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4-Year-Old Golf Prodigy Doesn't Let His Disability Get In The Way Of The Game

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Tommy Morrissey is a 4-year-old golf prodigy—striking the ball with a consistent swing—a swing that has caught the attention of the golf community. But there's something different about his game, Tommy was born without a portion of his right arm.

"If you look at the only tournament he's played in – he won. He out drove the kids that have two arms by 30 to 40 yards. He has a golf swing that PGA professionals have looked at him and said 'Don't touch him. Let him go," said his father Joe Morrissey.

When CBS4 caught up with the Morrissey family, Tommy's game and personality jumped right off the green.

"Can you hit better than your dad?" CBS4's Mike Cugno asked Tommy.

"Oh no, he's a bad golfer," Tommy said.

Tommy playfully named his arm "Nemo" after the fish from the Disney Movie Finding Nemo who was born with one fin smaller than the other.

Despite his playful attitude, things haven't always been easy for Tommy's parents.

Marcia and Joe Morrissey were worried that their son would not be accepted because of his arm. As it turns out, the one thing that worried them the most has been their biggest blessing.

"My greatest fear in life before Tommy was born is that people would point and notice his birth defect before they noticed him… well when we're on the golf course and on the range, everybody points, but they're pointing for the right reasons," said Joe Morrissey.

His mother Marcia Morrissey added, "The messages, the Facebook messages, the private messages from around the world - from truly around the globe – of families that have found encouragement and hope after having seen his story. That has been one of the greatest, probably the greatest, outcome of all of this."

Millions have seen Tommy's golf videos on YouTube and now he's inspiring others in person. Saturday afternoon the 4-year-old golfer and his family plan to serve as motivational speakers at the Alternative Sports Expo at the Memorial Rehab Institute in Hollywood. The event provides adaptive activities for those who live with physical disabilities.

"Tommy and his parents are going to be telling his story hopefully to encourage some of those who are right on the fence of getting into an adaptive sports that can maybe give them that push to trying something new and getting out of their comfort zones," said Ray Shipman, Manager Adaptive Sports Program.

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