What's been going on... The Phoenix Open.

Now that I'm back in the writing saddle (it's really just a chair), it's time to catch you up on what's been going on here in the desert. The first week of February was the PGA tour stop called the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Now, I know that cold temperatures out here are laughable compared to some of the weather most of you have endured this winter, but 28 degrees with no moisture in the air is freaking cold! And beginning each day before sunrise and riding around in an open golf cart deploying people is a sure way to wake yourself up. I had on every conceivable winter garment I could find including a buff to cover my nose and face from the biting winds... It was so cold that the Pro-Am tournament on Wednesday was canceled and every round was delayed by frost so often that the tournament was not completed until Monday afternoon. I didn't even get to walk the final round because I had a gig at the Convention Center on Monday. So after reporting for work at 5:30am every day, we pretty much ran around looking for heat and hot coffee trying to stay warm... (luckily I knew where the inside bathrooms were located so I didn't literally freeze my ass off). We didn't get to walk with the golfers until 11:00 every day and my day finished around 7-7:30 pm.

On the first Monday of the tournament there was no golf planned so they asked me to do roaming security in the vendor tent. The main entrance took all the patrons through the vendor tent and then on to the golf course and that was the way you exited also, so the vendors got two shots at the customers. Monday was set up day and it was also the day I met Melissa. She worked for Waste Management and was working in their booth for the week. We started talking and I visited her during the week while I waited to walk the course with players. We have started dating and I really enjoy her company. We have a lot in common and she plays golf, so I am giving her lessons also. Don't know where it's going but I'm enjoying the ride and taking it one day at a time (a philosophy that has served me well in all facets of my life).

I walked with Bubba Watson for most of the tournament and he was fun to watch... (I have never seen anyone hit the ball as far as he can--several drives were well over 300+ yards including one I measured at 357 yds.) On Saturday, I got the chance to walk with the leader at the time, Tommy Gainey, whose nickname is "Two Gloves" (he played baseball at one time and when he switched to golf kept wearing two gloves). It is now his logo on his bag and hats and merchandise items. Then on Sunday, we walked 34 holes of golf starting on the third hole at 9:30 am and finishing the second 18 at 6:15 pm. The goal of my group was just to finish so they could leave Sunday night without changing travel arrangements... again.

The highlight of the day came on the last three holes. A young boy was following our group trying to get Bubba's autograph (players don't sign autographs until after the round). I never noticed that he was alone until he was crouched next to me on the 7th green watching the players putt... (it was our 32nd hole of the day). A call came over the radio that we had a missing child and as they described what he was wearing I realized it the boy standing next to me. I asked him his name and it was the missing child. I asked him where his parents were and he told me they were separated when he tried to get Bubba's autograph. I told him to stay with me and we walked to the next tee. I brought him inside the ropes to get a closer look at the players while I called in and told command I had the child and he was fine and walking the hole with me. My boss replied that he and the father were on their way to pick him up, so I told him to hang with me. I then went up to Bubba's caddy... (we were waiting for the group ahead to clear the green) and told him about the missing child and how he was trying to get Bubba's autograph. Bubba and his caddy asked me to bring the kid over and they shook his hand and signed a golf ball and gave it to him... the kid was in heaven. Then his father showed up in the golf cart and thanked me. It felt really good to not only find the child and reunite him safely with his Dad, but to see the expression on his face when his hero took the time to shake his hand and give him a ball.

So even though I was disappointed to not walk the course on Monday it was nice to be inside at the Convention Center... even though it turned into a 16 hour marathon shift. (It was a move out and I thought they would never leave). So it was a 5:45am to 10:30 pm shift. I was never happier to see a Tuesday before in my whole life...