BILLERICA, Mass. (WHDH) – It was a hole in one opportunity for one young golf lover who was able to give some tips to a professional golfer.
Phil Mickelson received some extra help with playing at a PGA Tour event in Massachusetts.
It’s not every day that you get to meet your childhood role model, but 11-year-old Riley Reardon did when he came face-to-face with golf pro Phil Mickelson.
“He starts talking to me and asks me my name, so it kind of flashes before and I don’t know what to do so I just say my name out of nowhere,” said Reardon.
The two crossed paths last week in Norton at the Dell Technologies Championship. Mickelson landed in the rough, but fortunately he the 11-year-old avid golfer there to help.
“Would you go for it here out of the rough or would you lay up?” he asked Reardon. “Um, if I could hit my thrown 260 I would probably go for it,” responded Reardon.
Mickelson took Reardon’s advice and went for it. He was happy with the result, and Mickelson joked about teaming up in the future.
“Riley, you can caddy for me any time,” said Mickelson.
Reardon’s dad captured the moment on video, which has been shared thousands of times on social media.
“Up until that moment I had always thinking, ‘Wow, wouldn’t it be awesome to be on golf channel,’ and there I was on TV that morning so it was just so awesome,” said Reardon.
Reardon is at the driving range almost every day.
His mentor, Barrie Bruce, thinks Reardon will be joining pros like Mickelson on the links in a few years.
“Riley is going to be something special, he spoke to me when I first met him two or three years ago, and he promised me he was going to win the masters,” said Bruce. “So, I already got his autograph just in case,” he added.
Reardon is off to a good start—this summer he won the New England PGA tournament for his age group.
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