In the weeks after the Ryder Cup’s drama and excitement, a quieter, deeply moving competition began on the rolling fairways of Royal St George’s.
This isn’t about fame or prize money. It’s about resilience, courage, and rediscovering purpose.
British and American golfers, many of them severely injured during military service, took to the course under a perfect blue sky, ready to compete in the Simpson Cup – a Ryder Cup-style tournament with a far more profound meaning.
Here, there’s no partisan cheering. Instead, camaraderie reigns.
Every player shares a unique bond formed through service and survival, carrying scars both visible and invisible.
Turning Adversity into Triumph
For players like Briton Kushal Limbu and American Nick Kimmel, golf has become more than a sport.
It’s a lifeline. Limbu, a former Gurkha in Afghanistan, lost both legs below the knee in an IED blast in 2008.
The tragedy claimed a friend who had taken a seat Limbu might have occupied, a memory that haunts him to this day.
Yet on the course, with his prosthetics and a club in hand, Limbu finds focus, confidence, and freedom.
“The military is all about the team,” Limbu reflects.
“Losing that sense of purpose is devastating. This brings it back.”
Across the pond, Kimmel, who lost both legs above the knee and his left arm in Afghanistan, faces his own daily challenges navigating the undulating course.
“I don’t have the flex that an ankle gives, so every shot is a puzzle,” he explains. But the game also offers redemption.
Once a scratch golfer, he feared golf was lost to him until the On Course Foundation reintroduced him to the sport.
Now, playing off a handicap of 12, Kimmel’s love for the game is stronger than ever.
The Healing Power of Golf
The Simpson Cup, supported by the Rothermere Foundation, gives injured servicemen from the UK and US a chance to reclaim purpose and connection.
John Simpson, the charity’s founder, knows the transformative impact firsthand.
Having lost a leg to polio as a child and spent decades in professional golf management, Simpson created the foundation in 2010 to help wounded service members rediscover confidence, camaraderie, and even career paths through golf.
Golf’s handicap system allows players of different abilities to compete on a level playing field, making it an ideal sport for rehabilitation.
Watching Limbu’s precise early morning shots or Kimmel’s strategic plays shows how adaptability, perseverance, and sheer determination redefine what’s possible.
Triumphs on the Fairway
By Monday afternoon, Limbu had chalked up six birdies, and Kimmel showcased why he’s a key contender for the US team.
The competition includes doubles at Prince’s Golf Club and singles back at Royal St George’s, with both nations having won the Simpson Cup five times each.
Past matches have ended in ties, and this year promises no less drama, though the stakes are measured in courage and recovery rather than trophies alone.
Other players have faced hurdles too. Injuries or chronic pain have sidelined some qualified team members, underscoring that the journey to compete is far from simple.
Beyond Sport: Friendship and Healing
British captain Andy Stevens highlighted the deeper meaning during Sunday’s opening ceremony, complete with a Spitfire flypast.
“A lot of us served alongside each other in Afghanistan.
Now, when we battle on the course, we know we are among friends,” he said.
For these servicemen, the Simpson Cup is more than a game.
It’s a testament to resilience, a celebration of survival, and a space where shared experiences transform pain into purpose.
As the sun shone over Ramsgate’s White Cliffs, it became clear that while the Ryder Cup may have captured headlines, the battles waged on these fairways were far more extraordinary – life-affirming, inspiring, and deeply human.