After spending the night in the hospital following a scary second round of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital Classic, Charlie Beljan will apparently make his 10:55 a.m. ET Saturday morning tee time.
Charlie Beljan will play Children’s Miracle Network Hospital Classic after health scare
Charlie Beljan spent the night at the hospital after experiencing health issues during the second round of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital Classic. He will be on the course Saturday, aiming to keep his spot atop the leaderboard.
Sam Greenwood
“As long as they tell me I’m not going to fall over and die, I will be there,” Beljan told Golf Channel by phone Friday night.
GC’s Rex Hoggard confirmed the good news Saturday via Twitter.
“Tour official says Charlie Beljan will play today @ Disney after being taken to the hospital on Friday,” Hoggard tweeted.
The 28-year-old from Arizona, who had the round of his professional life -- an 8-under 64 that got him to 12-under and a three-shot lead heading into the weekend -- was scheduled to meet with reporters ahead of his slated Saturday start, according to the Associated Press’ Doug Ferguson. A tour official did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation.
Beljan on the tee would be a welcome conclusion to a frightening scene that unfolded during the PGA Tour rookie’s second round on the Palm course in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. After complaining of breathing problems, a rapid heart beat, and numbness in his arms for much of the day, Beljan, who had trouble walking and sat down several times on Friday, was whisked away by ambulance for what the golfer said later that night may have been a severe case of anxiety.
“I would say maybe a little panic attack is what I’m hoping because that would mean the rest of my body is healthy and good,” Beljan told Golf Channel.
Beljan said he had experienced similar symptoms recently, after his wife Merisa gave birth to the couple’s first child seven weeks ago. The University of New Mexico grad also entered the tourney 139th on the money list and had to make it into the top 125 to secure his full-time tour card for next year.
Beljan, who said he did not remember much about his round on Friday, will begin the weekend with a three-shot lead over seven golfers and a projected 64th finish on the money list. All of which was far from his mind on Friday, Beljan said, as he played shot-to-shot, hole-to-hole, with his primary goal just making it to the clubhouse.
“I wasn’t thinking about golf at all today, really,” he said. “Honestly, I felt like I was hanging on for life.”
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