Cullan Brown, pictured with his family following his final round of high school golf at the 2017 KHSAA State Golf Tournament.
One of the brightest stars to ever shine in western Kentucky sports has died well before his time was supposed to be up. Cullan Brown died Tuesday in Lexington. Lyon County Athletic Director Zach Thomas confirmed the news Tuesday evening. He said Cullan’s family was with him when he passed away.
Brown was the only individual state champion in the history of Lyon County High School athletics. He won the 2016 state golf title on his way to winning the state’s player of the year award. Brown was also the state runner-up in both 2015 and 2017.
If you knew Cullan, you knew there was no such thing as a short conversation with him. After a round of golf, Cullan would take orders for his famous barbeque rub that was almost as popular as his golf game. Cullan used it when he volunteered to cook at youth and church events in Lyon County.
After high school, Brown went on to the University of Kentucky where he was named to the All-SEC Freshman Team. Cullan was given a sponsorship exemption to play in the PGA’s Barbesol Championship near Lexington last year as an amateur.
Last fall, Cullan learned he had a form of bone cancer that put his academic and athletic career at UK on hold while he underwent treatment. People offered their prayers and were hoping treatment and surgery would erase the cancer and see Cullan return to the golf course. It didn’t happen.
Everyone is blessed to have been given Cullan for two decades to enjoy. His stories. His kindness. But we were also cheated on getting to witness the greatness he was destined to have.
Our prayers go out to Rodney and Emily and especially Cathryn, who had just started her sophomore season on the golf course for Lyon County.
Arrangements will be announced later.
