by Dennis Dalman
Eleven-year-old Madison Evans of Sartell recently returned from Pebble Beach, Calif., where she had a three-day whirlwind of fun and excitement reporting on the U.S. Women’s Open Golf Championship that took place there.
Madison is the daughter of Jen and James Evans and was accompanied on the trip by her mother. She has a brother, Xander, 9. At the Pebble Beach golf course, she was able to walk along with and interview some of the golfers, including the three-time Women’s Open Champion Annika Sorenstam of Sweden, who has won 90 international tournaments, the most of any woman golfer in the world.
Golfers from many countries competed in the prestigious 78th annual tournament held on the lush-green links above the Pacific Ocean. It took place July 6-9.
The grand champ was Allisen Corpuz, 25, who hails from Honolulu. She took home the Harton S. Semple trophy and was given a check for $2 million. She was the first American to win that championship since Brittany Lang in 2016.
Madison was able to report on the event because she and family had visited the Pebble Beach golf course earlier in the year during a trip to California. It was there that Madison heard of the U.S. Women’s Open that would take place there this summer.
Back home from the trip, she had written a letter to Pebble Beach executives asking if she could work at the tournament as a junior reporter. She received a reply saying yes, by all means she can report the tournament.
“Pebble Beach made dreams come true for me, a young junior reporter,” wrote Madison in a story she wrote about the tournament. “ . . . I jumped on a plane with my mom and within two hours of being at Pebble Beach, I was walking the fairway with Annika Sorenstam while I interviewed her. The next day, Rose Zhang and Brooke Henderson (both golfers) played a game of ‘would-you-rather’ with me. Rose even flipped the script and asked me the questions. My inside-the-ropes pass also got me into the media tents where I was able to ask players and USGA (United States Golf Association) executives questions. This was an experience I will never forget, and a dream come true.”
Another, earlier dream, came true for Madison late last year at age 10 when she was one of 12 young American applicants to be accepted to be on the council of “The Week Junior,” a national news magazine for youth. Through virtual Zoom meetings, she and the other 11 members learned about reporting, wrote stories and learned how best to be a voice for their communities. That thrilling experience whetted her appetite to pursue more reporting jobs, including the Pebble Beach one.
After her three days of meetings, greetings and interviews, Madison sat down to write an 850-word news-feature story for the Ladies Professional Golf Association website. Her story is vividly detailed and lively complete with the history of the U.S. Women’s Open, on-site descriptions and quotes that make readers feel as if they were right there on that golf course, in the thick of it.
Here are some excerpts from her story:
The opening paragraph: “Last week, Pebble Beach hosted its first U.S. Women’s Open, crowning Champion Allisen Corpuz, who will feature her spot on the Wall of Champions next to the one and only Tiger Woods. Throughout the week, the energy was big and women were shining both on and off the course. Here are the stories of girls who had big dreams and were able to make them come true at the Women’s Open.
“Amy Olson, who is 7 months pregnant, is proof that girls can dream big.
‘It has always been a dream of mine to be a professional golfer and to also be a mom,’ said Olson. ‘So to be able to do both this week is really, really cool.’
“Dreams were also coming true for young girls at the All In at The Hay event, which was held on Wednesday, July 5. Eleven Junior golfers teamed up with past U.S. Women’s Open Champions and celebrities like legendary soccer player Mia Hamm and star footballer Larry Fitzgerald. The event was held in conjunction with the LPGA/USGA Girls Golf Program, which specializes in creating experiences showing girls how much fun golf is. And wow, did they deliver!”
The following are excerpts are from another story Madison wrote:
“Excitement is in the air, and Pebble Beach is here to deliver a spectacular event like no other venue can. From the top of the mountains to the edge of the water, every hole has its own unique scenic view. The smiling staff are there whenever you need them, ensuring they exceed the guests’ expectations. Just outside the Lodge, the putting green is filled with enough energy to power a city. This is where most fans get their first glimpse of the players. Surrounded by shops, restaurants and adoring fans who are patiently waiting for autographs, the players practice their putting. Grins from ear to ear, fans joking with players and cheerful greetings were all signs that everyone was having the time of their lives.
“Rose Zhang, a 20-year-old who just turned professional, is focused on her game but is still here to have fun.
‘You have to keep the game of golf lighthearted,’ said Zhang. ‘It is your profession, but at the same time, you have so many amazing friends around you, and it is a sport that you are supposed to have fun with every single day. Keeping that passion alive is important to me.'”
Besides reporting/writing and avid reading, Madison loves to play clarinet and is on the Sartell Sabres Archery Team. Her love of writing just might have a genetic component. Her mother works for communications at CentraCare, and her grandfather, 75, is a long-time reporter for the Cape May County Herald in Rio Grande, New Jersey.
Among the celebrities Madison interviewed are golfers Aine Donegan, Amy Olson, Annika Sorenstam and son Will, Brooke Henderson, Rose Zhang and Mary Mills (1963 Women’s Open Champion); Heidi Ueberroth, co-chair of the Pebble Beach Co.; United States Golf Association President Fred Perpall; USGA CEO Mike Whalen; and USGA Senior Director Shannon Rouillard. She also had a chance to talk with Larry Fitzgerald, former pro football player who visited the Pebble Beach tournament from his home in Minnesota.
Madison said she is pleased and proud to be able to write for young people. Her goal, she said, is to “inspire kids to shoot for the stars and make their dreams come true.”
One thing’s for sure: Madison’s dreams are rapidly coming true.