Elusive Links: A Story of Connection, Compassion and Competition by Dan A Rosenberg

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In 2011, a rare book sells for $2 million. Its original owner, Ben Solomon, expelled from Spain in 1492, settles in Scotland where he helps develop the sport of golf. In 2002, Sandra Cole and Rusty Stephens, a world-renowned golfer, begin a romantic and spiritual journey that propels them, and their entourage, to connect through two life-changing events.

Stephens is a young, successful golf pro, Episcopalian, from Augusta, Georgia. While on tour, he meets Sandy Cole, Jewish, originally from Maine, and an anthropologist working at Columbia University with an interest in genealogy. They try to build a relationship in the public eye.

O.T. Sills, Stephens’s trusted caddie and confidant, has a unique set of physical characteristics. Curious about his own genetics, he recruits Cole to investigate his ancestry. Her friend, Tamara Wright, an African American, is swept up into the search.

Tommy Torres, a forty-five-year-old golfer, and widower with two children, sells timeshares in California to make ends meet. The Augusta National Golf Club, taking steps to increase inclusivity, invites Torres, who is Hispanic, to compete at The Masters in April 2003. In the final round, Torres, the underdog, is paired with Stephens. They contend head-to-head for the coveted green jacket.

In 1495, three years after arriving in Amsterdam, Ben Solomon is shipwrecked in Scotland. He settles there and helps launch the sport of golf, with the support and protection of King James IV. However, the antisemitism and violence of Solomon’s youth return, nearly taking his life at the Battle of Flodden in 1513.

Ultimately, Cole traverses five centuries to unearth an extraordinary genealogical connection. It will forever bind the characters’ lives with acts of compassion, inspired by the rungs on the ladder of giving conceived by Moses Maimonides, also known as Rambam, in the 12th century.

Year first published: 2022