Jeff Julian always wanted to get an invitation to Augusta, Ga., in early April. A PGA Tour player with strong ties to Vermont and New Hampshire, he finally got that invitation Friday.

No, he didn't qualify to play in the Masters. But the courage and perseverance he's shown in attempting to pursue his golf career despite having Lou Gehrig's disease has earned him the Ben Hogan Award, which he'll receive at the Golf Writers Association of America dinner on April 9, the night before the big tournament. The GWAA bestows the award annually to a person overcoming the effects of a major illness or injury to play golf again. The fatal disease - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - has taken its toll on Julian's ability to speak.

He used a computer generated voice program to speak with the Herald Friday night.

"Wow, wow, wow!" he responded when asked how he felt about the award. "I'm (relatively) healthy now and it's only a matter of time, so I'll be there."

Julian, 41, underwent a stem cell infusion in Atlanta just before Christmas and said he is already seeing an improvement. There is no known cure for the disease, but Julian has chosen to live his life pursuing his dreams. If the stem cell procedure works, maybe there will be many more tomorrows.

Julian, whose grandfather, Doggie Julian, coached the Boston Celtics, won the 1997 Nike Dominion Open. He earned his PGA Tour card twice. His best season on the tour came in 1996 when he earned $ 55,602. He also had his tour card in 2001, the year he was diagnosed with ALS.