No one goes to watch the golf hoping to get hit by a ball, but when you’re well compensated for taking one to the body, it eases the pain a little – just ask Caleb McGuire.
The spectator was watching a practice round at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, New York, ahead of this week’s PGA Championship, when he took a blow on his calf.
Moments later, Joel Dahmen, the man responsible for the errant tee shot down the first hole, appeared, and asked McGuire how much a beer cost at the tournament (a whopping $17 as it happens) before pulling out a "crispy" $100 bill – which has got to be better than the usual form of compensation, a signed glove or ball.
"I got your beers today," said Dahmen, who appeared recently in one of the standout episodes of the Netflix documentary, Full Swing. The man from Clarkston, Washington, has recovered from testicular cancer to become a PGA Tour winner, and he’s clearly a fun-loving, generous type.
With over $10.5m in career earnings to his name, the 35-year-old can obviously afford to buy big rounds, and his latest interaction with the crowd will only make him more popular. Quite how many $100 bills the American carries around in his pocket is unclear, but maybe he's having problems with his driver.
Shoutout to @Joel_Dahmen for hitting my calf with a tee shot today on hole #1! He proceeds to ask me how much a beer costs at the tourney and I tell him $17 a pop. He then pulls out a crispy $100 bill and says "I got your beers today." 💯 ⛳️ 🍻 pic.twitter.com/oLIenCUj5qMay 18, 2023
For McGuire, that was five beers and a bit of change, although it wasn’t the beer that made the fan’s day, but getting to meet Dahmen. After giving the player a shout out on Twitter, Dahmen responded: "Sorry about that! Hope you enjoyed the beers."
"It was a pleasure just to meet you! We couldn’t stop talking about it for the rest of the day. Go ahead and win this week," replied the wounded golfer, who also shared a picture on Twitter of his bruised leg.
Holding the $100 bill and posing with a couple of beers, it appears McGuire is keeping the bill as a momento, with no evidence to suggest that he bought anything from first aid to treat the wound. Just beer.
