Here’s how ‘Today’ co-host Dylan Dreyer says her husband turned her game around

ORLANDO, Fla. — Dylan Dreyer’s third appearance at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions started off a little rocky.

“Luckily, my caddie/husband, knows when I need a drink on the course, and honestly, that little vodka cranberry turned my whole game around,” said Dreyer, longtime NBC meteorologist and host of the “Today” show, of her opening round.

Dreyer, who comes down from New York out of the cold every year to Orlando, once again had husband Brian Fichera on the bag. An NBC News producer and cameraman, Fichera is the one who introduced Dreyer to golf when they started dating in 2010 while working together at WHDH in Boston.

Dreyer, 43, was one of 51 celebrities in the TOC field, competing for a purse of $500,000 in a modified Stablebord format. Recently retired hockey player Joe Pavelski won the event in his first appearance.

Pavelski, who lives in Wisconsin, and Dreyer had one thing in common in that both warmed up for the week on a simulator. Dreyer said the last time she’d played a round of golf outside before coming down to Lake Nona was last August. One thing, however, that works in her favor going forward: Her kids all love golf.

“You know, we never pushed them into it,” said Dreyer. “We kind of just had it on TV on the weekends, and they would watch and putt around the house, like on a little putter thing and they love going to a chip-and-putt that we have near our house, you know, it’s kind of a walk in the park, and they love it. They love going to the simulator, all three, they’re 8, 5 and 3. They all love it.”

Former U.S. soccer star Brandi Chastain made her debut in the TOC this year as did NBC Sports reporter Kira Dixon, a former Miss America. Six females competed in the celebrity division, including Lake Nona resident Annika Sorenstam, a 10-time major champion.

“Being inside the lines is really special,” said Chastain. “My grandfather so desperately wanted me to play golf, and I went to the driving range with him, he took me to Pebble Beach. He told me all the history about golf and all the players and I loved it because he loved it. … I just never had formal training, but it was something that we could do together. It’s very endearing to me and very special.

“When I see families and young kids, to me, that’s the best part of being here. They can look at those professional players, and you can see the light in their eyes. That’s really important.”

Dreyer, a 15-handicap, finished last in the celebrity event but hopes her presence and outlook inspires others who might say no to an invitation out of fear of embarrassment.

“You know, you can’t perform at that top level in a different sport, but no one cares,” said Dryer. “Honestly, people are excited to meet you for what you do and the relationship you have with the fans and the people who come out to watch an event like this.

“Good golf is a bonus, but it’s not why people are here.”

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: NBC meteorologist Dylan Dreyer returns to LPGA TOC