Taoiseach meets "ground-breaking" Lawlor and backs Paralympics inclusion for Disabled Golf.
Brendan Lawlor at Government Buildings in Leinster House with An Taoiseach, Micheal Martin.
World number two Brendan Lawlor is determined to see golf included in the 2028 Olympic Games and the Dundalk star took another giant step towards his goal this week when he received the backing of Taoiseach Micheal Martin.
After becoming the first player with a disability to compete on the European Tour, the Louth man made more history earlier this month when he played in the inaugural ISPS Handa All Abilities Champions Playoff in Hawaii alongside the stars of the PGA Tour.
A member of Niall Horan's Modest! Golf stable, Lawlor was invited to meet Taoiseach Michael Martin at Leinster House on Monday.
The pair discussed all things Disability Golf and his quest to see it included in the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.
"Brendan is a role model for so many other people, constantly demonstrating what's possible," the Taoiseach said.
"I believe sport has to be fully inclusive, and therefore I support this endeavour in terms of Disability Golf being part of the Paralympics in 2028 -- I will support that enthusiastically.
"I know the Minister for Sport, Jack Chambers has keen plans to broaden diversity in sport, inclusion in sport, and to underpin that with support. I think it's vital.
"I think what you're doing, Brendan, is ground-breaking. It really is ground-breaking. Very often, organisations can be conservative in their responses initially because they're afraid that they don't know enough about something to be confident.
"What Brendan's doing is giving people the confidence to go with him, and that's the big change that will happen, and increasingly it's happening in other sports. I think it's really fantastic."
Lawlor won three times on Tour last year, following wins in Ireland and Wales with victory in the EDGA Dubai Finale, where he joined DP World Tour Championship and Race to Dubai winner Collin Morikawa at the prize presentation in front of a global audience.
"It was a true honour to meet the Taoiseach in Leinster House," said Lawlor, who has Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome, a disability characterised by a shorter stature and shorter limbs.
"It's crazy to think how far we've come in such a short space of time. To be knocking on the kind of doors we are, and for those doors to be opening, is really encouraging, especially at State level here today."
"It's an absolute privilege to represent Ireland wherever I'm playing, and to fight for inclusivity for all disability athletes, regardless of what sport they play. Putting our case to the Taoiseach feels like a massive step towards reaching our ultimate goal of Paralympic recognition. To play for Ireland in Los Angeles in 2028 really would be a dream come true."
Lawlor is a brand ambassador for numerous global brands like ISPS Handa, Adidas Golf, American Golf, TaylorMade, The Condor and sports nutrition brand Kinetica Sports.