Young golfers grow up learning how to manage their way around the course.

For Raceland senior O’Brien Robbins, even her best rounds are not without aches and pains.



Despite ongoing battles with arthritis, spondylitis and fibromyalgia, Robbins has earned a spot in the Girls State High School Golf Tournament for the third consecutive year.

Competition begins today with 18 holes at Bowling Green Country Club. Players and teams making the cut will move on to Wednesday’s final round.

The boys’ tournament is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, preceded by a practice round on Thursday.

Girls players had their warmup Monday. For Robbins, it turned into something of a grind.

“I’m hurting today, but I’m still out here,’’ Robbins said via cell phone during a break. “Hopefully tomorrow will be better.’’

Robbins, the top individual qualifier from Region 11, has three bulging discs in her back. But most of the time, nobody around her would even know it.

“She has a lot of determination and willpower,’’ said Raceland coach Tom Collins. “O’Brien is always willing to work and go the extra mile, even though there are days she can’t. Some days she’s lucky to get out of bed.’’

Robbins refuses to be kept down, however. Collins calls her a good golfer and a better person.

“She’s always smiling, always trying to make other people smile as well,’’ Collins said. “There’s probably not a friendlier girl at the school.’’

That’s why Collins was hardly surprised when Robbins received a Senior Superlative as “Most Likely to Brighten Your Day.’’

Robbins, an A and B student, began having back trouble at age 10. As a sixth-grader, she found out she had scoliosis, an irregular — and in her case moderate — curvature of the spine.

Robbins also has been diagnosed with arthritis, a more inflammatory variety known as spondylitis, and fibromyalgia. The latter, which affects about one in every 50 people, is characterized by widespread muscle pain, fatigue and multiple tender spots.

“When it’s acting up, you can’t even give her a hug because she’s in so much pain,’’ said O’Brien’s mother, Kim.

Over time, Robbins has cut back significantly on prescription medication. The more she can exercise, the better. Robbins also plays tennis at Raceland, but golf is unquestionably her favorite outlet.

“I just love to play,’’ said Robbins, who also has asthma and keeps an inhaler with her golf gear. “Golf is like my therapy. It’s good for my back. Too much exercise hurts, but I’m grateful that I can go out and play.’’

With Robbins, there is no giving up on the golf course. She has never quit during a tournament or match.

Her coach categorized Robbins’ threshold for pain as significant.

“Even when she feels good, it’s probably just 70 percent of what someone else feels,’’ Collins said. “I’ve seen her where she has to bend her knees to get down to pick up the ball because she can’t bend her back. When the weather gets cooler, it makes it even tougher on her.’’

Last year, Robbins shot a personal best and school-record tournament round of 77 to place fourth at the All “A’’ Classic state finals in Richmond. She repeated as All “A’’ regional champion this season.

This week, her goal is to make the cut at the State Tournament for the first time.

“It’s my third year here and I know the course a whole lot better than I did,’’ Robbins said. “Making it to the second day would be a big accomplishment for my senior year.’’

Region 11 team champion Greenup County and runner-up Russell each has five players competing today. Greenup County’s lineup begins with regional medalist Hannah Sublett, a sophomore, and also includes Maxi Bauer, Megan Mantz, Lauren Evans and Sarah Cooper. Russell’s team consists of Kayla Meade, Gabrielle Cassity, Alyssa Thompson, Natalie Conley and Jessica Elliott.

Ashland’s Morgan Walters and Rowan County’s Deandra Robinson qualified as individuals.

On the boys’ side, Greenup County and Elliott County finished one-two in Region 12. The two teams are grouped together in Friday’s opening round.

Greenup County will send out regional champion Dagan Abdon, coming off a 1-over-par 73 at Hidden Cove Golf Course, along with Eli Carr, Andrew Cooper, Aaron Hieneman and Shawn Greene.

First-time team qualifier Elliott County is led by regional runner-up Jared Flanery and twins Evan and Ethan Faulkner. Other players include sixth-graders Ryan Gillum and Hunter Holbrook.

Rowan County’s Jared Stacy made it into the state field as an individual.

ROCKY STANLEY can be reached at rstanley@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2671.