​Jared Stancil placed a golf ball on the tee at Seneca Golf Course in Ohio after hearing his name called. He took a practice swing before thumping the ground with his driver. Then, the Bradenton local hit an opening drive that changed the Stancils’ lives.The drive traveled 200 yards down the middle of the fairway to begin his round at the 2024 Ohio Adaptive Open, a competition for golfers with physical, visual or neurological impairments. His dad, Chad, filmed the shot, later pairing it with Jared’s final putt, punctuated by a fist pump after he finished 14th.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementChad posted it on Jared’s Instagram account, where he calls himself the “Down Syndrome Golfer.” Zire Golf, which has over 2 million followers, reposted it. Then, Christopher McDonald — who played Shooter McGavin in “Happy Gilmore” — shared the post as well. The video was viewed over 100,000 times. Thousands of people began following Jared.1 / 15Jared Stancil watches his tee shot while taking some practice shots on a par three hole at River Run Golf Links in Bradenton recently. Stancil is the number one golfer on Braden River High School’s varsity golf team. He also has 164,000 followers on Instagram. READ THE STORY(Mike Lang, Mike Lang / Sarasota Herald-Tribune)Almost two years later, the 19-year-old Braden River High student has over 164,000 followers on Instagram. He’s met PGA Tour players Jordan Spieth and Brooks Koepka at The Byron Nelson, a PGA Tour event in Texas. He has partnered with Sunday Swagger and Ace Golf Company to create custom polo shirts and head covers with his signature phrase “Let’s Go.” While Chad and his wife, Michele, navigate TikTok algorithms and their extra jobs as social media managers, Jared has a simpler focus.“To teach the world that people have Down syndrome or autism and they can challenge themselves,” Jared said. “They can be brave and have fun.”Ace of Clubs Golf Company designed a custom golf bag for Jared Stancil, and incorporated his Instagram handle and his brand, 3.21 Golf, into the design. Stancil chose 3.21 Golf, representing trisomy 21, which is caused by an additional copy of chromosome 21. Stancil is the number one golfer on Braden River High School’s varsity golf team. He also has 164,000 followers on Instagram.While Jared lives a big life on social media, traveling all over the country to different tournaments or talking to Mizuno about becoming a brand ambassador, his life behind the scenes is much simpler. He’s the No. 1 player on Braden River’s golf team, and he’ll possibly be named a captain in August. He’s competitive and doesn’t like it when he hits a bad shot. In between rounds at River Run Golf Links in Bradenton, Jared likes to hang out in the pro shop, talking to workers David and Lee about his round in an outfit that often includes a hot pink polo and shoes to match a decorated bag that celebrates his exceptionality.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBe