Annie Dulman spent last summer unpacking boxes and stocking shelves as a USGA merchandise intern for the U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open at Pinehurst No. 2. She’s spending this week stuffing approach shots and sinking birdie putts as a competitor in the 115th U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship at Portland Golf Club.

Before, during and in between her stints inside and outside the ropes at USGA championships, Dulman has been the best NCAA Division II women’s golfer in the country. Dulman, 21, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., was the 2013 national freshman of the year and player of the year, as well as the 2014 national player of the year and 2015 co-national player of the year for Rollins College.

It was through Rollins College that her internship came to fruition. Mary Lopuszynski, senior director for Merchandise & Licensing for the USGA, is a Rollins graduate and encouraged her to apply for one of 20 positions.

Dulman was wary of the time commitment that would require her to play less golf in the summer, but everything fell into place. The 2014 NCAA Division II women’s golf championship was contested in Conover, N.C., about two hours from Pinehurst. Dulman was offered a position and drove to the NCAAs herself so she could head straight to Pinehurst.

She worked on-site for nearly two months, helping set up and maintain the merchandise tent for the historic back-to-back U.S. Open Championships.

"It was really cool, because there were two Opens. It was neat to see what was going on beforehand,” said Dulman. "It was a long two weeks, but we survived."

Dulman was tasked with multiple duties at Pinehurst, not the least of which included picking out shirts and ties for USGA Executive Director Mike Davis and USGA President Tom O’Toole Jr.

Of course, Dulman got plenty of her own U.S. Open merchandise, too, – one of the perks of the internship – something she is constantly reminded of.

"Sometimes, I will see people wearing U.S. Open shirts with the Pinehurst logo and I'll know they got it at the Merchandise Tent,” she said. “That's the only place they could have gotten it."

After missing the cut in the 2012 Women’s Amateur, Dulman is more than holding her own in her second attempt. She easily qualified for match play at 2-over 146, and followed with a  great closing stretch in the Round of 64 on Wednesday, winning  holes 13-15, including birdies on the last two holes, to beat Hannah Wood, 3 and 2.

Dulman, who faces Caroline Inglis on Thursday morning in the Round of 32, said her favorite thing about her internship experience is the appreciation it gave her as a player for all that goes into conducting a national championship.

"It was really cool getting to see how it all operates. I didn't realize how much actually went into it,” she said. “It's a lot of work, so I really appreciate the experience. As a player, you're so focused that you don't really know everything that's going on to run a championship. It made me further appreciate what the USGA does."    

Joey Flyntz is an associate writer for the USGA. Email him at jflyntz@usga.org.