Overly observes golfers up close

Knee replacement led

to invitation to WGC

By STEVE WILAJ

swilaj@vindy.com

AKRON

It’s been less than two years since Jeff Overly had total knee replacement surgery, but the 51-year-old Boardman native prides himself on walking the local golf courses that he so often plays.

“I play at Mill Creek quite a bit, Reserve Run, Tippecanoe Country Club — just all over,” he said. “The knee feels great. I walk the courses, don’t ride carts.”

On Friday, Overly didn’t play, but he walked an entire round as an honorary observer at the World Golf Championship Bridgestone Invitational in Akron. He did so on behalf of Stryker, which is the official joint replacement products of the PGA Tour.

Overly — who received a Stryker’s GetAroundKnee in December 2014 at The Surgical Hospital at Southwoods in Youngstown — followed inside the ropes, for 18 holes, the third group to tee-off at Firestone Country Club: George Coetzee, Kevin Kisner and Nathan Holman.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Overly said. “Being a golfer, it’s neat. And being inside the ropes watching these guys hit the ball, it’s just amazing.”

A few months back, the Stryker team asked Overly if he wanted to represent them at Bridgestone, to which he responded, “Absolutely.” He earned the opportunity after not only undergoing the surgery at a younger-than-usual age, but also enduring a six-month physical therapy course at Youngstown Orthopaedic Associates.

“They both did an amazing job with it,” said Overly, who had his knee operated on by Dr. James P. Jamison. “I was out of the hospital in three days after the surgery and was back to 100 percent after six months of physical therapy.

“Now I’m back to golfing, exercising, playing bocce. I’m just able to do everything I want to do, so it’s been great.”

That active lifestyle led to Overly’s need for the operation — especially his football-playing days. After playing at Wilson High, he continued his football career at Hiram College.

“My life was changing — I wasn’t able to golf and exercise and do all the stuff I wanted to do,” he said. “So I pulled the plug and said, ‘All right, let’s get the knee done at a young age.’ But since I got it done, it’s been amazing.”

That’s a way to describe Overly’s experience at Firestone, as well.

His name was announced with the threesome prior to the first tee. He then took in every shot of Coetzee, Kisner and Holman throughout the afternoon.

Kisner shot a 70 and often sat high on the leaderboard, Coetzee notched a 72 and Holman took a 73.

“Just watching the guys hit the ball and how they handle themselves on the golf course,” Overly said when asked what he anticipated most about the day. “Kisner’s a nice player. He came up and shook our hand and said hello — nice guy. He’s someone you’d like to sit around and watch and talk to afterwards.

“So it’s just neat to follow him and see how those guys play the game, how far they hit the ball — the whole dynamic of it.”