I’m in Tampa, Florida, and I’m sitting on a bench.
This is my first day on a golf course, but I’m a regular here at the Tiger Woods Club, where I’ve been playing since 2013.
I’m at the start of a tournament, the PGA Tour Championship, and my first round.
My first shot is going in, but the crowd’s getting loud.
It’s time to turn up the volume, and they’re cheering for the golfer they love to watch.
The crowd is the most important thing to me.
I don’t want to go home empty-handed, but as the tournament is winding down and I know I won’t make the cut, I want to take my shot.
I know it’s not a big deal, but when I hit the ball into the water, it’s an emotional moment.
It doesn’t feel like a shot at all.
I try to take care of the crowd, but that’s not enough.
I want a win.
I’m not the biggest golfer, but it’s nice to get in the spotlight.
I’ve made it through five rounds, and now I’m headed to the final round.
It was a tough loss at the beginning, but now I can finally take the day off and go home happy.
This year is different, because I’m competing for a championship.
The course is bigger than I ever imagined it would be.
There are trees and hills.
It reminds me of college, and there’s some really good golf courses out there, too.
The weather is nice, too, with a few showers.
I have to say I’ve never been so nervous.
I was nervous, too; I thought I had it figured out, but my tee shot went right over the top.
It felt good, but a few weeks ago I thought, Wow, that’s a mistake.
But I made it out of there.
The tournament was on television, so I was able to watch it with my family.
I could see my dad and two of my brothers, who were also there.
They were cheering me on.
My mom and dad have a golf club in their yard.
They had a big, huge smile on their faces when I played.
They’ve been cheering for me all year, too—I mean, my whole family.
When they hear I’m playing, they’re like, Yeah, you know what, you’re right.
They’re going to cheer for you.
They’ll even stand next to me when I make my shot, and that’s something that’s never happened to me before.
I love them so much.