Bryan Anselm for The New York Times
It was well past midnight in Scotland by the time Sophia Popov FaceTimed with her parents, Philipp and Claudia, and older brothers Alex and Nicholas after winning the Women’s British Open at Royal Troon Golf Club in August.
The victory by Popov, then ranked 304th, shocked the golf world. It wasn’t just that she had claimed a major title following a handful of meager seasons as a professional but how impervious the 27-year-old had seemed to the final-round pressure on one of the world’s famous courses.
“There was a lot of joy and excitement on that call,” said her brother, Alex, 31.