Andrew Wilson and Delphine Tseng outside the New York Public Library on their wedding day. They were married Oct. 28, 2017, at Bryant Park in New York City. Photo courtesy of Delphine Tseng
GCSAA’s Golf Industry Show is known for showcasing shiny, new products. Job leads. Education. Even romance? You bet.
Three years ago, at the Golf Industry Show in San Diego, Andrew Wilson and Delphine Tseng went on their first date. They dined at Don Chido, a Mexican restaurant on Fifth Ave. The stage for their West Coast encounter had been set a few months earlier on the East Coast, when Wilson, director of agronomy at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, N.Y. — home of the 2019 PGA Championship on the Black Course — met Delphine for the first time when she paid him a work-related visit.
At the time, Delphine worked for Audubon International. “One of the things I wanted to see was how they support the wildlife here,” Delphine says. Before her Bethpage visit, a friend had mentioned to her that Wilson had been employed at the property for about 20 years. “So I thought he was, like, 65 years old,” Delphine says with a laugh.
Much to her surprise, she found someone not of senior citizen status when she introduced herself to Wilson, a 19-year GCSAA member. “He was so courteous and sharing about the good things that he and other superintendents do at their courses,” Delphine says. “He wanted to be able to tell that story, and I wanted to be the one to tell the story.”
Oh, and one other thing: “He was really cute,” she says.
Delphine joined Andrew following his appearance on a segment for Golf Channel Monday evening. From left are Golf Channel’s Rich Lerner, Brandel Chamblee, Frank Nobilo and David Duval. Photo by Howard Richman
Wilson was certainly intrigued by Delphine. “I could tell she is smart. Funny. Knew a little bit about the golf course. She had more knowledge of the PGA Tour than I did,” Wilson says. “I think we hit it off a little.”
A little blossomed into a lot.
On Oct. 28, 2017, the two were married at Bryant Park in New York City. Anymore, when you see one of them at a golf industry event, there’s a good chance you’ll see the other.
A native of Taiwan, Delphine came to the U.S. 17 years ago and studied at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., earning a degree in science and technology. She helped build energy-efficient homes for five years, later went to work for Audubon International, and then started her own business two years ago. It’s called Landseer, a communications and consulting business whose mission is “See the land. Tell the stories.”
Landseer is aimed at environmental education. One of its projects is coloring books/storybooks for kids that teach them about wildlife on golf courses. Delphine has done 10 books so far, and she has personally reached out to more than 20,000 spectators at pro golf tournaments to spread the word about golf’s environmental benefits.
How do you best describe Delphine? Without hesitation, “outgoing” comes to mind. “By Thursday (the first round of this week’s PGA Championship), everyone will know her name,” Wilson says. “She’s just a positive spirit.”
Delphine, who has a son (15-year-old J-Mi) from before she and Wilson married, contrasts her and her husband’s personalities. “I hug everyone. Love everyone. He’s like a tree,” Delphine giggles. “One time, he patted me on the back. I said, ‘Are you flirting with me?’ Really, though, I absolutely admire his integrity. He has very high standards for himself, and he works every single day. And Andrew and J-Mi adore each other. That’s one of the reasons I knew he (Andrew) was the one.”
Andrew with his size-11 FootJoy FLEX Blackout shoes — a limited edition for the 2019 PGA Championship — which were a gift from Delphine.
You know her best as Delphine. This week, though, she’s sporting a shoutout to her husband and their wedding date. Photos by Howard Richman
Wilson makes time to see Delphine ride horses. “I’ll ride for an hour. I don’t see other husbands coming to watch,” Delphine says. “I don’t think I’m wrong to say he’s proud of me in everything I do. I told him ‘I fell in love with you the very first time I saw you.’ He’s very well-read, intelligent and kind.”
And, obviously, thoughtful. Delphine had the proof in her hands this week and was showing it off to Wilson’s crew and volunteers. “He gave me Tiger’s (Woods) and (Brooks) Koepka’s divots,” she says. “I’m a very spoiled wife. I know that.”
Wilson is pretty spoiled himself. Delphine surprised him during Monday afternoon’s crew/volunteer meeting with a pair of FootJoy limited-edition FLEX Blackout shoes, designed just for the 2019 PGA Championship and featuring the iconic “Warning” sign from Bethpage Black’s first tee.
Howard Richman is GCM’s associate editor.