In 2010, Tiger Woods was theoretically supposed to be the focus of the Ryder Cup. (Actually, Woods is realistically the only focus in golf period—maybe that Bubba guy too—but that is beside the point.)
All attention was on Woods that morning, until he misfired a ball straight at the lens of one of the camera men. The photographer magically got the shot of the ball in center stage of the screen.
But what got America’s attention that day remained in the background: A man stood bug-eyed and goofy with a cigar in his mouth and, what Fox News so politically correctly jumped to as a turban atop his head (the “turban” was later discovered to be a wig).
With the publically coined nickname “Cigar Guy,” the mystery man became the internet sensation of the week. The picture was found on several popular sites including Reddit and was quickly turned into several memes. Fox News, along with a host of other news organizations, found it necessary to conduct a quest to seek the man’s identity and purpose behind the accessories.
An article from the Daily Mail discovered both Cigar Guy’s identity as Rupesh Shingadia’s identity and his thoughts on the matter.
“I have never done anything like this before,” Shingadia said. “I’m just an ordinary guy who loves golf and follows Arsenal. If I had known the incredible reaction it would produce, the way that Cigar Guy has snowballed, I would probably never have put on my costume. That said, I’m glad it has put a smile on people’s faces.”
Shingadia’s stated purpose for dressing in this odd fashion was to resemble his favorite Spanish golfer.
Flash forward to the 2012 U.S. Open, and a Cigar Guy relives, found in no other than a Seattle University student.
Senior Ryan Dennison was spotted on cameras by chance when sporting his fashionable Halloween costume. Dennison had no purpose in wearing the outfit other than to stand out from the redundant plaid and khakis every other spectator flaunted.
“I thought it would be more of an event and not so sophisticated. I figured it would be more fun and entertaining, a couple other people were dressed in stuff like that, but very few,” said Dennison.
Obviously, there weren’t enough people in attire quite flashy enough to catch the media’s attention. Dennison can be seen in the picture in stunningly flattering green trousers, matched with a classy cap and Van’s, topped off with a cigar in mouth. Dennison said he knew that he would be on T.V. due to the direction the ball was traveled at one point, but had no idea it would be on the internet.
“My friend saw it on deadspin.com and let me know. I thought it was hilarious,” Dennison said.
Moral of the story: plaid khaki’s should maybe never be the pant of choice.
