How Two Indiana University Golfers Found a Game-Changing Solution to Back Pain—And What Others Can Learn
For as long as Clay Merchent battled through injury—piecing his golf game together with physical therapy and ice baths while searching for an elusive diagnosis—his challenging comeback from left rib surgery found a turning point in the most unexpected place. The Merchents, hailing from Noblesville, Indiana, were attending a family wedding in Colorado this past summer when a golf simulator bar caught the attention of Clay and his father, Mike.
Clay’s promising career, which had been sidelined 21 months earlier, included performances on some of the sport’s biggest stages. He was a Drive, Chip and Putt National Finalist, an AJGA winner, and a top contender at the Sage Valley Junior Invitational and Western Junior before arriving at Indiana University in 2020 as a highly-touted recruit.
Despite being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2021, Clay hadn’t competed in a college golf event since September 27, 2022. Following a standout freshman season, a persistent injury became unbearable, leaving doctors struggling to connect his chronic back and shoulder pain to an underlying rib issue.
Eight months post-surgery, Clay, now 22, found himself in the simulator, hitting more full shots pain-free than he had since the operation—dozens of swings over several hours. For the first time, his uncertain comeback felt real.
“It was a eureka moment,” Clay said. “It was like, OK, it’s ready, let’s go do this thing.” He played his first nine holes the very next day back home, finishing T-6 at the Golfweek Hoosier Amateur and T-4 at the Indianapolis City Amateur.
Clay’s teammate, Ethan Chelf, knows Clay’s struggle all too well. The 21-year-old has been sidelined for much of the past two years, tracing his back pain to a single incident. Ethan’s own journey to the right diagnosis began at the West Virginia University Medicine Heart and Vascular Institute, where he met Dr. Adam Hansen, an expert in Slipping Rib Syndrome. Hansen performed the same surgery on both athletes, likening the procedure to Tommy John surgery for baseball players.
With their ribs repaired, Clay and Ethan are gearing up for a redshirt junior season, hopeful that their story might provide inspiration—and a path forward—for anyone enduring similar pain.
‘Waiting for the guillotine to fall’
At the height of his pain, Clay felt almost powerless over the left side of his body, making swinging a golf club nearly impossible.
“It shut down, and there really was no muscling through it,” said Clay, who plays right-handed. “I’d take the club back, and I’d just collapse. My left side would not move or respond the way I had intended it to.”
Persistent pain was something Clay learned to manage throughout high school and early college golf. But the pain that once flared up monthly became a daily burden his sophomore season at Indiana, escalating at the NCAA Regional in Palm Beach Gardens in May 2022. What began as intermittent pain turned into an unbearable knife-like sensation, forcing Clay to withdraw after the first round.
The ensuing months saw Clay’s hope wane, despite countless rehab sessions, doctor visits, and scans that failed to offer a solution. After a disappointing final-round 83 at the Windon Memorial in September 2022, he wondered if he’d played his last competitive round.
Down the Rib Rabbit Hole
Ethan’s path mirrored Clay’s in many ways. A former top recruit from the Mid-Atlantic area, Ethan’s troubles began in January 2022 when his back seized up while towel-drying his hair in his dorm. Though X-rays ruled out a lung collapse, Ethan’s trainer suggested the possibility of a rib rotation—a revelation that ultimately led to a diagnosis of Slipping Rib Syndrome.
Connecting with Hansen, Ethan finally found an explanation that matched his symptoms. Ethan underwent surgery in March 2023, followed by Clay’s surgery later that year. Both men’s experiences with Hansen were remarkably similar; he was able to pinpoint their pain with uncanny accuracy during their initial evaluations, a sign to both athletes that they had found the right surgeon.
‘I didn’t fall in love with golf by hitting 15 balls a day’
Recovery from Slipping Rib Syndrome surgery was a slow process, marked by long months without swinging a club. Ethan, who completed his undergraduate studies early and began an MBA program, faced setbacks but remained focused on a return to competitive golf. Clay, learning from Ethan’s journey, pushed through his own frustrations to rediscover his love for the game.
Both athletes, now roommates, have two years of college eligibility remaining and cautiously optimistic plans for professional careers. Their shared journey has deepened their bond, and the joy of simply playing an evening nine—once taken for granted—now feels like a gift.
When reflecting on their comebacks, Clay and Ethan know that if Ethan and his dad hadn’t solved the puzzle first, neither would be where they are today. “Competing is great, but going out for an evening nine? We were dreaming about it,” Ethan said. “When it’s stripped away from you, you definitely long for it more.”
In the wake of their challenging recoveries, the two athletes have gained not only physical resilience but also a renewed appreciation for the game they love.
