An Inwood man took a swing at setting a Guinness World Record for golfing the most consecutive hours this week at the Huntington Crescent Club during the 37th Annual Geraldo Rivera Golf Tournament.
Kelechi Ezihie logged 35 consecutive hours of golf, exceeding the 32-hour record set a week prior, and is awaiting confirmation from Guinness World Records. The 27-year-old made his record-breaking bid during the golf outing that serves as a fundraiser for the Garden City-based nonprofit Life’s WORC and the Family Center For Achievement, where he works as a day habilitation supervisor.
“Fortunately, I had mega cooperation and support from the Huntington Crescent Country Club, everyone at Life’s WORC, and my family and friends,” he said.
Ezihie was one of about 200 golfers that teed off for the fundraiser hosted by broadcast journalist Geraldo Rivera and Victoria Schneps, the founder of Life’s WORC and founding president of Schneps Media, the parent company of the Long Island Press.
Ezihie had to follow several pages of rules, requirements, and specifications to qualify for the golf record. For example, he had to walk the entire time, could not enter an electric golf cart, and a professional videographer recorded all of his moves on the course.
He teed off at 6:30 p.m. on June 8, when he began navigating Huntington Crescent Club’s hilly terrain in the rain and fog. As he neared the conclusion the following afternoon, a team member discovered that just last week a British golfer had actually set a record for the Guinness World Record playing for 32 hours at a course in Norway, so he kept going.
“Kelechi together with his team had to adjust themselves emotionally and mentally to undertake this latest challenge,” said Tina Moreno of Life’s WORC. “I spoke with him while he was walking in between golf shots. Kelechi was determined because he could not let down all of the supporters from Life’s WORC and Huntington Crescent. There were moments of tension because the weather remained threatening the entire time. Yet, Kelechi set a cool, calm, collective tone.”
At 5:30 a.m. on June 10, Ezihie concluded his run, having logged 35 consecutive hours of golf. He celebrated by visiting Life’s WORC headquarters later in the day, to express appreciation to the staff and individuals served in his Day Habilitation Program.
“Kelechi’s demonstration of courage, perseverance, and leadership has become a major inspiration to his workplace peers, together with the individuals served at Life’s WORC,” Moreno said. “We are so proud that this young man with abundant talent, skill, and potential is part of Life’s WORC.”
