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Some things to note from the media center: We had Chick-fil-A for dinner as well as massive cups of homemade lemonade for a mid-afternoon snack, which was much appreciated on yet another 90-plus degree day at Pinehurst No. 2.

I’m officially running low on sunscreen, but hopefully I can make it out of North Carolina without a sunburn. OK, on to the good stuff.

A grounds crew member’s greatest honor

Kate Phillips, an intern at the Ohio State turf program, is on the grounds crew at Pinehurst this week (how cool is that?). It was very clear that the fans wanted carnage on moving day Saturday, because she shared that she got booed by fans in the grandstands while watering the greens ahead of Round 3 this morning.

Honestly, getting booed on that big of a stage for simply doing your job is kind of an honor. She worked her whole life for that moment! Shout out to Phillips for being a great sport about it. Also, the trade-off sounds worth it to me: getting booed for a few minutes in exchange for the memory of a lifetime.

You can learn more about Phillips’ journey in the video below from International Women’s Day.

Childhood pals in contention

There’s nothing I love more than a good throwback photo, especially when it’s from childhood. We’ve seen the famous picture of Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas hanging out at a junior golf tournament time and time again, but this one of Tony Finau and Rory McIlroy as kids is definitely a little less known.

It’s just as good, though.

I rediscovered an old video of Finau and McIlroy from when they were little kids talking about their friendship, and it is so, so sweet.

McIlroy stayed with Finau’s family one summer way back when, and getting to tee it up in a major together must’ve felt like a full-circle moment. So parents, take some photos of your kids with their friend just in case they ever end up in contention at a major together. The odds are slim, but they’re definitely not zero.

Bryson DeChambeau’s telling post-round hang

Before I even get into Bryson being Bryson after his round, I want you all to take a moment and subscribe to him on Snapchat. Oh, you deleted the app the second you graduated high school? You don’t use it anymore because you’re not using it to stay in touch with your junior year prom date? Too bad. Log back in and add Bryson, because you’re missing out on some spectacular content if you don’t.

DeChambeau takes his Snapchat followers through his everyday life on the app. Whether it’s a gym session, traveling to a tournament, or in this week’s case, entire-round recaps, his Snapchat is a content gold mine. Here’s a screen shot of one his stories from Friday at Pinehurst.

OK, back to Round 3. I followed DeChambeau’s last few holes, and he was in lovely spirits heading to media.

After that, he went to the range, where it was just him and Patrick Cantlay grinding it out before the final round.

Cantlay left and signed some autographs on his way out, which is where I was when I heard a whistle. I looked back over to the range, and DeChambeau was alerting the 40 or so kids waiting for him to meet him at the other side of the range so he could sign from them. Suddenly, I was in the middle of a stampede of a dozen elementary school-aged kids hurrying over to find DeChambeau, where he was in complete “cool teacher” mode, giving kids directions on where to go so that he could sign for everyone.

It was nearing 9, and DeChambeau was as generous with his time as could be. He posed for photo after photo, thanked folks for coming and reacted with genuine excitement when fans shared personal anecdotes with him. He remembered certain kids’ names and even signed his own hat before giving it to a little kid, who you’d think had won the lottery and a day at Disney World had you seen his reaction.

DeChambeau was so patient with fans that he had no problem taking a second round of photos when a few gals who didn’t like how they looked in their original photos with DeChambeau. Men, there’s a lesson to be learned here! I don’t care who you are — you have enough time to help the women in your life get the shot they’re hoping for. If DeChambeau has time to take a second photo before sleeping on the lead the night before the final round of a major championship, you can suck it up and let the women in your life take a few extra photos on Easter Sunday.

My favorite part of DeChambeau’s post-round hangout with fans came just before he finished signing. A little boy and his parents lit up, and you can tell it’s a moment they’ll remember forever.

At about 9:10 p.m., after signing dozens of shirts, flags and hats, DeChambeau headed back inside. At this point, it was just him and a few security guards. I walked a few yards ahead of them and could overhear DeChambeau making small talk with the guys. “Thanks so much for staying late, you guys. It’s gonna be a big day tomorrow! I really appreciate you being here.”

There’s a reason DeChambeau has become such a fan favorite over the past year or so, and it was very apparent on Saturday night at Pinehurst.

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You can read all about Montanez’s week here.

I couldn’t help but to get a photo in the very spot that all of the pros are getting their trims this week.

I decided against getting a cut like the rest of the guys, but now I’m wondering if I missed out on a “Like Mike” sort of situation where Montanez cutting my hair would’ve let to me playing golf at a professional level. I guess we’ll never know. Anyway, shout out to Montanez for being so kind. I can see why the players trust this barber so much!

Bryson’s gear confession

Another major means another opportunity for Bryson DeChambeau to go viral. Just when I thought the 2020 U.S. Open champion couldn’t get even more interesting, I learned that he named each of his clubs. They read like a mixture of a class roster at a Montessori school and a game of charades.

Imagine looking your caddie in the eye and saying, “Hey, can you hand me Mr. Ward?” or “I’m between a Juniper and a Tin Cup … what do you think?” I can’t imagine the pressure of being on DeChambeau’s bag. Imagine handing your guy Demaret because you got it confused with Mr. Ward? If you don’t know your major championship history, it could easily happen. This whole thing adds another level of complexity to DeChambeau’s game, which I shouldn’t really be surprised by.

I guess I’m more in awe of the whole thing, and now I really want to know what his driver and putter are called.

Scheffler’s relatable moment

It’s not very often the World No. 1 is relatable, but something about the U.S. Open brings out the human side of even the very best players in the world. We could all relate to Nelly Korda for a brief moment when she made a 10 on the par-3 12th hole at the U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster a few weeks ago, and the other World No. 1 offered us all another “just like us” moment on Friday at Pinehurst No. 2.

Okay, so Scottie Scheffler‘s “worst golf shot” is definitely a lot better than the worst shot the rest of us have all hit, but who among us hasn’t said something similar after hitting a poor shot?

Pinehurst No. 2’s fun tradition

I just recently discovered Pinehurst No. 2’s long-standing tradition that if a player makes a two on any hole on the course, they can take their scorecard to “The Deuce,” a restaurant at the resort, and get a deuce coin. What a lovely keepsake!

Pinehurst kept the tradition going for players in the field at the U.S. Open on Thursday and got creative when asked about how they deal with holes-in-one.

I wonder how many more deuce coins will be given out this week compared to a usual week at Pinehurst No. 2. Fewer golfers — but these ones are pretty good.

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Tiger’s best outfit of the year?

All eyes have been on Tiger Woods‘ on-course looks since the inception of Sun Day Red, but U.S Open Thursday might have been his best fit yet. I liked his throwback shirt at Riviera, but the pink and grey stripes looked sharp this morning. His Thurs Day Pink polo was a complete hit, and I’m looking forward to his looks for the rest of the week.

If we’re talking outfits, I’m definitely not bringing my A-game to Pinehurst this week, so I’m glad at least one of us is. Thanks, Tiger.

Brooks in dad mode … and clap-back mode

One of my favorite people-watching spots at golf tournaments isn’t even on the course. It’s in the player parking lot, where players share their very first and last moments of each tournament day. It’s one of the only spots you’ll see the pros in a laid-back state.

My favorite moment of the week so far came when I ran into Brooks Koepka, who was carrying his son Crew on his shoulders and chatting and laughing as he headed to the car.

“Here we go!” Koepka said excitedly as he got Crew down from his shoulders and put him in the car.

You could tell golf was the last thing on Koepka’s mind as he and his 11-month-old son bonded on their way to the car.

The above anecdote was as wholesome as it gets, but I must warn you that the following video of Koepka is strictly PG-13. As part of a video posted to the Smash GC Twitter page, Koepka read some of the mean tweets people have sent him, and he handled it all perfectly … especially the part about Patrick Reed.

He laughed it off and then stood up for his fellow major champion and LIV Golf pro.

Great job, Koepka. The best revenge is laughing at the haters. Or you know, having five major victories.

The busiest man at Pinehurst

There’s one guy at Pinehurst who has worked with more players than anyone else, and he’s not a coach nor a caddie. Anthony Montanez is the on-site barber for players this week, and although he’s not teeing it up in the U.S. Open, there are still plenty of cuts and fades on his agenda. He’s given a handful of guys fresh cuts ahead of their tee times, and even had the honor of cutting Tiger’s hair.

I’m sure it looks great, but I guess we’ll never really know because Tiger kept his hat on for the post-cut photo.

Luckily, we got hat-off photos of the other guys who visited Montanez this week. Scottie debuted an entirely new look for Round 1 thanks to the barber, and the internet loved it.

I’ll tally up the final scores for the guys who got a haircut at Pinehurst at the end of the week and let you know if it’s something you should consider adding to your pre-round routine.

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Last night the GOLF team on site at the U.S. Open went to “Drum & Quill”, a tavern in Pinehurst Village that is dedicated to all golf writers and their contribution to growing the game. I think every town should have one. But it was the perfect place for us to debrief the final day of practice at Pinehurst before the tournament began.

I’ve been having so much fun exploring Pinehurst over the last few days and I’m a big fan of the golf cart culture here. I’ve seen people of all ages buzzing around town in their monogrammed carts as the sun sets and I think that just might be the key to happiness.

Unfortunately, I have not found an ice cream spot yet, but I will keep you all updated on that front.

Wednesday Tiger-mania

Tiger Woods may not have played a practice round on Wednesday at Pinehurst, but that didn’t keep U.S. Open fans from seeing him. Hundreds of people lined up to watch him hit balls for an hour before he went to chip and putt for a bit.

Here’s a video I took; CBS analyst Trevor Immelman commented that this “May be the most active I’ve seen his right leg in the downswing in a long time,” which is great to hear.

Enough about Tiger’s swing, though. Let’s talk about the kids going absolutely wild for Tiger as he walked by on Wednesday afternoon.

Children screamed Tiger’s name as he headed from the range to the practice green, which made me laugh a bit as I realized most of these guys were probably born after 2014. I have to assume they’ve all inherited the Tiger obsession from their parents or grandparents, which makes me happy. Some families pass down recipes or heirlooms, others pass down something much more important: a love for the 15-time major champion.

While Tiger didn’t stop to sign in the middle of his practice, his right-hand man and pal Rob McNamara fed into the chaos and made a bunch of kids’ days when he tossed about a dozen of Tiger’s golf balls into the crowd. When he ran out, kids who weren’t lucky (or quick) enough to grab one were bummed, except for one genius girl who got McNamara to give her the box that he had been using to hold the golf balls. I’m very certain that the kid who thought of that will change the world one day. She missed one opportunity and created another for herself. The epitome of “when one door closes, another one opens.” I just hope no one mistakenly throws out the empty cardboard box thats laying around in her house one day.

Folks, we’re chasing a feel-good theme for the rest of this Rogers Report: your favorite players being certified Good Guys. Buckle up.

Scottie Scheffler’s thoughtful response

One of my favorite U.S. Open traditions is the junior reporters that come in and get to cover a major championship for the day. This week we had Tytus with us for Scottie Scheffler’s press conference, and he asked how the World No. 1 remained calm after making a triple-bogey last Saturday at the Memorial.

“That’s a good question. I was very frustrated so I’m glad you couldn’t tell.I think I’ve learned over the course of my career to stay as patient as possible. When I made a triple on that hole, I really didn’t hit that bad of a shot, it just hit a tree and went out of bounds. I kind of reminded myself I was playing good golf and as long as I kept a good head on my shoulders I could continue to go about my day and was able to bounce back nicely. I think that’s something you learn playing more and more golf, is that bad breaks are going to come but it’s more about your response to those things than really receiving the bad break because over the course of a 72-hole tournament you’re going to get plenty of bad breaks and hit plenty of bad shots. It’s more about how am I going to recover from those shots.”

It’s more about how you react to the bad breaks that matter. It’s always the simple questions that get the best answers, and this one from Tytus is no exception. Shout out to the World No. 1 for giving such a thoughtful reply. Also, can we talk about how excited Tytus was so see Scheffler at the start of that video? I remember feeling the exact same way the first few times I covered a tournament.

Tytus, I look forward to following your long, successful career in golf media.

Rickie Fowler meets an incredible fan

Let’s take a moment to appreciate how Rickie Fowler made Make-A-Wish recipient Parker Milkos’ perfect day even better at Pinehurst on Wednesday. Milkos wanted to attend a U.S. Open, and you can tell he definitely wasn’t expecting to meet Rickie Fowler. Thanks to the USGA, they made it happen.

Milkos did not hold back when it came to telling Fowler how big of an inspiration he’s been to him. Also, I know the feeling of your heart rate skyrocketing before talking to a player for the first time (I used to get so nervous asking questions in press conferences), so you’re not alone, Milkos. Shout out to Fowler for making a fan’s unforgettable day even more special.

A biology teacher and Jordan Spieth tee it up

Jordan Spieth played his Wednesday practice round alongside high school biology teacher Colin Prater, who qualified for the U.S. Open on Golf’s Longest Day.

Imagine going from spending your days trying to get teenagers to pay attention to your lecture to playing on golf’s biggest stage? It sounds like the plot of a really good Disney Channel movie. Stories like this is what makes the U.S. Open so special, and no matter what Prater does in the tournament, it seems like he’s already had the week of a lifetime. Also, I hope his students realize how insanely cool and talented their science teacher is for this.

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Tiger, Max Homa and Min Woo Lee

I’m no teaching pro, so I’m not qualified to comment on how Tiger’s swing looks. But as someone who has 29 years of walking experience, I do feel like I’m allowed to weigh in on how the 15-time major champion seemed to be moving today, and folks, he looked great. He looked comfortable getting from shot to shot and I didn’t notice any real limping.

Tiger and Charlie Woods matched in their light pink Sun Day Red shirts, and I realized that Charlie Woods is a massive exception when it comes to the matching-your-parent rule of thumb. For most kids, it’s cool to coordinate looks with a parent until you’re about 10. After that, you might get funny looks rolling into Easter mass or a beach day with a “mom and me” or “dad and me” outfit. That rule simply does not apply when the guy you are matching has 82 PGA Tour wins. It’s a massive flex that Charlie Woods can dress like his dad each day, and I hope it continues for a really long time.

This crew only played nine holes today, and my biggest takeaway wasn’t a specific conversation I heard or swing I saw, but rather a new friendship that I’m very excited about.

Charlie Woods stayed by Tiger’s side for the fist few holes, but soon he was walking and talking with Min Woo Lee. Lee is the Gen Z hero that a lot of teenagers love, so I’m not sure why I was surprised when he and Charlie Woods started hitting it off. Maybe because Lee is so different from Tiger. He leans into his stardom and is extremely active on social media while Tiger’s always been private. Either way, Min Woo Lee is the cool guy on the scene this week — kids were screaming “let him cook!” as he walked by the practice area earlier, and Charlie was beaming when Lee handed him his putter to check out.

Charlie Woods the coach?

I always love watching Tiger in “dad mode.” I’ve gone to the PNC Championship and watched the Woods boys tee it up together for the last two years, and it was fun to watch them bond again at Pinehurst today. But I also couldn’t help but wonder exactly what responsibilities Charlie has this week, other than being a great hang. I asked Tiger about his son’s duties as a member of the “player support” crew this week and was pretty blown away by his answer.

“I trust him with my swing and my game. He’s seen it more than anybody else in the world. He’s seen me hit more golf balls than anyone. I tell him what to look for, especially with putting. He gave me a couple little side bits today, which was great, because I get so entrenched in hitting certain putts to certain pins, I tend to forget some of the things I’m working on. I just want to see the balls rolling. He reminds me every now and again, which is great. We have a great relationship and rapport like that, and it’s a wonderful experience for both of us.“

Move over, Butch Harmon and Sean Foley. There’s a new world-famous swing coach in town, and he’s a freshman in high school. As much fun as the Woods guys are having this week, they have business to attend to. Charlie’s not here to hang out. He’s serving as a second set of eyes for the 15-time major champion this week, which is quite a resume builder for the 15-year-old! He’s got the whole golf world in his hands.

I also want to take a moment to give a shout out to the most “dad of a teenager” answer I’ve ever seen from Tiger Woods, where he admits he’s not quite sure “whatever the hell” TikTok is.

The scariest walk at Pinehurst

Intimidating greens this, intimidating greens that. You know what’s actually the scariest part of Pinehurst No. 2 this week? The line of dozens of kids screaming players’ names, begging them for autographs and photos while they walk by the practice area. I feel like I’m back in a middle school hallway being looked at while I pass through the autograph section, and I’m not even the one they want to talk to! But the requests go beyond the players. I heard some kids yelling for a security guard’s signature as well as autographs from caddies and agents. Basically, if you walk by this area, there will be a chant directed at you. The MVP of the autograph zone today was definitely Bryson DeChambeau, where kids were ecstatic to meet Bryson the golfer as well as Bryson the YouTuber.

Maybe these kids will have the autograph of a two-time U.S. Open champion come Sunday afternoon.

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The final round was full of drama and excitement, but I want to talk less about the actual golf and more about all the kind things Yuka Saso did after winning at Lancaster Country Club today.

At the trophy ceremony

After the final group finished play, Saso made her way back to the 18th green for the trophy ceremony. A few tech staffers began pulling at the microphone and speaker wires before the ceremony began, and Saso immediately picked up on it and helped them get the wires out of the way. While the rest of the people on-site prepped for the U.S. Women’s Open champion to receive her trophy, the champion herself was helping others.

Saso got choked up during her trophy ceremony when talking about how much her parents mean to her. She said she won the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open for her mom, and this one was for her dad. I don’t think many 22-year-olds have the maturity to reflect on massive moments as well as Saso did here, but then again, most 22-year olds aren’t winning their second U.S. Open, either.

During her press conference

The moment Saso stepped into the interview area after the trophy ceremony, she spotted a bottle of water on the interview table. She looked at USGA moderator Julia Pine and asked if she wanted the water. When Pine explained that the water had been placed there specifically for Saso, the champ once again offered it to Pine. “Are you sure you don’t want it?,” she asked. I think Saso made sure Pine was well hydrated about five times before her post-round interview with the media officially began.

The thing that impressed me most about Saso’s presser was just how lovingly she talked about the USGA. Sure, you’re going to like the organization that runs the major you’ve won twice. But she mentioned a handful of USGA employees by name not once, but twice during the interview. First, when thanking the governing body, and again when I asked her with whom she was going to celebrate the victory.

Most pros are polite and thank people after winning a tournament, but I’ve never seen a player call out specific individuals from the media the way Saso did. You can tell she has gotten to know a handful of people from the USGA and really appreciates them.

Next up we have Saso trying a whoopie pie for the first time. When Saso noticed she’d be trying it in front of about 50 people, she decided to turn around mid-interview to take a bite. Creative! She said it was good, but cut herself off after just one bite to spare her blood sugar. Later, she mentioned that she wanted a caesar salad with bacon. A gal after my own heart!

Meeting some young fans

Some players will return to the fans after their media duties to sign autographs, but Saso took things to another level on Sunday night. She signed hats and flags between the 17th green and 18th tee during her round on Sunday. Can you imagine? She’s minutes away from claiming a victory, and instead of staying completely dialed in, she took a moment to look up between holes and make a few young fans’ days.

By the time Saso finished up with interviews, it was almost 8 p.m. A handful of young fans were shouting her name, and Saso took a few minutes to introduce herself and sign autographs.

Saso even signed a kid’s cast and told her to feel better as she walked away.

Saso’s golf proved that she’s a worthy two-time major champion, but it was her behavior afterward that I’ll remember most from this week.

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Before we recap some of today’s events, I’d like to acknowledge Nelly Korda’s Instagram caption, where she poked fun at herself for the 10 she made on the par-3 12th on Thursday morning.

Having a good sense of humor will get you far in life (or so I’ve heard). Props to Korda for being such a good sport, and I can’t wait to see her tee it up again soon.

Charley Hull’s explanation

Charley Hull has been going viral all week for her cigarette usage at the U.S. Women’s Open, which I’m sure you’re already well aware of. I saw a Tweet that said Hull has gained almost 50,000 followers on Instagram this week alone, and it seems like I can’t scroll for more than 30 seconds on social media before coming across another photo of her smoking on the course.

Some of us were wondering where this habit came from. Surely we would have noticed if by now if it’s been going on for years?

Well, curious folks, you’re in luck. My colleague and pal Zephyr Melton got the inside scoop on Hull’s habit. Turns out she’s smoking cigarettes to break another habit — vaping.

Hey, whatever floats your boat (disclaimer: this segment is not an endorsement of tobacco products. In fact, I take puffs from something entirely different — a rescue inhaler).

The sweetest fans in golf

There were hundreds of kids taking in all of the action at Lancaster Country Club Saturday, and it was so fun to watch them all light up as players dished out high-fives and autographs. There was a young girl who was having players sign her shirt. There were two brothers who screamed “Let her cook!” as Minjee Lee walked by, an ode to her brother’s slogan on the PGA Tour. I saw the same group of kids, who were all about eight years old, at 10 in the morning and then again at 6 p.m. They were there for the day, and they were just as energetic in the early evening as they were first thing in the morning.

It all took me back to the time I attended the 2006 U.S. Women’s Open at Newport Country Club with my aunt. I remember watching the golf, drinking lemonade and getting dozens of autographs on my hat. Eighteen years later and I’m inside the ropes at the U.S. Women’s Open! I hope a bunch of the girls who watched today get inspired to take up golf, work in golf or at the very least, continue to be interested in golf.

Lowry’s important message

My final segment for today’s Rogers Report is a little bit heavier, but it’s something I still wanted to include. We’ve talked about the importance of mental health quite a bit in the golf space lately, and I thought Shane Lowry’s comments to Joe Callaghan from the Irish Examiner were worth sharing here.

“This is what I say about golfers, the ups and downs of professional golf. It’s amazing out here, the highs are so high. But my God, the lows are so low … I just texted all of my friends and said ‘lads, no matter what happens, or what is going on, just give me a shout. Give me a call. Seriously’.”

As great of a golfer as Lowry is, he sounds like an even better friend.

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It’s just over 70 degrees with a little breeze here at the U.S. Women’s Open and I am officially declaring this the best weather day of any on-site tournament day I’ve had this year. The morning was pleasantly cool and I felt like I was walking into a mid-September college tailgate as I made my way to the media center. I’m trying to appreciate the perfect temperatures as much as I can before I cover the U.S. Open at Pinehurst in two weeks, where it will most definitely be uncomfortably hot.

But enough about the weather. I want to tell you about one of my new favorite golfers, so let’s get to ’em.

Asterisk Talley

The U.S. Women’s Open has a pretty young field this year (the oldest teeing it up here is 39-year-old Jean Reynolds), but the youngest is 15-year-old Asterisk Talley, who is just one over par heading into the weekend. The freshman in high school is beating a handful of stars this week, including Nelly Korda and Rose Zhang. Golf is a funny sport!

I hope Talley gets a proper homecoming celebration after this week. I know she’s hoping for a homework extension, but I’ve got to think that playing this well in a major earns you at least some sort of party when you return home. If I’d been in her spot at 15 my friends never would have heard the end of it.

Not only is Talley’s game impressive, her presence in the interview room is as well.

She’s honest, funny and extremely relatable.

And because I know you are all wondering about her name, here’s how Asterisk Talley came to be Asterisk Talley.

The “little star” is the little star at Lancaster this week.

Sibling love (professional golf version)

As one of five kids, I love watching sibling relationships. One of my favorites to keep tabs on is the relationship between Minjee and Min Woo Lee.

Min Woo Lee took to Instagram to post a photo of the leaderboard on Thursday, and Minjee made sure to give him a shout out for it during her presser on Friday.

Many little brothers won’t even give their siblings a “happy birthday” Instagram story once a year (I may or may not be speaking from experience), so Min Woo gets some props. Also, can these two please tee it up together in the Grant Thornton Invitational in December?

Nelly’s relatable moment

It’s weird to see World No. 1s struggle on the course. I’ve gotten so used to seeing Nelly Korda and Scottie Scheffler tear up golf courses that I sometimes forget they’re not invincible.

Nelly Korda had an extremely relatable moment when she returned to the site of the scene — the par-3 12th where she made a 10 on Thursday.

Korda sank a clutch putt for par and made sure we knew how she felt about the hole as she walked off.

I love it! Don’t hold back, Nelly. We’ve all been there.

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Before we get into what’s going on with the golf, I want to give a shout out to the lovely city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. I was (unfairly) not expecting much from it, and it is a great area. I’ve gotten a lot of recommendations for restaurants (and more importantly, ice cream spots) and everything has been top-notch. I’m a big fan of the downtown area and am looking forward to doing some more exploring as the week goes on.

Nelly predicts catastrophe on the 12th hole

The biggest story from the morning wave at the U.S. Women’s Open was definitely Nelly Korda’s 10 on the par-3 12th, a hole she has spoken about in her press conference on Tuesday. The World No.1 explained just how tricky the hole can be, and if you’re not in the right spot, you’ll “get screwed.” My colleague, Jack Hirsh, also perfectly explained what makes the hole so difficult.

As I write this, there have been 41 penalty shots on the par-3 12th. By the time you read this, I bet there will be even more!

Korda may not have played well, but the fans at Lancaster Country Club didn’t mind one bit. She had a few hundred people following her all day, and many shouted words of encouragement as she walked by.

Korda headed right from her post-round interview to the range, where she relaxed for a few minutes before getting back to work with her coach Jamie Mulligan (who in my opinion, is one of the best-dressed guys in golf. He’s always in head-to-toe Lululemon with Nike Blazers, which is the perfect athleisure for a day on the course.)

Heartfelt moments

Something I’ve noticed a lot of this week is how wide the age range of fans is here at the U.S. Women’s Open. I’ve seen babies being pushed in strollers and I’ve seen people in their 90s shopping at the merchandise center. There are little kids everywhere, and it’s not just parents bringing their daughters. I was told about a group of young boys cheering their hearts out for Nasa Hataoka, and I met a four-year-old boy who was so excited to watch Nelly Korda over an ice cream cone (relatable!).

I’ve seen a lot of great young fan content this week, but my favorite so far has been this photo from Amanda Balionis, which shows Danielle Kang sharing her snacks with some future U.S. Women’s Open stars.

How cute is that? Ten years from now, those gals will still remember the cool player who offered them an apple slice in the middle of her practice round.

Shirt of the day

I saw a lot of great scripting out on the course today, but Meg Adkins captured the best shirt in the field today.

May her golf game take her to infinity and beyond.

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Michelle Wie West’s announcement

It’s only Tuesday and Michelle Wie West is already having quite a week. Not only is she the host of the Mizuho Americas Open, but she appeared on “Fallon Tonight” on Monday evening, where she made a huge announcement. She and her husband, Jonnie West, are expecting a baby boy!

Congratulations to the happy (and extremely athletic and talented) couple.

Tuesday at the Mizuho Americas Open

I know I just said that Amtrak’s Northeast Regional Rail is the best way to travel, but there is one method that is slightly better. I don’t usually count it because boat is not a form of travel that’s available to me very often, but it truly is the best. And it’s how I got from Manhattan to Liberty National this morning. Better yet, we were taken to the Mizuho Americas Open in a Mizuho ferry!

It takes just under 20 minutes to get from the Brookfield Place ferry stop to Liberty National and I made sure to head to the second floor of the ferry so I could check out all the views. I hadn’t been so excited to see Ellis Island or the Statue of Liberty since I studied American history in the third grade.

After arriving in style, Zephyr and I headed toward the media center, which is at the end of the range at Liberty National. To our surprise, there was a robot picking the range balls.

I’d say I needed this invention back when I was a high school golfer, but the truth is that my range balls ended up everywhere except where they were supposed to go, so a robot probably wouldn’t have been much help.

After that, we walked a few holes and the course was pretty quiet. We came across a few of AJGA players who are teeing it up in the event this week, and eventually found Rose Zhang, who was playing with two junior golfers from Irving, California and who she’s known for a long time. I have to think they got some good advice from the reigning champion.

I first met Zhang at this event last year when we filmed a Scoop together. She’s still just as kind and laid back as she was then; she came right up to Zephyr and me to catch up and ask us how we are doing.

After that, we attended Zhang’s presser and had a well-earned media center lunch.

I continue to be pleasantly surprised by how kind and welcoming everyone on site here is. My coworker Zephyr really knows his way around LPGA events and I’m still learning the ropes. Everyone he introduces me to — players, caddies, agents, LPGA employees — is spectacular. It’s such a fun environment to get to work in.

After lunch, we made our way over to the practice area where we caught up with top-ranked junior Yana Wilson (who I’m extremely jealous of, not only because of her golf talent but mostly because she is sponsored by Lululemon) and then Angel Yin, who has one of the best personalities in golf.

Zephyr and I were heading in from our mid-afternoon course walk when we saw a helicopter circling the course. I thought maybe it was for news coverage of the Mizuho, but LPGA media officials quickly informed us that it was Dani Holmqvist, who is a helicopter pilot-in-training!

I always love to learn what interests players have outside of golf, and Holmqvist has some very cool ones. Not only is she a helicopter pilot in training, she’s a level 3 sommelier as well. I am on the lookout for some new hobbies myself, but I don’t think anything I come up with will stack up with those.

Back to the helicopter: Holmqvist circled the property a handful of times and got super close to the ground by the 18th green, which sent some sand from a green-side bunker flying. Take a look below.

Talk about studying the course from all angles before the tournament begins.

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