When will the golf pro get the chance to meet and sign Tiger Woods, his idol? Oh, no

When will the golf pro get the chance to meet and sign Tiger Woods, his idol? Oh, no

 

 

LOS ANGELES Years had passed since the last time they spoke. After years of idolizing and imitating Tiger Woods’ routines as a child in Ohio, Chase Johnson had the opportunity to speak with the golfer face-to-face on Wednesday at Riviera Country Club.

 

Woods granted Johnson, a 28-year-old professional on the mini-tour, the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption for this week’s Genesis Invitational. Being able to compete in a $20 million marquee event, with a $52,000 minimum payout for the weekend’s last-place finisher, is one of the best possibilities on the PGA Tour.

 

Johnson is in position to make the largest check of his life after making a four-foot par putt on the 18th hole on Friday to advance to the final two rounds. The experience he had early in the week, when Woods took the time to talk to him for a few minutes in the privacy of the locker room, will always be more memorable than the money.

 

This time, the two talked about several golf-related topics, including as how strokes at Riviera are affected by the heavy air. Johnson then presented Woods to his father, Mel, who had raised Chase largely by following Earl Woods’ teaching template.

 

“My dad almost lost it,” Johnson smiled brightly as she remembered. “Anybody get a picture of that?” he said. Both he and I were giddy with excitement. I got to know my hero.

 

When Johnson attended PGA Tour events at Firestone Country Club, he resembled a small Tiger. Johnson had been trying unsuccessfully for years to get an autograph from Woods. Naturally, then, this was not the ideal opportunity for him to obtain the legend’s signature.

 

Didn’t get it, he meekly said. “It was a glove, but it was missing a Sharpie. I asked around: does anyone have a Sharpie? Out of the twenty present, only one made it. Tiger assured her that she would be taken care of by the end of the week. There were undoubtedly unanticipated events.

 

That would be Woods, of course, having to pull out of the competition on Friday because of the virus.

 

Thus, both Johnson’s entry into the elite division of golf and the hunt for a Tiger autograph continue. The current APGA Tour standout is making his fifth start on the PGA Tour and has already made three cuts. He made the cut on the number after shooting 72-70 in his opening two rounds here. His nerve-wracking putt for par on the 36th hole was likely the best of his career. After coming in second to Will Zalatoris on the 2020 Korn Ferry Tour, he received his highest payment of $54,000. If he performs well on Sunday, he might earn much more.

 

Johnson shot 73 on Saturday, dropping seven spots, while Eric Cole, his playing partner, shot 65 to go up 27 spots.

 

Johnson remarked, “I have to be more productive out here on the weekends.” “I perform well when I make cuts, but then I stall.”

Chase Johnson at Riviera Country Club, posing with a little admirer.

 

Johnson is gregarious and friendly, and his interactions this week have impacted a lot of admirers. On Friday, as he was leaving the range, a little child who was wearing clothing from Cobra and Puma, the brands he represents, came him and asked for an autograph. Johnson received a bundle of flavored tees from the boy the day before at the golf clinic in return. “Definitely a full-circle moment,” Johnson remarked.

 

There was one that was superior. Johnson donated an extra glove to a small girl in the gallery on Friday while he waited to hit his second shot into the par-5 11th. Johnson chose not to sign it since he was in the middle of working. But he made the decision to take a shot at eagle using his 263-yard approach if he had the chance. Johnson made the eagle, striped his 3-wood to a few feet, and got the girl’s autograph.

 

Johnson declared, “I made her the happiest person on the course.

” She was giddy with excitement.