November 2, 2011
A collective heavy-hearted sigh could be heard through our house when we found out Phil Mickelson wasn't going to be at this year's HSBC World Golf Championship in Shanghai. What 
would we do? Who would we follow and cheer? Certainly, no other golfers would take notice of the Whitfield entourage like Phil did.
would we do? Who would we follow and cheer? Certainly, no other golfers would take notice of the Whitfield entourage like Phil did. Sometimes, I enjoy being wrong.
Practice Round/Pro-Am Day-This has always proven in the past to be the best day for getting autographs. Since Sarah is not a huge fan, she opted for school, while the rest of us braved the rain. Chinese folks are not yet foul-weather nor mid-week golf fans, which made for a crowdless day. We went straight to the practice tees, where we were immediately treated to the sight of a dozen or so of the 
world's best. Some were hoping the Pro-Am would be cancelled and didn't hesitate to tell us. The ropes dividing us commoners from the pros had not yet been put up, so we took that as an opportunity to get up close and personal. Our first victim was at the Titleist vendor's table, grabbing some hats for the tournament. I told Katie and Syd to ask him if they could have a picture taken with him. He was so soft-spoken and almost painfully shy, but when Adam Scott put his arm around Katie and flashed that smile directly at me...well the camera, I knew we'd found one of our new targets, I mean favorites. Sydney, not to be outdone, marched up to another player, who at the 
time, I had no idea who he was, and asked to take his picture. He happily obliged and now I regularly follow Alex Noren's blooming career. Even the vendors were feeling generous. Larry got a couple dozen balls and we each got a hat from the Titleist guy.
world's best. Some were hoping the Pro-Am would be cancelled and didn't hesitate to tell us. The ropes dividing us commoners from the pros had not yet been put up, so we took that as an opportunity to get up close and personal. Our first victim was at the Titleist vendor's table, grabbing some hats for the tournament. I told Katie and Syd to ask him if they could have a picture taken with him. He was so soft-spoken and almost painfully shy, but when Adam Scott put his arm around Katie and flashed that smile directly at me...well the camera, I knew we'd found one of our new targets, I mean favorites. Sydney, not to be outdone, marched up to another player, who at the 
time, I had no idea who he was, and asked to take his picture. He happily obliged and now I regularly follow Alex Noren's blooming career. Even the vendors were feeling generous. Larry got a couple dozen balls and we each got a hat from the Titleist guy. Torrential rains made us the only fans on a couple of the holes. Miguel Angel Jimenez questioned our collective sanity as he walked off the second hole, while others, like Ian Poulter, shook their heads as if questioning their own. Adam gave us another smile on his way to the next tee. We headed over to the clubhouse 
and watched the players slosh their way in. Greenville native, Bill Haas spotted Larry's South Carolina jacket and stopped to chat with him. He was amazed to see some fellow southerners and graciously posed with the girls. What a nice guy.
and watched the players slosh their way in. Greenville native, Bill Haas spotted Larry's South Carolina jacket and stopped to chat with him. He was amazed to see some fellow southerners and graciously posed with the girls. What a nice guy. It really was a horrendously awful day to play and watch golf, but seeing the girls as they fearlessly chatted with the players, and watching the players smile in reaction, was better than a single ray of sunshine.
Nice blog....
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