Most of us won’t ever what it’s wish to obtain a name from a world sporting legend.
Aussie golf gun Karl Vilips does. Too unhealthy he shunned it.
That legend was Vilips’ hero Tiger Woods. A number of months after letting that decision go to voicemail, Vilips remains to be incredulous.
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The 23-year-old had simply damaged by way of for his first ever win on the PGA Tour on the Puerto Rico Open.
Following the victory, Woods had messaged after which tried to name to congratulate Vilips because the Aussie defined forward of this weekend’s Australian Open at Royal Melbourne.
“Processing the win and every part that was taking place on the time with all of the media and every part, I obtained a bunch of calls and the one from that unknown quantity, I simply despatched it to voicemail,” Vilips mentioned.
“I used to be on my option to the clubhouse once I truly regarded on the textual content and was like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t consider I simply did that’.
“I despatched him a textual content again as a result of I used to be too nervous to name him … I took an hour to draft up a two sentence textual content message.
“It was a really humorous second and a spotlight of the week for me.”
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It was solely simply earlier than Vilips’ Puerto Rico Open success that the rising star had grow to be the primary ambassador for Solar Day Purple.
The clothes label is owned by Woods and named after the legend’s affinity for carrying pink on the ultimate day of a event.
Vilips, who moved from Australia to the USA as an 11-year-old, attended Woods’ alma mater of Stanford in California and loved a terrific collegiate profession, successful the Pac-12 Championship as a senior.
“They had been searching for somebody who was going to be on Tour, and Tiger appeared like I’d be a very good match,” Vilips defined.
“I used to be very honoured to be that selection from him personally.”