From Bugs to Hugs

Even though she got stung by a bee Sunday morning, Laura Diaz immensely enjoyed her four days as caddie for her big brother, PGA Professional Ron Philo, Jr., at Baltusrol. Now it's back to her real job on the LPGA Tour this week.

SPRINGFIELD, N.J. (AP) -- Laura Diaz's final round as a caddie for her brother at the PGA Championship started with a bee sting and ended with a birdie and a hug.

Four months pregnant, the LPGA Tour star carried the bag for her older brother, Ron Philo, Jr., a PGA Teaching Professional at The Kittansett Club in Marion, Mass., in the summer and during the winter at Amelia Island Plantation in Amelia Island, Fla. Their father, PGA Professional Ron Philo, Sr., was in the gallery, walking along with his children.

"I give a lot of respect to those caddies, carrying those 50-pound bags around for six days,'' the 30-year-old Diaz said Sunday evening.

The two-time LPGA Tour winner received applause and encouragement from members of the gallery as she strode down the fairways in temperatures that were rarely below 90 degrees throughout the week. The only painful part came just before the final round.

"Everything was going well until this morning on the practice tee, when I got stung by a bee,'' Diaz said, pointing to a lump by her right eye.

Diaz was heading home after Sunday's final round and was to have an ultrasound Monday morning. Later in the day she planned on flying to the LPGA Tour's Safeway Classic in Portland, Ore.

Philo, who made the cut in the PGA Championship on his sixth try, capped his round with a 4-foot birdie putt and finished at 9-over 289.

"I'll remember the heat," said Philo, "and I'll remember walking up the 18th with Laura."

Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved.