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Gary Woodland, Amy Bockerstette share special return to the place where they went viral one year ago
Tracy Wilcox
He came back as a major champion. She came back as a major inspiration. Both remained fan favorites at one of the most famous holes in golf.
A year after their meeting at TPC Scottsdale went viral, Gary Woodland and Amy Bockerstette made their triumphant return to the raucous par-3 16th hole. This time, Bockerstette didn't swing a golf club, but she received just as loud of an ovation from a crowd chanting her name and donning green shirts that read, "I got this," in honor of the positive phrase she told herself before making the most impactful par on the PGA Tour in 2019.
Here's a look at how the cool scene unfolded on the eve of the 2020 Waste Management Phoenix Open:
And in case you don't remember Bockerstette's viral moment with the encouragement of Woodland, here's a look back at what wound up being the PGA Tour's most engaged video ever:
"I told her she was an inspiration to all of us and we can all learn from her," Woodland said after witnessing Amy's nifty sand save. "She was dealt with some serious issues and she’s overcome them and she is phenomenal. She was so sweet, she was so excited and happy and that’s something that we can all learn from. When things aren’t going our way we can definitely look back at her. And I told her she was a hero and to keep doing what she’s doing because we’re all going to be following her."
Woodland, in particular, has followed the journey of Bockerstette, who in 2018 became the first golfer with Down syndrome to qualify for the Arizona state tournament and sign a letter of intent to play at Paradise Valley Community College. The two have stayed in touch the past 12 months and Amy was one of the first people Woodland called after winning his first major at the U.S. Open last June.
The two made a "Today" Show appearance together shortly after and their bond has remained tight. On Tuesday, the PGA Tour released a video detailing the friendship their viral moment has spawned, including Gary serenading Amy for her 21st birthday:
Amy has also used her fame for good use. She was the star of a golf tournament that raised money for Special Olympics and she and her family started the "I Got This" Foundation, which promotes golf instruction and play for people with intellectual disabilities.
"She's touched a lot of people," Woodland told PGATour.com on Wednesday. "I was very fortunate to be there with her and experience that with her that day. I have grown people come up and when I started talking to them, they start crying from that impact that I was there with her."
Judging by how the two friends were received on Wednesday at TPC Scottsdale, that impact is only going to keep growing.
For more information on the "I Got This" foundation, click here.