About 14 years ago, pro golfer D.A. Weibring was in a father/son golf tournament in a 5-hole exhibition with his son, Matt, at the Western Open.
On one of the holes, Weibring hit a tough pitch shot onto the green and watched it roll toward the pin. Weibring went up to tap it in and claimed that he could feel a presence looking at him.
As Weibring looked up, he saw a young Tiger Woods, who was golfing in the same exhibition alongside his father Earl. Weibring still remembers how big Tiger's eyes were while watching his tough shot.
Woods then did something that many probably wouldn't expect. He asked Weibring when they were finished if he could show him how he played that shot. That, according to Weibring, just shows Woods' focus and constant determination to improve.
"To me, he did two things. He showed respect to an older player that he was kicking pretty good," Weibring said laughing. "But also, his mindset is to get better. He got in trouble a couple times saying 'I won with my C-plus game' and in his mind, it probably was. That's how good he is. He's always looking to get better."
Weibring was at the Williamsport Country Club on Monday for the Pennsylvania College of Technology Foundations' 26th Annual Golf Classic.
Each year, the event raises money for the school's scholarship fund. Since 1990, 383 scholarships have been awarded from the fund, providing over $440,000 in financial assistance.
Weibring was more than happy to be at the Williamsport Country Club because it's a charitable-type event that he himself is used to taking part in back in his hometown of Quincy, Ill.
"It's a good feeling when they're raising scholarship dollars for kids and I guess from a variety of different backgrounds and educational opportunities and we were trying to help kids there (back home too)," Weibring said. "I understand what they're trying to do and (I'll) give my best to make sure they have a good time today."
Spectators had a good time in the morning when Weibring gave a nearly 2-hour long clinic to those in attendance. Weibring talked about various topics, from demonstrating proper ways to chip, drive and putt, to hitting out of sand traps and proper grips and swing forms.
Some have questioned whether or not Woods is back to his old form after his injuries and brief leave from the game following his scandal in 2009. After winning at Bay Hill and the Memorial already this year, some say he's back while others continue to say he's struggling.
There's no doubt to Weibring that Woods is back.
"This whole thing about is he back? You got guys on TV (saying) 'Well until he wins a major again, he's not going to be back in my mind.' He's already got 14 (Major wins)," Weibring said. "I've won one and that's on the Champions Tour and I had my chances to win on the regular tour, didn't quite get it done. He's got 14, so I think the boys need to step back and realize what they're saying."
Weibring has both five PGA Tour and Champions Tour victories in his career.
Weibring had been impressed with Woods talent on the golf course when they first played together at the Western Open, and he knows how good Woods is.
"It's hard to explain how good he really is. The power, the concentration, the short game. His strengths go all the way across the board and I think most good players who are successful on the PGA Tour have some area of strengths that help them get there," Weibring said. "Tiger has them across the board, there's just no weaknesses there."
Weibring used to lay in front of the television watching Arnold Palmer golf and tell his parents that's what he wanted to do and he remembers how charismatic Palmer was and thinks that Phil Mickelson has that sort of charisma as well.
"He's got a nice knack to interact with the fans and the public. (Palmer) just had a natural charisma," Weibring said. "I think Phil works at that, I'm not sure if it's as natural as Arnold, but amazing talent."
