Shinnecock Hills hosts the U.S. Open next week, and the golf world is bracing. It’s that kind of course. While the favorites are working through their yardage books, the DP World Tour just resurfaced a story that has nothing to do with swing mechanics or scoring averages. Danish pro Jeff Winther, who was leading the 2021 Mallorca Open, once got stuck with his wife for 45 minutes in a hotel bathroom while the biggest tee time of his career ticked closer.

“After breakfast I went to have a shower and my wife came in to use the bathroom as well. The door closed, and there’s no lock, but we locked ourselves in. Our little girl Nora had to go and find guys at reception to break down the door. We were in there for 45 minutes I think. I thought, ‘Jeez not today, not Sunday, you’re leading the freaking event. Might not get there for your tee time.’ I think it settled my nerves as I thought ‘Jeez, I might miss my tee time. I may not get out and see my kids, my kids are in the living room and have no chance! Six and two years old, what are you going to do?!'”

Winther finally got out. He took a breath, shot an even-par 70 at Golf Santa Ponsa — windy enough that even-par was work, and won the Mallorca Open by one. Maiden DP World Tour title. He’d shot 62 twice that week, which makes the bathroom detour feel even more surreal in hindsight.

Winther’s 38 now and has been grinding away on the DP World Tour for a while, 241 starts and over €4.2 million in the bank. He actually used to be a greenkeeper before turning pro back in 2012, which honestly makes sense for him. He even brings a fishing rod on the road. Currently 119th in the Race to Dubai standings and 339th in the world, Winther’s career-best ranking was 136th. He’s not a superstar, just a solid pro who shows up every week and sometimes gives us something to talk about.

Winther won’t be at Shinnecock this week; there is no information available regarding his participation in the U.S. Open field, and the DP World Tour doesn’t return until the DS Automobiles Open d’Italia on June 25. This is more about timing than importance. The tour had a quiet week and shared a good story. Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler heads into Shinnecock with a swing concern that a former PGA Tour pro pointed out, which is a very different pre-major problem.

Jeff Winther and the DP World Tour’s tradition of embracing the absurd

This isn’t even the tour’s wildest story. Tyrrell Hatton had his backswing interrupted by a toilet door at the 2019 Italian Open, his fiancée exiting a porta-potty at the worst possible second. A mongoose once grabbed Tommy Fleetwood’s ball mid-round, and Paul Waring turned up to this year’s “Influencer Training” sketch with a phone that still had Snake on it, and nobody on the tour seemed surprised. The DP World Tour has always had this side to it. Winther fits right in.

Shinnecock Hills next week. The rough, the wind, 156 players trying not to make doubles. All of that is coming. But before the golf world goes full pressure-cooker, Jeff Winther’s Sunday morning in Mallorca is worth one more look. Six-year-old daughter, hotel staff, broken door, and a trophy, all in that order.