Golf In A Parallel Universe Read Free Page A

appreciated that he came up and talked to me. He surprised me when he told me that he had been following me for a long time. That was a great honor. It was a great feeling winning the Masters. It has been a dream of a lifetime for me as a professional golfer and I relished the victory.
     

Chapter 2: A New Life
    After all the interviews and the congratulations, I went back to my hotel. A lot of times the players will get together and have a big party after a Win and that’s what happened this time. Someone organized and got a banquet room. A group of us was down in the lobby and we were all talking. They let me know there will be a party tonight. I told them that I will catch a quick shower. Some people laughed and said, “Man! You are sunburned dude! I guess things just got a little too hot for you today” they said laughing. They told me to be back in about an hour and we will have a little party. When I got to my room, I see myself in the mirror and think “Man! I do really really sunburned.” I said to myself. I took off my shirt to take a shower and saw myself in the mirror again. For a few seconds I was strangely caught off guard. I seemed surprised to see that I had slim toned body. As if I was expecting myself to be fat and overweight. But then I would think, what's going on? I look the same as I have for years, I take pretty good care of myself. So very strange for me to think that way.
    I take a shower and put on some short pants and t-shirt. My phone is exploding with text and calls. Everyone is calling to congratulate me. My Agent Bobby Williams, who I rarely hear from lately calls and tells me that “The Today's Show” on NBC wants me on at 6:00am Tuesday morning. And the “Tonight's Show” also on NBC with wants me for the Tuesday night show. The taping for the Tonight Show is actually in the afternoon. He asked me if I can make both of these. I am stunned, but tell him I can make it. He says he will make the flight arrangements to New York and will send me the info. “Jim” he says, “Be prepared, opportunities are about to start rolling in with endorsements which may be big bucks, so just be prepared and hang in there. he tells me." I tell him thanks and he has to go, he has another call. The phone keeps ringing with people calling to congratulate me. Finally I turn the phone off. I need to relax and cool off for a few minutes. I turn the Air Conditioner down to cool off. I grab a beer from the hotel fridge and sit down by the window. I have a little bit of a nice view on the 6th floor. I take a drink and look out the window and think about what I just did. I look over at the Green Jacket which I have hanging up on a hanger on the back of a chair. It starts to sink in, that I am the 2014 Masters Champion. I still cannot believe it. This means everything as a professional golfer. I am so happy right now that I cannot stand it. I take another sip of my cold beer and it taste so good. I think about how it was a miracle that I even qualified to play in the Masters. And then to make the cut! And now this! Wow, this is so surreal.
    Then I start getting in a reflective mood, take another sip of my beer. I have been a Professional Golfer for 10 years now. I played on the high school golf team when I was a kid. Then I went to college and worked hard on my game and had a very successful college career with my golf game. I eventually turned Pro at 22 and been playing ever since. I have had marginal success. I have won 3 tournaments in my career and have some decent money in the past. But mostly it has been very difficult, especially the last few years. Professional Golf is not the Glamorous sport that people think. At least for most players. Sure the top tier money players have a great life with lots of money. But for a lot of the Pros it is a struggle. Especially for the lower tier golfers like me, being a professional golfer is a grind. It is more of a business than a sport. It cost a lot of money to cover