(WXYZ) — What's it like to caddie for a pro golfer? It's a one-of-a-kind dream to get called up to the pros when you're a caddie on a local course.
Alex Sheehy, an assistant golf professional at Detroit Golf Club, the site of the PGA Tour's rocket Mortgage Classic, said he didn't know the odds he'd end up caddying in the tournament.
"Every day it's just a passion of mine to play golf and to teach it and to grow the game. So every day I love coming to work," Sheehy said.
He's been on the job for two years. He said he grew up on a golf course and worked at one, but he didn't know what he wanted to go into.
That was until he tapped into his high school talent. He earned three medals in state tournaments.
Then, he took a swing at Nebraska's PGM PGA Program and business management. He became a scratch golfer, which means he's really good.
Now, he's at one of metro Detroit's most prestigious golf clubs, preparing to oversee another Rocket Mortgage Classic.
"It's awesome to have these PGA tour guys. It's great for the city of Detroit to get all the fans out here and watch it," he said.
In 2020, Sheehy watched the tournament up close. With COVID-19 protocols in place, he served as an alternate caddie, just in case one of the pro's caddies got sideline.
When it happened to Luke Donald, Sheehy got the call.
"He was like, 'Uh, got a weird circumstance here. His caddy's gone down. You're next in line. Do you feel comfortable?' I go, 'absolutely,'" Sheehy said.
He said Donald was an awesome guy and very personal.
"It was a super cool experience. Something I'll remember forever. We also got to play with Hideki Matsuyama, who ended up going on to win the Masters this year. So, pretty cool to play with a Major winner," he said. "I just enjoy life to the fullest. I enjoy coming to work every day. I enjoy our membership. I enjoy playing. I enjoy teaching the game. So everything just kind of comes easy."
