Hunter Mahan, leading RBC Canadian Open, withdraws when wife goes into labor

So here’s a story of priorities. Hunter Mahan, one of the best golfers on the planet and a guy one week removed from a fine showing in the British Open, was in the lead at the RBC Canadian Open when he got word that his wife Kandi had gone into labor with their first child.

And just like that, Mahan left the tournament to be at his wife’s side.

Mahan, the overnight leader, hadn’t yet teed off, so it’s not like he was pulled in off the course. Still, a man’s got to do the right thing, yes?

The baby wasn’t due for another few weeks, which is probably why Mahan wasn’t at their Dallas home in the first place. Mahan’s agent indicated that Kandi’s water had broken and that she was being taken to the hospital; Mahan had hit exactly two balls on the driving range when he got the news. He immediately withdrew from the tournament and headed to an airport to catch a plane back to Texas.

Back in 1999, Phil Mickelson famously wore a beeper during the U.S. Open. His daughter was born the day after Mickelson lost to Payne Stewart. More recently, Ross Fisher vowed to walk off the course at the 2009 British Open no matter what if he heard his wife was going into labor; he was just one stroke behind leader Tom Watson at the time.

The Mahans already know that the baby will be a girl with the planned name of Zoe. And her daddy’s already got a ready-made “here’s what I sacrificed for you!” story when she becomes a mouthy teenager.

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Devil Ball Golf – Golf – Yahoo! Sports