ST. ANDREWS, Scotland – There are many logos scattered about the Old Course this week:
St. Andrews Golf Links and other top courses from around the world.
Equipment manufacturers and apparel brands.
Football (or soccer) teams.
And then there’s Alexa Pano supporting the New England Patriots, both on her jacket and golf bag.
“I get asked about it a lot over here because it confuses them,” Pano said Saturday after firing a 3-under 69 that moved her inside the top 10 at the AIG Women’s Open.
So, why does Pano rock the Pats logos? For one, she’s a huge fan. Her dad and caddie, Rick, has had season tickets for decades, and Pano is a self-described “big Julian Edelman girl” who was so starstruck when she met Tom Brady that she “forgot for a moment that he can’t just live inside my TV screen.”
But there’s more to this. After Pano put a Patriots logo on her bag at the 2022 U.S. Women’s Open, one of her first events as a pro, the Patriots reached out to her, and a partnership was born. It was the first deal between a female golfer and an NFL franchise.
“I’ve had [the logo] on my bag ever since and on my shirt ever since I was on the LPGA, and so it’s a really cool deal for me,” Pano said. “They are supportive of everything I do, and to have something that you’ve idolized and watched on TV and be supportive of you is really cool. I’m very excited for our event in Boston next week because I’m actually going to be doing stuff with the Patriots with that as well.”
Pano’s relationship comes with some other perks. She was on the field for last season’s game against the Chiefs. She’s also spent some time with the Krafts. And perhaps the perk to top all perks, at least for a 20-year-old girl:
“They did help me get some Eras Tour tickets last year,” Pano said, referring to Taylor Swift’s ultra-popular tour.