Touted by Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson as one of the most well-thought-of players on tour, Scott Verplank has negotiated his Type 1 diabetes all the way up the rankings of the PGA tour.

Verplank diabetes began when he was 9 years old. The off-limits list included sports, but Verplank didn't listen to that one. He was a phenom, winning the 1985 Western Open as a senior at Oklahoma State. It had been 29 years since an amateur won a PGA event. A couple dozen more victories appeared likely. Nobody could see what trouble diabetes would cause.

Verplank does not let diabetes interrupt his game. Checking his blood sugar every few holes and walking all 18 - the inconvenience of diabetes will not sabotage his love of the game. Verplank doesn't consider himself a role model. He categorizes himself as just a regular guy. Everybody faces obstacles, and he's merely managing the challenges of everyday life just like everybody else. Although Scott's feather is the fact he's a pro golfer -- one of the top players in the world!!

The Detroit Free Press is running a nice piece by columnist Drew Sharp about golfing pro and Type 1 diabetic Scott Verplank. Titled "Golfer Verplank an inspiration to fellow diabetics," Sharp observes that athletes with diabetes are in a unique situation. "Athletes are taught to fight through pain, to develop a higher threshold for it. But diabetics don't get that luxury, because maintaining the proper blood glucose equilibrium is mandatory," Sharp writes.

Verplank is forty-two years old and hails from Texas. According to his Wikipedia entry, he was honored in 2002 with the Ben Hogan Award, which is given by the Golf Writers Association of America to golfers who continue with the game despite a major illness or injury. Talking about his ability, as a sports pro with diabetes, to positively influence the lives of others, especially youngsters, Verplank remarked: "If what I went through can inspire even one kid to run his own life and not let diabetes run his own life, then it was all worth it." He says determination is key, adding: "whenever you can find positives out of the challenges thrown at you in life, it makes you stronger." I don't know much about golf, but this is an ethos that Verplank clearly lives, with the columnist Sharp describing him as "the ultimate grinder."

One last thing: I was checking out readers' comments on this article and this one made my jaw drop: "Verplank is not an inspiration. I have diabetes and I get know [sic] hope from some lame golfer that [sic] is mediocre at best." Wow. How mean-spirited can you be?