together. And today I am here."

As is his wont, Santos went straight at it. "The next day [after watching the film] at 8am I was there hitting at the ball," he smiles. "They told me I was crazy. 'You have to practice putting for so long', they say. I didn't care. I just wanted to see the ball fly. I wanted to make it fly far away!"

In a short span he has progressed enough to turn professional. "I will play in my first professional tournament in France," he says.

"I've trained a lot," he says apparently unconcerned about making his professional debut, though he has only been playing for a little more than four years. "It was easier for me because I used to play baseball earlier, I guess. But I feel I am ready." Not surprising considering Santos is ranked number one among amateurs and handicapped players in France, and number two in Europe in the same category.

Asked who he looks up to and who he would like to play against. Santos just leans back, and says almost in a reverential murmur: "Tiger Woods!" "He's given
many things to me. Not personally, but in terms of a role model in golf.'' He also wants to play with Sergio Garcia, the world number two.
Though what happened is still a nightmare for him, Santos now feels it was all for the best. "Earlier, I went through life without giving much thought to anything except my game," he explains. "I was not really bothered about others. My present situation has taught me to savour life, to pause and think. There are so many more important things than just winning."

That's what he wanted to convey to the children who attended his golf clinic. The children were so impressed with Santos and his homespun wisdom that they just didn't want to go home. "One of them, a seven-year-old, kept arguing with his mother!" he relates gleefully. This despite the fact that Santos speaks very little English. "Kids, they understand me, they can sense that I like them," he explains. "I am very good with kids."

As he is with a lot of other things, like helping people in need. "Manuel is a living proof of our belief that success can be achieved against all odds," says Claire Cabanel-Rey, executive director of PlaNet Finance UAE. "He embodies our values, as well as all the efforts, energy and dedication that PlaNet Finance is putting in its mission to fight poverty through the development of microfinance."

PlaNet Finance

was started by Jacques Attali, a French politician, journalist and author. Prof Mohammad Yunus, the Nobel Peace Laureate, is co-president of the international advisory board, while former United Nations Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, is a member of the board. "We opened the PlaNet Finance office in Dubai in 2005 with the aim to collaborate with the global arm of PlaNet Finance to fight poverty through the development of microfinance," says Cabanel-Rey. "The idea of being in Dubai is to be more accessible to everybody, to increase awareness and to raise funds for programmes in the poorer countries of the region. Since we started operations in Dubai, we've expanded into Egypt, and also into Palestine. We are already active in India and China. We have 38 offices around the world."

"That's what I like about them (PlaNet Finance)," says Santos, explaining why he decided to support the microfinance organisation in its efforts. "They are small, but they aim big. I see that spirit here (in Dubai) too. Such a small country, but such spirit. I like it. I like to get involved in such efforts."
In many ways, PlaNet Finance reflects the never-say-die spirit of Santos. In 2008, De Los Santos competed at the very top against able-bodied golfers from around

the world. This year he turns professional, and stands a good chance of beating them all too.
"You know, I like my life now," he smiles. "I'd like to fly to every country and teach golf to all those who are interested, as well as the unprivileged, both adults as well as children." More than becoming number one? "I want to play more golf, and win tournaments," he answers. "I have everything now, more than I need. But becoming number one is not the priority. I faced the most difficult situation when I lost my leg. I don't want to tell God, 'Give me more'.
I am lucky enough to be here, and play golf. I am not asking for anything more. Just help others get over their difficulties. Like, I am here now to get this microfinance effort of PlaNet Finance some exposure. I'd like to help more such efforts that help the underprivileged."