You might be wondering what it’s like being a reporter at a major sporting event, especially one of such magnitude as the 2025 Ryder Cup.
While it has super high peaks like the US fans going berserk after Bryson DeChambeau hit the opening tee shot for the Americans just after 7:10 a.m. ET or seeing so many spectators living their best life, watching whatever their favorite country’s golfers are doing with a huge smile on their face.
But a golf tournament isn’t always pretty, especially the early part of Friday’s opening round. Let me take you through my “9-5” at this year’s Ryder Cup so far.
After a late night covering the NFL’s Thursday Night Football game, that 4:15 a.m. ET alarm clock came way too fast. Bethpage State Park is about 25 minutes away from where I grew up, so I tried (the key word here) to beat the traffic that we all knew would come with President Donald Trump’s appearance at the famed golf tournament.
Well… the journey took more than an hour, and before I knew it, I was standing atop the first tee grandstand with my fellow CNN colleagues and taking in the beautiful sunrise.
After a short while, it was time to set out and explore the (in)famous Bethpage Black course that spans about 1,500 acres.
While trying to report on what was happening while walking around, I came across many things upon my adventure amongst the more than estimated 50,000 people in attendance.
The heat, being trapped at hole 12, not being able to see anything happening, minimal cell service that makes my job that much harder and last but not least, long and I mean, long security lines.
I had to keep reminding myself I was at a golf tournament and not flying out of John F. Kennedy airport as TSA made me take everything out of my pockets.
But as I sit in nicely air-conditioned media center writing this post after walking more than five miles in a four hour span, I still have to pinch myself that this is my job.
Here is to a good rest of the weekend, with a lot of good golf ahead.