As a 24-hour news cycle, Ann Arbor.com thrives on having new stories each time readers log on. So when my editor sent me up to the Buick Open Pro-Am today to see Ann Arbor native Bob Seger play golf with Tiger Woods, I figured it would be an interesting day.
After finding Woods' group on the 8th hole, I started following them inside the ropes thanks to the media passes the PGA Tour offers reporters.
Inside the ropes gives reporters access to more of the small talk and informal moments of a round of golf. While much of a country club's decor stands up during a pro-am, players tend to be a bit more relaxed.
Seger - who was inducted into the Rock &Roll Hall of Fame in 2004, spent much of the day grinding around the course. Before teeing off, he'd often toke on one of the eight cigarettes he smoked during the first 12 holes.
He played to the large gallery following the group, taking time to sign autographs and joke with fans as he played with the world's No. 1 golfer.
Three holes after I, along with an Associated Press intern started following Woods' group, Tiger used a small waiting period to come chat.
It was nothing special - just small talk with a surprisingly laid-back golfer who has the reputation of sending F-bombs to photographers who interrupt his golf swing with their clicking cameras.
We talked about how Seger was playing and he offered up a hilarious Pro-Am story that is best saved for talk over beers.
Woods' group ended up shooting 11-under par. I huddled into a cramped interview space to record Tiger's thoughts of coming back for what may be the final Buick Open. He spoke of a lot of joke-telling and story-telling during his Pro-Am round and talked of how being a father has changed his perspective on his line of work.
From there, it was on to Seger's press conference, which included a lot more laughs and his thoughts of getting his 64-year-old body to last 18 holes of golf.
On the days when this business offers a less than desirable assignment or an unhappy reader that calls to offer up his option of my latest work, I will think back on this day.
There's an old analogy which claims that your worst day on the golf course is better than your best day at work.
Today, I combined the two and enjoyed every minute of it.
Our little 5-minute chat with Tiger was just the icing on the cake.
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