World Number 581 Ryan Evans was eating in a branch of the restaurant chain Beefeater when he discovered he would be playing his third round with Patrick Reed at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, having gone from first reserve to replacement in a group featuring Henrik Stenson and Martin Kaymer for the first two rounds.
The incredible story was best described on Evans’ own Twitter feed, where he detailed his journey from second reserve to marquee group alongside two Ryder Cup legends and then to a two-ball with an American superstar:
2nd reserve for the @AAMScottishOpen at the minute. Hopefully I can get in some how. It would be great prep for @TheOpen
— Ryan Evans (@EvansRyan9) July 4, 2016
And so it began, but there was still a long, long way to go…
Now 1st reserve for the @AAMScottishOpen let the 8 hour drive commence. Hope the drive is worth it!! pic.twitter.com/nJkIXbUVLE
— Ryan Evans (@EvansRyan9) July 6, 2016
There were still a few twists and turns to come though…
A much needed coffee. Half way there!
— Ryan Evans (@EvansRyan9) July 6, 2016
Yup, that energy will come in handy pretty soon Ryan…
Well 7 hours 30 minutes later I've finally got to Inverness. Still 1st reserve but let's hope the drive was worth it in the morning!
— Ryan Evans (@EvansRyan9) July 6, 2016
Worth it? If only you knew the half of it, Ryan…
7am on the range. The waiting game begins. Let hope I haven't drove 8 hours just for a picture pic.twitter.com/HM7RL4X3Da
— Ryan Evans (@EvansRyan9) July 7, 2016
A nice picture too, but you’ll soon have many more for the photo album…
Well that's the morning groups all gone out. Now just to wait for this afternoon. #anyonegotabadback?
— Ryan Evans (@EvansRyan9) July 7, 2016
Almost there…
I'm in the Scottish open!!!!!! Unbelievable draw too!! 13.25pm with Henrick Stenson and Martin Kaymer!!
— Ryan Evans (@EvansRyan9) July 7, 2016
And boom goes the dynamite!
Well that was 2 great days out there at @CastleStuart hopefully it's good enough for the weekend. Thanks @henrikstenson and @MKaymer59
— Ryan Evans (@EvansRyan9) July 8, 2016
Good Evans! Your week of fun is not over yet Ryan…
Got myself a game with @PReedGolf tomorrow in the @AAMScottishOpen at @CastleStuart. Awesome week so far
— Ryan Evans (@EvansRyan9) July 8, 2016
Another day, another multi-million dollar superstar to meet on the first tee…
Great fun again out there today with @PReedGolf. What about his start!! Awesome to watch! @AAMScottishOpen @EuropeanTour
— Ryan Evans (@EvansRyan9) July 9, 2016
This man’s Twitter game is just as good as his golf game, and here’s what he had to say about the whole experience…
“It was an eight hour trek up here and I thought, you have to go because anything can happen. I got five hours’ sleep on Wednesday night, went up at about 6:30 and nobody dropped out from the morning groups. I was thinking, it’s not going to happen and people were joking with me about having a bad back and a sore wrist and I was like, ‘stop playing, I actually want to play here!’
“Then I heard Chris Wood withdrew and I was just on the tee with Henrik Stenson and Martin Kaymer – safe to say I didn’t have that in my head when I woke up. I don’t think I could feel my hands for the first three or four holes, but they were really chatty early on so I kind of settled down then.
“I was eating at Beefeater on Friday night, and I knew I was around the same score as Patrick, Henrik and Phil Mickelson, and I was just constantly refreshing my phone. I was just sitting there, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh, who have I got, who have I got! And I got Patrick. I had a great day with him, he’s a really nice guy. He's really chatty. It was really good.
“Obviously I'm trying to build a good future in golf and the plan is to play with the best players in the world. It’s come a little bit earlier than expected this week, but I feel like I've handled myself well in the first three days.
“Who knows what tomorrow might bring? I could be paired with Phil Mickelson – it would be like playing a major before I play the major next week at Troon.”