PAUMA VALLEY, CA – (April 29, 2010) – There’s only ONE golfer in the world that gets his LoudMouth Golf pants custom-made-and he’s seven years old.
That’s golf celebrity and cancer survivor Kyle Lograsso, who turns eight in May. Kyle proudly wears his made-to-order black disco balls pants (and several other LoudMouth patterns) during his duties as a standard bearer on the championship golf circuit and as a spokesman for his Through Kyle’s Eyes Foundation.
Diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma (cancer of the retina) at the age of two, Kyle fought tumors in both eyes, losing his left eye to the disease. He underwent six months of chemotherapy for four tumors in his right eye.
Kyle has been cancer free since 2005. His retinal cancer is not expected to return; however, he is at a higher risk for malignancies to develop in other parts of his body because of a gene mutation that caused the retinoblastoma.
Kyle, a hero to LoudMouth Golf, established his Foundation to raise money to find a cure for the eye cancer that usually strikes young children. “A cure will not be found in a day, but one day it will be found,” said Kyle’s mother, Regina Lograsso.
Through Kyle’s Eyes Foundation (www.kylelograsso.org) will hold its first celebrity golf tournament on September 13th at Pauma Valley Country Club, 45 minutes north of San Diego, with LoudMouth Golf providing Kyle’s wardrobe.
Kyle first learned about LoudMouth Golf through golfer John Daly, who also wears the brand. “Kyle always thought John Daly was so cool and had the best pants,” said Regina. “I couldn’t get his size though. One day I got an email from Alan Wallace of LoudMouth Golf out of the blue. He was a fan of Kyle’s website. Alan said he would have pants made for Kyle and send them to us. Kyle LOVES the pants.”
“I came across Kyle’s Foundation on the web. Kyle’s story is so inspiring. His positive attitude drove me to contact his family to see how LoudMouth could support his Foundation. Turns out he was a big LoudMouth fan so I saw to it that he would get custom made pants,” said Alan Wallace, Vice President of Sales at LoudMouth Golf.
Kyle also sports the Houndstooth, A-Tisket A-Tasket and Shagadelic-Black patterns on the golf course, and is anticipating delivery of his own LMG golf bag.
Although only 7, Kyle is also something of a golfing prodigy. He began watching the Golf Channel non-stop at the age of eighteen months. He would imitate the swing from the TV, since he had never seen anyone play in real life.
“He would take anything and try to play golf with it,” said Regina Lograsso. “At one time I got him a plastic golf set and he wore it out. For his second birthday he got a little set of lefty clubs: a driver, putter and seven iron. He was instantly hooked. We have a video of him in diapers hitting balls around the house. By the time he was 4, he had perfected his golf swing.”
Already Kyle hits the ball 110 yards on the fly, and has a score of 37 for 9 holes and a 78 for a full round of 18.
Kyle is right handed, but plays golf with his left. His dad Jeff is a U.S. Marine based out of Miramar Air Base in San Diego, and an Iraq War Veteran. Jeff speculates that when Kyle was losing vision in his left eye, he couldn’t see the ball, so he taught himself to swing left-handed.
For the last few years he has been traveling the country, playing in golf tournaments, meeting golf professionals and practicing his swing. He recently participated in the pro-am segment of LPGA’s Kraft Nabisco Championship.
“People love that we share his story,” said Regina. “Kyle is very aware of it and of the hope he creates.”
About Through Kyle’s Eyes Foundation
The mission of the Through Kyle’s Eyes Foundation (www.kylelograsso.org) is to create an organization devoted to finding a cure of Retinoblastoma by sharing Kyle’s story to inspire others to give back and possibly spare another child’s eyes or another child’s life. Initially the Foundation will work toward funding Retinoblastoma research by giving to the Eye Tumor Research program at Will’s Eye Institute in Philadelphia.
About LoudMouth Golf
LoudMouth Golf’s unique line of colorfully designed pants and shorts reintroduces the styles from the ’70s, the decade that made golf fashion great. Some of LoudMouth’s most popular patterns include Disco Balls, Shagadelic, Oakmont Houndstooth, and Hot Dog. With such vibrant colors in their pants, LoudMouth offers a line of eight solid color shirts that perfectly match each set of pants. LoudMouth recently added a line of skorts and shorts for women. LoudMouth Golf clothes can be purchased at many pro shops or online at www.loudmouthgolf.com and www.johndaly.com or by calling 800.390.5116 or 707.996.8184. To search for stores carrying LoudMouth Golf in your area call 877.386.2292.
Contact:
Kore Oliver
Ann Hill Communications
415.491.5905
kore@ahcommunications.com
