SOUTHAMPTON, NY – It’s easy to get caught up in the seriousness of golf tournaments, especially US Openwhich appeared politicized this week distance debatesequipment and punishment of throwing sticks. But on rare occasions, USGA partner Sentry drops by a young reporter to remind us that we’re all living a pretty good life here. Their wide eyes and inquisitive minds always provide a much-needed levity.
Case in point: Tuesday morning, when 12-year-old Paighton interviewed Kristoffer Reitan in the driving range, asking him what superpower he wished he had to better compete in this week’s tournament.
What a simple, sufficient, inventive question. In strange and hard Shinnecockall these guys wish they had a superpower. Reitan played along and suggested that he would like to be The Flash, with the ability to basically teleport wherever his ball ends up, saving the energy he would normally spend walking. Paighton suggested super strength, to hit the ball as hard as possible. Wouldn’t that be great?
Days at Shinnecock can be long, hard and difficult for everyone — USGA employees, members of the media, even the players who were thrown off schedule by a foggy delay that affected the first two rounds. Big weeks are hard! But it was really exciting to see the Paighton character brought into the ranks of the media for a morning. She loves golf. She loves Rory McIlroy. She likes to hit the driver. We all loved hitting the driver. And she liked to prepare questions for her interview day.
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It all started with Adam Scott’s press conference, where Paighton asked him for advice he would give to young players, making a stoic Scott smile.
“The young players, I think they need it,” Scott began. “I watch my kids play a little bit and I think if they can enjoy hitting and putting then golf becomes really easy for young kids. Of course hitting the ball is hard and everyone likes to hit it far, but I’ve seen my kids enjoy their hitting and putting and I think it’s easier for kids to play a shorter golf course or hit shorter shots.
Paighton’s curiosity abounded in ways that yielded true journalistic goods. She asked Xander Schauffele what he was most proud of in his career, and the answer surprised me:
Schauffele has won a lot, made a ton of money, competed on the biggest stages and given a lot to charity. But he is very proud of the fact that he has done it with the same team over the years. His uncle is his manager. One of his best friends is his longtime caddy. His pitching coach has been the same for years. Success feels best when you can deliver it alongside those you care about.
It was a perfect answer for me, who had not heard Schauffele articulate this before. It was also a perfect response for Paighton, who was surrounded by her family all day. They had left New Jersey and Staten Island before dawn, all so she could have an epic golfing experience. It ended in a way that tugged at the heartstrings as well.
As we finished our breakfast together, a couple of dozen of her friends from the local First Tee happened upon us and were so transfixed by the parade of cameras flanking her that they thought their friend had gone platinum. Each had signed their US Open outfit, sometimes multiple pieces, as if they were competing in the tournament. You couldn’t help but notice the smiles on their faces as Paighton signed their shirts alongside the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood, Sam Burns and others.
It was a reminder that there is a lot more going on in these golf tournaments than we really appreciate.
