Arjun Atwal had the icing on the cake on his maiden US PGA Tour on Friday when the legendary Tiger Woods extended his congratulations and challenged him on nine holes of golf.
"Hi Arjun! Congratulation on securing your PGA Tour card and welcome to the Tour," Woods greeted Atwal who was thrilled and pleasantly surprised by shaking hands with the greatest player in contemporary golf.
The chance of meeting with Woods came on Friday when Atwal, who this year became the first Indian to qualify for the prestigious US PGA Tour, was practising with golfer-friend Gilberto Morales of Venezuela at Isleworth Golf Club near his Orland base.
As the two were practising their hits, Woods came in and walked straight to them and conveyed his greetings.
"I was flattered. He obviously remembered me from playing alongside him at the Johnnie Walker Classic a couple of years back," Atwal said.
"But what was even more flattering was that he knew I had qualified for the PGA Tour. And the fact the he himself came up to us just goes to show that he is a very nice human being," Atwal said.
Woods spent half an hour with Atwal and Morales before inviting them for lunch. Then, he teamed up with a friend of his and played nine holes with Atwal, Morales and another golfing friend as five-ball. Atwal's team won 1-up.
For the Indian ace, who had the disappointment of failing to make it to the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic and the ongoing FB Open, the rendezvous with one of most successful golfers was a dream come true.
It was similar to Sachin Tendulkar joining a bunch of junior cricketers at the nets.
"Tiger (Woods) was really funny during the rounds, he cracked several jokes and related us some locker-room jokes on the Tour.
"He also imitated a few players and was great fun throughout," Atwal added.
