Read on Twitter
In 1997, I took over the golf beat in Greensboro, NC, from Helen Ross when she left to join http://PGATour.com . In typical newspaper fashion, the editors were looking for places to save costs and the Masters looked like a good place to start. (1/
My sports editor, Allen Johnson, called me into his office in January when it was time to apply for credentials and I’ll admit I was nervous knowing what was coming. “Why do you think we need to cover the Masters?” he asked. (2/
“Because Tiger Woods is going to win it and it will be the biggest story in the world and we’ll look like idiots for not covering it for the first time in more than 50 years,” I said. (3/
“You really think that?” my editor pressed. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a $20 Vegas betting slip I’d gotten that fall during @apsachs’ bachelor party weekend picking Tiger to win at 20/1 and slammed it on his desk. “Yeah, I really do.” (4/
Allan Johnson picked you the slip and studied it before handing it back. “Well,” he said, “you better be right.” He approved the travel. Today would have marked covering my 24th straight Masters. Thanks @TigerWoods for making me right and getting those credentials. (5/5)
BTW, it was the first golf tournament I ever covered. https://www.greensboro.com/tiger-writes-a-new-tale---there-wasnt-anybody-left-to-duel-woods/article_fe5fce5f-fed2-5e5b-9367-b508d6f0f505.html
A1 story that accompanied it https://www.greensboro.com/woods-recalls-predecessors-as-his-win-ushers-in-a-new-era-of-golf/article_390e7903-014c-509a-a674-9460c8292ee1.html
Addendum: 2 weeks later I covered the hometown Greater Greensboro Open won by @frank_nobilo. I took one for team and interviewed a naked Tom Kite in the lockerroom after he’d spent 6+ hours playing in nearly freezing rain. It’s not all glamorous work.
