Darren Woo is used to high-pressure situations. But for the veteran firefighter, his first time caddying at Augusta National brought a different kind of challenge. It was a story not about golf, but about the family he found on the fairway.

In the final round of the Augusta National Women's Amateur, alongside Maria José Marin, the father of five sons shifted from a firefighting role to that of an encouraging parent.

María José Marín is one of the rising names in amateur golf, and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur is among the most prestigious events in the game, featuring many of the world’s top-ranked players and future professionals.

When asked to share his view of the experience and its relevance compared with other events in his life, Woo declared, "Unfortunately, my boys are going to have to understand this … It's ranking up there in the top 5."

The seasoned firefighter was deeply touched by the sight of his wife and eldest son in the gallery, watching him guide Marin in that intense environment with the kind of support one would expect from a parent.

This unique relationship began three weeks earlier, when they played a practice round at Champions Retreat, and Woo treated the junior golfer like his own daughter.

He helped maintain her calmness, telling her to trust her game and stay patient, especially on the back nine.

A Legacy Mirrored in Maria’s Success

"Maybe I'll be lucky enough and have three granddaughters, and they can all grow up to be like Maria," Woo commented, looking into the future beyond the tournament.

With two more grandchildren expected in June, the moment carried extra weight for Woo. He has also closely followed Marín's progress alongside his three-year-old granddaughter.

His firefighter instincts showed in the middle of the competition. Rather than relying on the leaderboards, he worked out the numbers himself and gave Marín exact yardages.

On 18, he didn’t change anything. Same plan, same club, a 3-wood agreed on with the coach, even with the pressure.

Earlier, Marín had made a key birdie on the 16th to recover from her mistakes and get back on track.

In the end, Woo’s mentorship showed that the pull of family is constant, even at the world’s most elite golf clubs.

Read more at Daily Club Golf!

Written by

Abhishek Sharma

Edited by

Pulkit Prabhav