Tribute
The Ian Saunders Open is in honor of Ian Saunders who passed away in 2011 after a two year battle with ALS. Ian was born July 24, 1950 in Cheshire, England. He played for Liverpool Youth Academy growing up, and made it all through to the first team.
After an injury cutting his soccer career short, he then turned to track & field. He ran the 100m and 200m for Great Britain. Although he played for Liverpool, he grew up a huge Tottenham Hotspur
fan.
Ian moved to America in 1982. He met his wife Ginger running at the track at Essex Community College, and eventually tied the knot in 1988. Anyone who knew Ian knows he was a die-hard golfer. People in the Baltimore area knew him as the English guy who had an odd swing, but could hit it a mile. He also had made the infamous “widget,” which he would use around the greens to try and help his short game. He
had cut a 6 or 7 iron down to about ¾ of the normal size to help with his feel of the ball.
Between his swing, distance, and the widget, golf pros in the area still see the Saunders name when signing up for a tee time, and ask if there is a relation to the “English guy.” Ian was a fun, energetic, hardworking, loving husband, and father. He had a great sense
of humor, and always said he lived a life with no regrets. Even while battling ALS for two years he never lost his sense of humor, and never complained. He had a huge heart, and was willing to
try experimental treatments for ALS even at the end of his battle to try, and help find cures for this terrible disease.
Ian will be looking down each, and every year smiling, drinking a cold
lager knowing we are continuing to fight for a cure for ALS.