Golf Week: Gary Lindeblad Believes Golf is a 'Mini-View of Life' - SWX Right Now-Sports for Spokane, CdA, Tri-Cities, WA

Gary Lindeblad, the golf pro at one of Spokane's most spectacular city courses, is a well-spoken ambassador of the game of golf. He made that fact clearly known while speaking with KHQ's Matt Rogers at Indian Canyon during Day 2 of Golf Week on Local News Today.

Lindeblad and Rogers spoke on a few topics: from his start in the game of golf, to his upbringing in Spokane and his decision to establish the Rosauer's Open, a PGA charity golf tournament that has done very well over the years.

"I just kind of thought Spokane needed a really good PGA event, so we started it and this is our 25th anniversary this year," said Lindeblad. "It just worked out to be a great event – the largest PGA section event in the nation, and the best charity in the world – Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery."

The tournament has directly raised more than $2 million since its inception, and Lindeblad said it has probably helped raise another couple of million through other means connected to the event.

Lindeblad started golfing in his early teens, playing nine holes from time to time with his father. He went to North Central High School and Eastern Washington University. He wanted to play baseball, but when that didn't pan out, he turned to golf. He won the Rosauer's Open in 1990, was elected to the PGA Northwest Section Hall of Fame in 2007, was named to 11 Hudson Cup teams, and was named Golf Business Magazine's Golf Pro of the Year in 1995.

"I love golf, and I think I love golf because to me it's kind of a mini-view of life," said Lindeblad. "Everything can be going great and – bam! – you get slammed with something unexpected. I think it teaches everyone the best things – integrity, and it's just a great game."

One of those unexpected things happened in 1998 when Lindeblad was diagnosed with a rare and often deadly form of lymphoma.

"It's not comfortable to think you're going to head out someday earlier than you'd want to, but with that said we're all on the same bus," said Lindeblad. "I just tell people in the same situation to find a doctor that you trust and turn your life over to that guy and just keep on going. It's kind of like golf. Everything can be gong fine and then you get a bad bounce and the next thing you know you're out of bounds."

Just like his second shot – the one that went a little too long, left of the green and just a few feet off the cart path. It wasn't the ideal golf shot anymore than battling cancer was the ideal life experience. But he saved par. And that's what counts.

"I think it's how you deal with it that can really change your life, and change the life of people around you," he said.

Well said, Gary. Well said.

Here is what is coming up the rest of the week on KHQ Local News Today:

Thursday: A coach
Friday: A commander

Tune in each morning this week on KHQ Local News Today to find out who the celebrity golfer of the day is!

WATCH: Watch Matt Roger's conversation with Gary Lindeblad
WATCH: Golf Week: Palouse Ridge with Glenn Johnson
LINK: KHQ Declares This Week 'Golf Week'