Misha Golod escapes Ukraine, visits The Players and meets his heroes
After a harrowing journey to escape Ukraine, Mykhailo “Misha” Golod was able to take in an unbelievable experience at The Players Championship from TPC sawgrass and see the stage he aspires to be on someday.
From PGA TOUR, by Helen Ross, 15/3/22:
Mykhailo Golod got to be a 15-year-old kid again on Monday.
The tall, slender teenager who last week had desperately fled the war in Ukraine with his mother found himself at TPC Sawgrass and introduced to a chorus of hearty cheers as an honorary observer at THE PLAYERS Championship.
“That’s a moment I’ll remember for a long time,” says Misha, who walked the first nine holes of the final round inside the ropes with world No. 1 Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas and Doc Redman.
The four-time Ukrainian Junior champion was at the iconic 17th hole to see his favorite player, Rory McIlroy, make birdie, too. He met Joaquin Niemann, Viktor Hovland and Harold Varner III, as well.
For a few blessed hours the sound of bombs crashing into buildings and shrill air raid sirens that erupted 20 to 30 times a day to alert him and his family of more devastation on the horizon could be, well, not forgotten because that will never happen, but at least compartmentalized.
And in a 20-minute phone conversation as Misha waited for McIlroy to arrive at the 17th tee, it was clear the teen was grateful for the way the golf community came together in a matter of days to facilitate his exodus from Ukraine and help him establish a temporary home in Florida. Read more
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