June 2008 -
Well I have had a busy half year so far. Sorry I have not updated my news section until now. I have been playing alot of tournaments and I continue to raise money for the Childrens Heart Foundation. In Feburary I was in Tucson, AZ where I played at the Omni Tucson National Golf Resort. This event was the 4th Annual "Swing forTheir Hearts" and we raised over $23,000 for research for congenital heart defects. Awesome!! On April 25th I held my 4th Annual Mac Kline Golf Classic at the Crossings in Carlsbad, CA. With the help of a great committee, we raised over $40,000! Again this money goes to much needed research into CHD!! I am now looking forward to attending the 9th Annual Chicago Golf Outing at Conway Farms in Lake Forest, Il. This event will be held on September 22 and I am sure there are spots available if someone would like to attend and help us raise more money! The event is CHF"s big event in their home town. I would love to see you there.
As for my golf tournaments I have been around the country. Playing in the Arizona Silver Belle, Kathy Whitworth in Dallas, TX, an American Junior Golf Association(AJGA) event in Tampa, FL and I just returned form Atlanta, GA where I played in the Western Womens Golf Associtation(WWGA) annual tournament. I have to say that I was proud of my play there because I reached my goal to play in the championship flight and I walked the first day of stroke play, nine holes! It has been a while since I have walked the golf course and it is very important to me to build that strength again. I have missed the feel of the fairway as you walk towards the green. Cart play and walking are to completely different games. But no matter which game I play I still love the game of golf and will continue to play. I have more tournaments coming up and I will update as soon as I can. I feel my game is improving and there is so much more golf ahead, wish me luck!
November 2007 - Mackline at Disney, USA Today
MacKinzie Kline, the 15-year-old with a congenital heart defect who played on the LPGA Tour this season, was in the pro-am pairing with Fujikawa, although they were not partners. It was a huge day for Kline because she walked the last 16 holes. Kline was given permission to use a cart at the Ginn Tribute on the LPGA Tour because she was recovering from recent surgery to fix a hole in her heart. "I haven't done that in a long time," Kline said. "It was very exciting. The one thing I really want to do is walk all 18 holes." Fujikawa loved having her along. "I haven't played with someone my age in a long time," he said. ... John Daly, who has walked out of six tournaments this year, said he was disappointed not to get a sponsor's exemption to Disney. Lo and behold, Daly could have made it as an alternate based on his status as a past champion, but he wasn't at Disney to claim the spot and the tour took the next guy in line. ... The Canadian Open finally got a title sponsor Wednesday when the Royal Bank of Canada agreed to a deal. Read the entire article from USA today here
September 2007 - Heroically, Mac stays on the attack.
Under a tent outside the Conway Farms Golf Club clubhouse, heroes are sitting everywhere. Doctors. A dozen of them, most of whom sit on the advisory board of the Children's Heart Foundation. They're here for an eighth annual golf outing. And who's their hero?
She's sitting among them. She's 15 years old, 5 feet 2 inches tall with long blond hair, wearing stylish golf
clothes and a smile that might be even sweeter than her golf swing.
MacKinzie "Mac" Kline has come to Lake Forest from her hometown sunny San Diego to once again help
bring awareness to congenital heart defects, which affect nearly one of out every 100 births, or about 40,000 babies each year.
Mac, as everyone calls her, has served as national spokesperson for the Children's Heart Foundation since
she was the ripe age of 10.
"She has a great aura around her and everybody loves her," John Mason, the director of golf instruction at
Encinitas Ranch Golf Course in California and Mac's coach for the last eight years, says on Kline's Web site,
mackline.com.
Spend some time with Kline -- a 1 handicap who hit tee shots for foursomes on the par-3 second hole on a
San Diego-like day at Conway Farms on Monday -- and it's hard not to come away inspired.
She was born with a heart defect described on her Web site as "single ventricle with transposition of the
greater vessels."
"I have only three chambers instead of four so I can't do any aerobic activities," Mac says. "So that's pretty
much why I play golf."
Her liver is transverse, meaning it's on the left side of her body, and she was born without a spleen.
She had her first open-heart surgery when she was 11 weeks old and second shortly before her second
birthday.
She takes a lot of medications.
"I kind of live a pretty normal life, though," Mac says. "I really like my life."
How can you not like her?
Mac can't do certain activities with her friends, but she doesn't pout.
"If they want to try to go surfing or boogey-boarding, I can't really do that because I can't (afford to) get hurt," the California Kid says. "Some of my friends like to work out, so they'll ask me if I want to go for a jog on the beach. I'll say, 'No, I can't really jog so we're going to have to walk.' "
Hey, just because your heart isn't right doesn't mean your life can't be a day at the beach.
Mac, a sophomore in high school, announced to everyone under the tent at Conway Farms that she reached
her goal of earning $1 million for congenital-heart-defect research.
"My new goal is $2 in two years," Mac tells everyone, and suddenly heroes are applauding a hero.
Mac started playing golf when she was 6 because, she says, her doctor thought it would be a good sport for her to try. Her dad took her to a golf course and she was hooked.
This summer, Annika Sorenstam invited Mighty Mac to play in Sorenstam's LPGA event called the Ginn
Tribute in South Carolina.
"She's a very, very nice lady," Mac says of one of the greatest females to ever swing a golf club. "I didn't
play very well, but I learned a lot. And the golf course was incredible. Beautiful golf course."
Winning isn't the most important thing, someone once said. Mac Kline has the golf game to win junior
tournaments and maybe someday win money as a professional.
But her story isn't about that. There are some kids with congenital heart defects or other health-related
issues -- and Mac has seen them -- who have the mind-set that they "can't."
Mac tries to avoid that word like a fairway bunker.
"I really like to do golf, I really like to do stuff," she says. "I really don't think of myself as being different than other kids. I don't think I can't do something. I will always try it, whether I can end up doing it or not. I will try, just because that's the type of person I am."
In the future, Mac might play collegiate golf or turn professional, or maybe both.
But she's got lots of time before she has to make those decision. In the meantime, she's going to enjoy
playing golf, earning money for congenital-heart-defect research and being a teenager.
She's excited about Monday night's season premiere of her favorite TV show.
The name of the show?
"Heroes."
"The first season (last year), I taped every single one of the episodes," Mac says. "That's the first show I've
actually seen every single episode."
Funny, a hero's favorite show is "Heroes."
"I just think of myself as a golfer," says Mac, modestly. "It's just something I like to do, and raising money is
just something I like to do. It just seems like a natural thing for me to do."
That's what makes 'em heroes.
September 2007 - Mac Kline set to raise her second MILLION for congenital heart defect research.
She's raised one MILLION dollars for congenital heart defect research and she's set on doing it again. 15 year old San Diego golf prodigy MacKinzie “Mac” Kline will be in Chicago next week to take part in the first event of her new effort to raise ANOTHER million dollars on behalf of The Children's Heart Foundation.
Mac, although born with a congenital heart condition, has established herself as a golf phenomenon. In May, Kline played her first official LPGA event. She made history by becoming the first player to have the use of a cart because of her disability. She was invited to participate in the Ginn Tribute by top ranked golfer Annika Sorenstam.
In addition to her success as a golfer, Mac serves as National spokesperson for the Children’s Heart Foundation (CHF). This Monday, September 17, 2007 Mac will take part in the Foundation's 8th Annual Golf Outing at Conway Farms Golf Club.
For more information about Mac’s compelling story and to see featured coverage in USA Today, The Golf Channel, LA Times, The London Observer, Der Spiegel, BBC Radio Network, The San Diego Union Tribune, visit www.mackline.com
To learn more about The Children’s Heart Foundation visit www.childrensheartfoundation.org
July 11 2007 - MacKinzie Kline appeared on The Today Show
MacKinzie Kline spoke about her talent, cause, and being a 15-year-old with TODAY's Natalie Morales. To view the video, click here.
July 2007 - Young San Diego Golfer to play Pro Am
Mac Kline works on and off the course to raise awareness for Children’s Heart Foundation
15 year old MacKinzie “Mac” Kline was born with a congenital heart condition but pursues her golf dreams and fundraising with all heart. This week, Mac is in Illinois and Iowa where she will play in the John Deere Classic Pro Am and share her story of survival and determination at a local hospital.
Mac, has established herself as a golf phenomenon, ranked high in her age group. In addition to her success as a golfer, she serves as National spokesperson for the Children’s Heart Foundation (CHF). This year Mac reached her personal goal to raise ONE MILLION DOLLARS for research into congenital heart defects.
Mac’s tireless efforts to raise awareness and money on behalf of the CHF continue. In addition to announcing her new goal to raise another MILLION dollars for research, she will share her story of survival and determination with patients, parents and doctors at The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa.
Mac is a recipient of an ARETE Honors for Courage in Sports, an award given to athletes who refuse to accept limitations and excel in their sport. Past honorees include Lance Armstrong and Jackie Joyner- Kersee.
In May, Kline played her first official LPGA event. She made history by becoming the first player to have the use of a cart because of her disability. She was invited to participate in the Ginn Tribute by top ranked golfer Annika Sorenstam.
January 2007 - Exciting news from Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
“The world’s No. 1-ranked female golfer, Annika Sorenstam, announced a special addition to the field of her LPGA event, the Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika. Sorenstam has awarded a sponsor’s exemption to her tournament to 14-year-old MacKinzie (Mac) Kline of Encinitas, California, one of the top-rated junior golfers in the country.”
Mac would like to extend her deepest and sincerest thanks to Annika Sorenstam and the Ginn Tribute for granting her this amazing honor and making her dream to play on the LPGA come true!
Enjoy some of the recent articles featuring Mac and her inspiring story:
John Daly San Diego Union Tribune Story 1/19/2005
The Charleston Post & Courier Story 1/28/2007
San Diego Union Tribune Story 1/30/2007
Golf Channel Story 1/30/2007
ABC Channel 7 News Story 1/30/2007
Contra Costa Times Story 1/31/2007
USA Today Story 1/31/2007
USA Today Front Page Story 5/09/2007
UK Independent News 5/10/2007
Observer Article 7/01/2007
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