Tim Rosaforte's Brush with Greatness

Tim Rosaforte, a writer for Golf Digest and Golf World as well as a commentator for the Golf Channel, has been awarded the PGA of America's Lifetime Achievement Award for 2014.  Ted Bishop, PGA of America President made the announcement:

"His attention to detail when reporting makes him one of the most credible people in sports. No one delivers the close-up insight on the various personalities in golf like Tim, and it is with great pleasure that we recognize him with the 2014 PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism."

Golf Digest, whose reporters have won three of the last four awards, filled in some background on Rosaforte's career:

By his count, Rosaforte has covered 124 major championships, and missed only one Ryder Cup since 1983. Rosaforte has written five books: "The PGA Tour" (1990); "Heartbreak Hill: Anatomy of a Ryder Cup" (1996); "Tiger Woods: The Makings of a Champion" (1997); "World Golf Hall of Fame Yearbook" (with Jaime Diaz, 1998); and "Raising the Bar: The Championship Years of Tiger Woods" (2000).

Former winners of the award include Herbert Warren Wind, Dan Jenkins, Ken Venturi and Frank Chirkinian.

Why is this of interest to me?  Because of Rosaforte's brush with greatness 3 1/2 years ago.  At the end of our trip to Southport, England in 2010, details of which can be found here, we flew home from Manchester.  For reasons I don't remember, I had to make a last pass through the rental car office, where I ran into Tim.

This was September 2010, so I immediately knew where he was headed, the Ryder Cup matches at Celtic Manor, Wales, which I noted.  He then endeared himself to me by asking that which golfers should ask each other under such circumstances, "where did you play?"  Thereupon ensued a delightful ten minute conversation about the courses in the area and our enjoyment thereof.  Turns out that Tim is an overseas member of Hillside Golf Club, a delightful track in Southport that was one of the high points of our trip.  I of course chided Tim for never once inviting me there to play, we shook hands, and parted as sorta-kinda friends united in our love of the game.