TOWN OF ERIN, Wis. — Two Washington County businesses are calling the 80th U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills a success, bringing new customers and excitement to the small town of Erin.
"It definitely was an uptick. There was buzz around the area," Down Slope Pub owner Tina Larsen said. "You definitely knew when they came in they were part of the golfing because they had the Erin Hills logo on."
Larsen enjoyed being part of the Erin community during the prestigious golf tournament.
Watch: Local businesses celebrate success from U.S. Women's Open at Erin Hills
"Just being in the little Town of Erin, it's just great to have that nice of a golf course here," she said. "I think that in and of itself is pretty exciting."
She prepared drinks, food and had conversations with volunteers, caddies, coaches and even professional players themselves.
"I didn't want to be abrasive," she said. "I didn't want to go up to them and be a part of their business, I just wanted them to enjoy the place and have a good time."
In addition to the Old Fashion drinks her pub us known for, the new customers wanted authentic Wisconsin beer, so Larsen introduced them to a local favorite.
"We introduced them to Schlitz!" she said. "That was a fun thing, they enjoyed it, and they drank us out of Schlitz!"
Closer to the course, Barbecue Company owner Andy Jepsen also saw an uptick in business. He had several players enjoy his food and even leave their autographs.
"We got into conversation and I said, 'Nelly, how did you do today? I didn't get to see how you wound up?' 'Well, it was a tough day, I didn't putt very well, but I did wind up even,'" Jepsen said.
Jepsen was referring to U.S. pro golfer Nelly Korda.
"She left with a rhubarb pie," he said. "Sure enough, on Saturday she had seven birdies, putting her right back into second place in contention for the tournament."
Even for the golfers who didn't place, Jepsen says it's their love of the game that matters and he loved being a part of it.
"It's just kind of cool to be in the environment with professionals that have the passion," he said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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