An 11-year-old left a handwritten note on Jordan Spieth, the professional golfer's porch during tournament week. Two days later, a signed hat appeared on her doorstep in return. Jordan Spieth didn't have to do it. He just did.

Stella Gehring, an 11-year-old from the Quad Cities area in Illinois, had spotted Spieth driving through her neighborhood during the week of the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois. He waved at her through the window.

She decided to write him a note and leave it at the house where he was staying. Her mother, Yvonne Gehring, reported the story to KWQC on July 7, 2026.

Stella described what her note said in an interview with local outlet WQAD. "I basically said, 'Hi, I'm Stella. I'm a big fan, and I hope you do good at the John Deere Classic, and if you don't win, it's okay. At least you tried your best,'" she said.

She left the note on Friday. On Sunday, a signed hat from Spieth was waiting on her family's porch. Spieth has long been known for making time for young fans. Back in 2022, at the RBC Heritage, Spieth was greeted by a host of young fans.

At the time, Spieth promised he would return once he completed his other duties. And he delivered on that promise, even telling reporters in the media conference about the same. Nevertheless, when Stella received the hat, she promised she would keep it safe.

"I was confused, happy, and very surprised," she said. "I'm going to keep it safe on my shelf and just admire it... I think it was very thoughtful, and I'm very grateful for it, and he's a very kind person," Stella said.

Spieth is a two-time John Deere Classic champion, winning in 2013 and 2015. He finished T-58 at the 2026 edition, ending the week at 7-under par.

The Kindness Came in a Week When Spieth's Game Was Anything But Easy

Spieth needed three consecutive back-nine birdies on Friday just to make the cut at 3-under.

Spieth made the cut and finished tied for 58th. It matched his worst finish at the John Deere Classic. He has recorded eight top-25 finishes in 2026 but has not won since the 2022 RBC Heritage. His next event is The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

Away from the course in Silvis, Stella's story is not about golf scores or the leaderboard.

"There was some screaming, some jumping, some disbelief so yeah she was very excited and surprised. We all were. It was really cool," Yvonne told KWQC. "Just the fact that he took the time to think of doing that for a young kid that you know was just in the neighborhood and dropped off a note for him was awesome."

Do you think moments like this are what make golf's biggest stars stand apart? Drop your thoughts in the comments.

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Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar