The signing of Caleb Surratt to the LIV Golf League was one of the more unexpected of the off-season, as he left the amateur game behind to turn pro and team up with Jon Rahm’s Legion XIII.
While Surratt’s elevation from amateur to one of the highest-profile circuits in the men’s game has been rapid, though, the 19-year-old may not have expected his relatively young age to be a problem when the team checked into its hotel ahead of the LIV Golf Las Vegas event.
The Legion XIII team faced the media ahead of the event at Las Vegas Country Club, and one of the quartet, Tyrrell Hatton, explained Surratt’s age proved a stumbling block at the hotel reception desk.
He said: “Checking in yesterday, I kind of kept looking over to Caleb, and he was looking over at me quite nervous, so once I finished checking in, I sort of wandered over to make sure that he was okay, and as I got there, the lady checking him in said that he needed someone over 21 to be on the reservation to allow him to stay in the room. I had to hand over my driver's license to make sure he had a bed for the night.”
Despite being by some distance the youngest in the team, Surratt’s assured performance at the season opener in Mexico showed plenty of maturity. The North Carolina native produced one of the standout displays at El Camaleon Golf Club, finishing T13 to help Legion XIII claim a debut victory.
Rahm is also in no doubt that Surratt was ready to make the leap from University of Tennessee sophomore to the pro game. He said: “Well, he might be 19, but first time he ever walked me through his process to make this decision is about as mature as it came. He showed me real quick that he was ready. He was ready to make the jump.”
Surratt then explained his own philosophy for getting to grips with professional golf, saying: “I just think it's a bit more of a blunt statement, but it's more of how can I just learn to compete and win out here. I know that's a big thing to say as a 19 year old, but there's no better way to base my process and base my goals than having that as kind of the forefront thing for me."
While Surratt is aware his pro career will require a learning curve, perhaps thanks to his hotel experience, he also appears to know where he stands away from the course. The team was also asked if it would take in any other events while in Las Vegas, particularly with the Super Bowl taking place in the city the day after the tournament ends.
Surratt said: “I'm told where to be and when to be. I don't know the first thing of what's going on. Maybe these guys do. I don't even know if I could get in.”
