Golfer overcomes Celiac

By Chantal Vouziers

ORLANDO, Fla.-- The Duramed Futures Tour is the developmental tour for the LPGA Tour. From it, the LPGA Tour takes several of its competitors, the newest being Sarah-Jane Kenyon.

Despite being diagnosed with Celiac disease (an autoimmune digestive system problem) this year and having to change her diet, Kenyon managed to earn a full time spot on the 2009 LPGA Tour.

"The diet made a bigger difference this year in particular," Kenyon said. "My swing was starting to get there, but we hadn't been able to work out in the gym as much as I would have liked.I was just too tired at the end of the day, but I think the diet helped that."

Kenyon said that the position she is in now is makes it easier to bring more of an awareness about Celiac disease to America and that it is especially important to her since both her mother and self have the disease.

However, Kenyon downplayed her disease and gave most of the credit to her new swing coach, Phil Ritson, "Phil was the biggest change," she said. "We went and started seeing him in July last year and up until that point last year, my golf was terrible...he's definitely been a big help."

Kenyon has been practicing at the Orange County National with Ritson in preparation for the 2009 Tour. Not only has she been busy preparing for the tour, she has also been planning her wedding to caddy, professional golfer and boyfriend Duane Smith.

Kenyon's wedding will be held at her home in Queensland, Australia on Jan. 10. They will be taking a "mini-moon" before she rejoins the tour at the end of January.

More information on Celiac disease can be found on www.celiaccentral.org.