On the Fourth of July 2015, 19-year-old Nikki Long of San Antonio got a phone call that gave her one more reason to celebrate. She was in the U.S. Women’s Open, starting just five days later at Lancaster Country Club.
“I was super excited,” she said after finishing her second round. “Great Independence Day!” Practice rounds in Pennsylvania began three days after the call.
From alternate to the field
Long had qualified as first alternate at a regional qualifier at The Woodlands, near Houston. Days before the championship, a player from her region withdrew, and suddenly she was headed to the most prestigious event in women’s golf.
For the University of Texas at San Antonio golfer, the trip brought a string of firsts. “First time in Pennsylvania, first Open, first professional event; firsts in lots of stuff,” she said.
Her church back home, where she sings, made a video to cheer her on and posted it online.
Among the stars
Long admitted to being a little “shell shocked” by the field of players she had grown up watching.
Her two rounds were tough; she finished 25 over par and did not make the cut. She was in good company. Well-known players including Brittany Lincicome, Anna Nordqvist, Cristie Kerr, Suzann Pettersen and Shanshan Feng also missed the weekend.
None of that dimmed the experience. “It was incredible,” she said. “I think the best part is all the spectators. You make a putt and they’re all ‘whoa’ and yelling, and in the practice round everyone was asking for signatures.”
A Lititz fan club
Long was especially grateful to a Lititz family that followed her around the course for two days. They met on the putting green the first practice day, where 9-year-old Parker Gooding was collecting autographs, and the family became her local gallery.
Caddie Daddy
Her favorite memory came from inside the ropes. “My dad was my caddie, and it was really awesome to have him in the ropes,” she said.
Brent Long, beaming and sweating after 18 holes in the Pennsylvania heat and humidity, called it “an experience of a lifetime, just one of those things where you’re pinching yourself.”
He described a quiet moment during a practice round. “We were at one point in the practice round where we were able to walk together alone, all by ourselves, just me and my daughter inside the ropes on the U.S. Women’s Open course,” he said. “It was a dream come true.”
A historic week for Lancaster
The 2015 U.S. Women’s Open was the first USGA women’s championship held at Lancaster Country Club and brought the world’s best players, and tens of thousands of spectators, to Lancaster County. In Lititz and across the area, businesses welcomed players and fans, and many families made a point of walking the course to see the stars up close.
The championship was won by South Korea’s In Gee Chun in her first appearance in the event.
Back to school
After the Open, Long headed back to San Antonio, saying she was “really excited” about her college team’s upcoming season. Whatever came next, she and her father would share a memory few golfers ever get: walking a U.S. Open course together.
The bigger picture
Stories like the Longs’ are a reminder that a major championship is about more than the leaderboard. Every field includes young players chasing a dream, often supported by parents who drive them to junior events, carry their bags and share in the highs and lows.
This story was originally reported by Lynn Rebuck for LititzDailyNews.com in July 2015 and has been updated for our archive.