The next day, Danielson was playing a practice round with Steve Stricker (a fellow Wisconsinite) and Scott Langley, who he partnered with on Monday in the Showcase (and who could not give him any advice that day).

The entire experience could be overwhelming for a golfer who has never played a PGA Tour event, let alone one from a small town in Wisconsin (Osceola, population 2568). But Danielson is a pretty laid-back guy with a great attitude. We spoke with him Monday after he won the Collegiate Showcase, and he sent us an email the next day thanking us for the story.

As for the experience?

"It's pretty humbling," Danielson told PGATour.com. "I'm honored. These are the best players in the world, and to compete with them on such a great golf course, and championship-style golf course, is pretty thrilling."

Evidently the Tour players were able to give some advice today, and Danielson likes Riviera. He went out on the back nine with two-straight birdies, settled down with two-straight bogeys, then made a birdie on 16 to finish at 1-under and turning to his second nine, the front. He birdied the first, a par-5 with an exhilarating tee shot from the clubhouse level to a fairway seemingly several stories below. Three more birdies and a lone bogey coming in gave Danielson a round one better than he posted in qualifying, a 4-under 67. As for his first tee shot, on the short par-4 10th hole today, Danielson told PGATour.com:

"I was nervous [today]. "I would say I was just as nervous for the practice round when all those pros are up there watching you tee off on 1. But luckily I had an iron in my hand, so I knew that I had a pretty wide fairway."

At the end of the day, Danielson wasn't just a player in the field of a PGA Tour event, he's tied for 5th.

His goals remain the same.

"I am going to go in tomorrow and have fun and whether I have a bad round or a good round or mediocre round, nothing is going to change," he said. "I'm just here for the experience and I'm here to play well."

NOTE:

2016 marks the second year for the Northern Trust Collegiate Showcase. Last year Will Zalatoris of Wake Forest qualified, but failed to make the 36-hole cut.