SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Nancy Armour and Steve DiMeglio discuss Patrick Reed's win, Jordan Spieth's big Sunday and what Tiger Woods' Masters return means for upcoming tournaments. USA TODAY Sports
Texas high school senior Shahbaz Hashmi met one of his heroes Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Championship. But it wasn't just a meet and greet or a chance to get an autograph, it was a dream come true for Hashmi to play a pro-am round with TIger Woods.
Hashmi, 17, won an essay contest sponsored by Wells Fargo and The First Tee and as the grand prize he was allowed to pick the PGA Tour professional he'd play with in Wednesday's pro-am.
It didn't sound like a difficult choice for Hashmi, who plays for the Alamo Heights high school golf team.
"Tiger Woods is the reason why I play golf,” he said, according to the Charlotte Observer.
“It’s a dream, really,” Hashmi said, according to the Observer. “Tiger Woods — and I’m speaking for my whole generation of golfers and athletes here when I say this — he’s our idol. He’s our hero. And, of course, we’ve seen him go through such tough times, but to see him come out on the other side ... that’s just so inspiring.”
Hashmi got some tips from Woods, who's playing this week with a new set of irons, and even got a glove from his idol. Woods is playing in the Wells Fargo Championship for the first time since 2012.