Andy Bean didn’t play golf a stroke the end of last year and early this year. Couldn’t. Couldn’t swing a club, couldn’t putt a stroke.

His good wife Debbie had crushed a heel falling from a tall ladder and was in a wheel chair recovering. Bean, a big, strapping curly, cream-haired galootish good guy was trying to help her in or out of a van, but she and the chair slipped. He dove forward and saved her from harm, but loused up his big muscled back.

“There was no option,’’ he said.  “I had to get it done.’’

But, he was in a fix. The specialists at the Laser Spine Institute in Tampa did the epidermal. In time, it worked. In time, it really worked. 

Bean, now 55 if you can believe it, this past week won the Champion (over 50) Regions Tour Tournament near Birmingham by a stroke over Loran Roberts with rounds of 65-68-70. He pocketed $255,000, mercurochrome for his stab wound. He had not won on the Seniors Tour in a couple of years. Had not won on the PGA Tour before he aged too much, but won 12 times out there on that grand tour.

Andy Bean is a fine golfer, a winner, solid family guy (three daughters), dandy son to the proud Tommy Bean, who once owned the old Jekyll and Hyde course and animal retreat near the Badcock Furniture Headquarters in Mulberry, hometown of golfer Bob Murphy.

Bean is an imposing golfer. Hits it a mile. He’s a good-natured hulk of a guy who can wind you with a good-natured backslap. His parents are so proud of him. His dad follows him at tournaments, but doesn’t want Andy to know he’s there. Where else would he be, except behind the nearest tree, peeping around it like spy. Saw him do it every so often at the Masters.

“But,’’ he reminded, “putting will make up for driving and long iron errors. I won the other day in Alabama because of my putter. But, boy, did that win help me.’’ You know when he raised his arms in salute, he said to himself that this helps. And, I don’t care how long you hit it, you got to putt. That old saw about putting for dough is true as it can be.’’

He also is proud, and so is Debbie and the girls, two of whom with his wife saw him win Sunday.  Then he with another top Tampa golfer, Gary Koch 10th at Birmingham, flew out of here Monday night for the next tournament in Rochester.

“We all are proud of the way he fought back to win after the terrible, freakish accident at home in Lakeland. I felt double because of my own fall and then his tripping, but. .  . ”

She fell from top to the concrete and drove her heel downward. 

So they all had to be at Birmingham for his first win in a while.

Things were bleak. He could not swing the club at all after his accident. The blockage in the back was recommended. I know, personally.  Had a couple. Got another coming up.

“There was relief immediately, then steady more and more. There is nothing now,’’ said Bean. “At your tournament there at the TPC in Tampa, I was improving but not quite ready to go.  Quite a thing for me to go those months without anything in golf.  Didn’t know if I could still play the game, or fish.’’ Andy has a boat, the Maverick, and fishes regularly all over but loves the Everglades fringes, the flats there. Uses only artificial bait, unlike me.

Can you keep it up, win again?

“Thought I could. Didn’t know, though. Now, I do. Yes, I can.  I’m a young guy,’’ smiled Bean. Whose going to argue with the tight end who can putt.