 "Photo: Photo courtesy of Athletic Department")
Art Golden III knew what was coming when he went into the neurologist office March 4. Though he hoped the prognosis would be different, one of Chico State's lead golfers had a feeling that he would be out for the rest of the season.
Since his vehicle was hit by a drunken driver four times Jan. 31, Golden has a hard time staying in one position for too long because of a ruptured disc in his lower back, he said. He can't work, he has a hard time at school, and he won't be back to his competitive golfing for six months to a year.
"It changed a lot of things," Golden said. "I can't do 90 percent of the things I've done before."
Though he thinks his injury is "a bummer," he is also worried about the effect that losing a starter will have on the team, he said.
"It sucks for me, but it sucks for the golf team more," he said.
Golden will not be playing for the rest of the season, but he still goes out to practice and putts, head men's golf coach Travis Brown said.
Golden is "a true Wildcat," Brown said.
"He's definitely the heart and soul of the golf team," he said.
Before the incident Golden enjoyed fishing, but now he's limited to swimming as his only form of exercise, he said.
"You name it, I can't do it right now," he said.
Golden was heading to work on the first Thursday of the semester at about 5 p.m. when his 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe was rear-ended while stopped at the corner of Bruce Street and Highway 32, he said.
The driver didn't even tried to stop, Golden said. There was no screech of tires, only a big crash as the Toyota RAV4 hit Golden's vehicle.
The other driver was going 20 mph and sped away after hitting Golden, he said. At the next stop sign, the driver hit another car and backed up into the front of Golden's vehicle, while he was trying to pursue the driver. He then hit Golden's vehicle two more times before taking off.
Golden said that the day after the accident, his mother was anxious to find out what happened and wanted to know who the other driver was.
"She wanted to kill him - not literally, but kind of," Golden said.
The driver was caught by the police but has not been charged yet, Golden said. He and the district attorney are pushing for a felony charge.
Golden is worried that his injury and not being able to play will affect the team's morale and Chico State's scores for the rest of the season, he said.
Brown echoed that statement, though he has faith in his team, he said.
"Losing Art was a big blow to how good the team could be," Brown said. "The guys on the team are just going to have to step up."
The 'Cats faced some of the top 25 teams in the nation Monday and Tuesday in San Diego. As of Tuesday morning the 'Cats were in seventh place, four strokes behind sixth place.
Most of the California Collegiate Athletic Association teams were at another tournament, leaving room in the San Diego tournament for teams from Texas and Florida, Brown said. These are teams the Wildcats would normally only face in the postseason.
"I think that everyone is really confident," player Brett Viboch said before the tournament. "We have high expectations."
Viboch wasn't the only optimistic one.
"We have a team that can bring home a trophy," Golden said. "There's no reason they can't do it without me."
Elizabeth Varin can be reached at evarin@theorion.com
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