"So cool," said Atkinson.
The next morning, after Timberlake, Romo and Lauer had been introduced to warm applause and hit their opening tee shots to various locations off but near the first fairway, the USGA's Ron Read took the microphone and said, "From Omaha, Nebraska: John Atkinson!" The ovation was beyond belief. For a day, a star was born.
You can see it all in a one-hour broadcast at 2 p.m. (EDT) Sunday, the hour leading into NBC's final-round coverage of the Open. The results are online, but rather than spoil the drama, I'll say only that the 18th hole was the most emotional moment I've experienced on a golf course. Lauer had to wipe away tears. Timberlake and Romo probably did, too.
Atkinson said he was proud of the way he played, and that average golfers should appreciate from this just how hard it is for a 10-handicapper to break 100 on a U.S. Open course.
"This was not a dream of a dying man," says Atkinson. "This was the dream of a golfer."
So cool.
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