Tyler Light
The US Open was simply incredible. It didn't hit me that I was actually playing until my caddie and I pulled into the premises. We were being directed to park where spectators park, I kept having to tell everyone that I was a player. We finally got to player parking and that is when we received our courtesy Lexus SUV for the week. All of this seeming too surreal, we checked in with the tournament, received our goody bags, was shown to my locker, dropped everything off, laced up the shoes and finally went to the practice area. Again, surreal. However, once I hit my first golf ball, I felt that I belonged there. The crowds were unlike anything I had ever experienced. Warming up, seeing guys like Jason Day, Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler...etc again, all too surreal.
The practice rounds went great. I know my game is well suited for a long, difficult golf course, so I felt at ease. At one point I made the comment to my coach, Mike Emery, "I thought the course was going to be more difficult, I can see -12 winning this." He replied by saying, "You are making the course look easier than what it is." At that moment I knew I was ready to play. I did not have any expectations during the tournament, nor did I have any tangible goals (maybe I should have). I just wanted to play to the best of my ability and add the score up at the end.
Thursday morning, the first round, I was driving to the course and was listening to worship music, and that was when everything hit me. How faithful and how good God is. I could not have made it this far without Him. Over the previous winter, only a select few knew that I was about to quit the game. Very few people have seen the heartache and tears I have shed over a game..a game that began to control my life. I knew that was wrong, and I wanted out. I needed to get my priorities in line and that meant God number one, not golf. So I began to pursue other avenues, I did not see it as giving up, I only saw it as a new chapter in my life starting. If it had not been for Coach Hyland (Malone University Head Coach) and Devon McDonald (president of Sportsworld) I would have surely given up the game. But God has a funny way of putting the right people in your life. Tears began to swell up and come down my face. I did not deserve this type of blessing from God, but I serve an Ephesians 3:20 God. "Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think" (NLT)
Turns out, I played pretty well. I learned I play my best golf when my heart is pumping, when I am nervous, and when shots mean the most. The first round, the first 9 holes flew by. After 11 holes I was -4 and in a tie for 5th. At that point I became very comfortable on the course, made some loose swings, missed some putts and found myself -1 going into my last hole. The par 3 9th. I took a double bogey to shoot +1. I was pretty disappointed on how I finished but as soon as I walked out of the scorers building, a gentleman came to me and said, "Media request for Tyler Light". No lie, my first thought was, "they must have misheard who the media was asking for". But no, they were really asking to speak with me. Golf Digest, USA Today, Golf Weekly, and other outlets wanted to hear my story. God is so good.
Day 2 began and I was able to grind out an even par round of 72, making the cut right on the number. I had a lot of family there, close friends, my fiance, and many others who came to support me. I was the last group to finish so I finished late in the day. My phone was blowing up, my family was going crazy, and meanwhile I am thinking to myself, the tournament is not over, I have to get ready for my tee time tomorrow morning. But what an overwhelming experience, I had no idea I had that many people following me and supporting me. I had close to 500 text messages, missed phone calls, and other forms of communication. Each one of them I read and again, felt undeserving.
I had the pleasure of playing with Webb Simpson on Saturday, a tremendously nice guy, fellow Christian. And played with Ernie Els on Sunday. Another phenomenal guy. Who would have thought, a guy working mid-nights at a packaging company 4 months prior is now playing with a Hall of Famer on the final round at major. I did not play great on the weekend. It was a combination of the emotional roller coaster, the course toughening up on the weekend, and me not having played 4 consecutive competitive rounds in over a year. but God is still good.
The 2017 United States Open will be a tournament that I will never forget. It was the first time in my golfing career where I had felt all of the sweat, tears, surgeries, heartache, and sacrifices had finally paid off. I could not have done it without Gods grace and I look forward to where His hands lead me next.
Hear more about my US Open experience here!