LPGA pro Alexa Pano can rattle off a handful of instances around the world where the New England Patriots logo she wears on her golf polos and bag has provided for a fun story.
From tournaments in Alabama and Arizona, and even recently at St. Andrews competing in the Women's Open, pockets of Patriots fans always present themselves in the gallery – even if they don't know who she is.
Once last year, upon arriving in Ireland to learn their luggage, clubs, and credentials were missing, Alexa and her father, Rick, managed to get right into the pro shop at the ISPS Honda World Invitational because the security guard recognized the 'Flying Elvis' emblem of her unique endorsement deal.
"There's this short, iron, stubby guy who is working security and I couldn't understand what he was saying with his accent," Rick recalls while on the driving range at TPC Boston on Tuesday while his daughter warms up to play a few holes with Patriots players Marcus Jones and Bryce Baringer for a video collaboration between the team and LPGA.
"I had to ask Alexa what he even said when he let us pass. He said, 'I love the Patriots. Tom Brady is the GOAT. This went on every day, and then, she wins. The guy was still there when we were leaving. We were the last car in the parking lot loading up the trunk and he yells, 'Go Patriots!' Then, a kid runs up out of nowhere and says, 'Alexa, you're the new GOAT. Go Patriots!'"
These stories go back even before Alexa turned pro at 17 and carried the Patriots logo on her bag in the 2022 U.S. Women's Open, leading to a more formal sponsorship from the team. Even as a seven-year-old, featured in The Short Game, a Netflix documentary chronicling child golf prodigies, she became synonymous with a youth-sized white Patriots visor.
More than a decade later, Alexa is competing in front of a "home crowd" for the first time in her professional career, as the LPGA Tour holds its first event in Massachusetts since 1997 – before she was even born.
"It's pretty cool," Alexa said Tuesday.
"I definitely didn't think that prior to four years ago this would be happening – especially here in Massachusetts. It's so cool to have the Tour back here to get to experience this and play a few holes with these guys."
The practice round between Alexa, Bryce, and Marcus was certainly unique, with a different challenge at three of the five holes they managed to squeeze in around the Patriots practice schedule, Alexa's media obligations, and the Boston Red Sox game she attended that night.
Bryce, who recently competed in the Massachusetts Amateur Championship and is a member at TPC Boston, was able to give the Panos some pointers about his home course ahead of the FM Championship.
"We're all pros, but not in the same sport, so it was cool to talk about our lines of work and the differences in things like travel," Bryce said after the round.
"We have our own plane and fly right out after a game. She was just in Scotland for The Open and flew here, got in this morning, and is now here getting ready for another tournament. We feel like we're going non-stop but she barely has days off with these stretches. And it just puts in perspective that they're planning all this travel themselves, and her weeks aren't necessarily guaranteed. It's a huge bet on herself because she could spend all the money to go play in a tournament, but if you miss the cut you're not seeing that back."
Thus far, the bet is paying off, but not without sacrifice.
Born in Westborough, Mass., Alexa was raised by her dad on golf courses in Florida as they returned to New England for summers. To focus on her game, she wanted to be homeschooled full-time and opted to forgo college and turn pro immediately.
As her professional career has begun to take off, Rick, who once played football at the University of New Hampshire, has put his own career on hold to support her schedule. And of course, to carry her bag on the LPGA Tour.
"Getting to experience this with him is always great and I'm happy the week is finally here," Alexa said of this journey with her father.
"I have a ton of family coming out. I've been pestering all the other players for tickets this week because I think I'll have quite the gallery. There's a lot of family and friends who haven't gotten to see me play before so I'm really excited."
Among that gallery will be a few new friends in the Patriots, and the local fans who are about to watch their new favorite golfer.
"I think that golf and women's sports in general are really going in the right direction," Bryce reflected after facing Alexa.
"You don't see the same grandstands as a men's tournament, but I think with what Alexa is doing at just 20 years old, she can connect with a young crowd and keep the game growing. It's awesome."
