SAN FRANCISCO, C.A. — Caitlyn Hathcock is a southerner at heart.
She grew up in Mint Hill and has lived in the Charlotte area her whole life, until two years ago, when she and her boyfriend moved out to San Francisco for work.
"I miss the south, the south is where it's at for sure," Hathcock said.
San Francisco is nice, she's not denying that but it's the little things she says she misses.
"I tried every place and looked for sweet tea and they looked at me like I was crazy," Hathcock said.
Hathcock is now the merchandise manager at TPC Harding Park, a gorgeous public golf course that was the home of the world golf challenge last year and will be the home of the PGA championship in 2020.
Hathcock said she loves her job, but it can get lonely on Sundays.
"I came out here and I was the only one to ever wear Panthers. I wore these (ears headband) to a bar and everyone asked me what they were," Hathcock said.
Her lucky ears, of course, that she credits for the Panthers Super Bowl run, but as the Panthers kept winning, the gear started popping up on the west coast.
Don't ever accuse Caitlyn of being a bandwagon fan.
"If I could wear a sign around my neck that says I am an original panther fan I would," Hathcock said.
She found some Panthers fans Saturday. The course hosted a golf the gridiron package specifically for Panther fans that had traveled to the bay area for the game and for a moment California felt like home.
"First thing I saw this morning was a guy with an old school Panthers sweatshirt on and it just brought me back and made me just so happy," Hathcock said.