Best Major Championship Personal Story

[Jeff_Brauer]

Seem to have covered the gamut on courses of the majors.  How about personal gallery experiences?

Here are mine:

1970 Hazeltine Open - Following Lee Trevino.  He advertises for Faultless, but there is some scuttlebutt that he still plays Titleist.  He hits one in the rough near me, and I scramble up to look at the ball label, which is facing down.  I strain and strain to see it, time goes by, and before I know it, Trevino is beside me telling me to "back up kid, because  a 7 iron in the forehead is no kind of souvenir to take home from the US Open!"

1979 US Open at Inverness - at the famous 8th, the Hinkle Tree hole, I notice that JN, AP and Trevino are coming in three successive groups, so I stay by the green to see them.  In order, JN stubs his chip, AP skulls it over the green, and Trevino stubs his.  What are chances of seeing three all time greats miss shots within a half an hour?  BTW, also saw Clampett play from his knees.

[Phil McDade]

Nearly ran into Jack Nicklaus walking off the green at Canterbury at the 1973 PGA (which he won).

Couldn't believe just how big Ernie Els was at the 2004 PGA at Whistling Straits. I mean, he's NFL lineman big.

Was amazed at how supple Vijay Singh was as he striped iron after iron at the practice range at Carnoustie in 1999.

[Joel_Stewart]

1971 US Open - Merion.

I was 15 and my mother drove me up to watch the final round.   We ended up sitting on the rope on the 18th green.   Earlier in the day we watched Jim Simmons blow up.   On the last group, Jack Nicklaus needs birdie to win.  Has about a 20 footer to win and misses.  I run out onto the green after he putts out and am the first person to shake his hand.  Next day he looses to Trevino in a playoff.

1972 - US Open - Pebble Beach

Walking around Pebbles first US Open.  Walk with Nicklaus, Julius Boros and US Amateur champion Lanny Wadkins.   I remember the rough being so long it flowed into the bunkers.

1998 - US Open - Olympic Club.

As a member I'm choosen to work on the locker room committee.   Spent the entire week tin the locker room talking with players at their lockers.  Only went onto the course once.  Witnessed amazing dynamics between players, agents and manufacturers. 

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Jeff, Nice stories lol. Same to Joel. Mine is not an Open story. I took one to the chest to help it back in the fairway for Arnold Palmer many years ago at Sawgrass. Later I nearly ran over a few small children to get his autograph near the clubhouse. lol If you ask my exwife, I did run over a few kids. lol

[Steve Kline]

1991 PGA at Crooked Stick - In one of the early rounds the storm warning sign was put on the scoreboard even though it was perfectly sunny. My dad and immediately walk to the car but no one else seems to be leaving. We get in the car and turn on the radio to hear a man was killed in one the parking fields when he was struck by lightning getting into his car. Talk about an eerie feeling.

1999 US Open at Pinehurst - Before going my wife asked whaat she should pack. I laughed and said, "Honey, it is Pinehurst in June. It will be 90-100 degrees every day. The final round rolls around and we get to the18th hole bleachers at 8:00. The back row is already full so we find a seat in about the 8th row. It is about 55-60 degrees and misting. Of course we both have on shorts because it is never that cold in Pinehurst in June. After sitting there with nothing to do for a couple of hours (could not read our books because of the rain) we were really cold. The lady next to us when back to her house in the village to put some jeans on. When she came back she had a blanket for us. When Payne Stewart laid up and wedged it fairly short of the flag I told my wife we were staying for the playoff on Monday. We had seen at least 20% of the field putt from that same spot and not one of them got it to the hole. When Payne made the putt and did his one-legged fist pump he was looking right in our direction. It was the loudest roar I have ever heard.

[Matthew Rose]

Went to 98 Women's Open at Blackwolf... on Saturday. Nancy Lopez had missed the cut. While most players would probably prefer to get the hell out of Dodge at that point, Nancy did not. She and Ray walked around on Saturday as spectators. We encountered her a couple of different times. They sat down, mingled with fans and watched right along with the rest of us.

[Jeff Tang]

I wasn't part of the gallery but I did volunteer to be a standard bearer as a teenager at the 1989 PGA at Kemper Lakes.  As luck would have it my group drew Arnold Palmer for the first round.  Palmer made par at the first 3 holes and then went on a birdie run making 5 in a row en route to shooting an incredible front nine 31.  There wasn't a place to stand to see Palmer as he played that 8th hole and made his fifth birdie in a row and the roar was unreal.  People were going nuts!  My buddy and I had a front row seat as we kept putting up more and more red for Arnie.  He ended up with a 68 that day but this is one of my most favorite golf memories.  What I also took away from that week was just how crazy people were to get Arnold's autograph and how gracious he was to keep signing for what seemed like forever.

I had a good draw that week as my group also included Greg Norman later that week.  This is when Greg was the superstar on tour.  I remember kneeling down next to a tee marker waiting for our group to hit and Norman puts his peg in the ground right next to the tee marker that I'm kneeling next to.  There was no where to go as the tee was ringed with spectators and his ball was probably no more than a foot and a half to two feet from my head as he played his shot.  Before hitting he said "don't move", then went ahead and spanked it off the tee.  I've never held so still in my life.  It was at that moment I knew these guys were playing a game that very few could, to be able to play in an environment with people so close to you seemed crazy to me at the time.

[Brad LeClair]

2006 US Open @ WFW.  Sunday afternoon, final pairing, I am standing no more than 10' from Mickelson on 18 tee.  The fans had been pulling for him all week and when Bones pulled the driver the crowd went bezerk!  I recall hearing "Don't do it Phil, the champagne's on ice just hit the f***in 3 wood!", "Bones don't let him do it" and "Noooooo!!!".  While he didn't end up losing the tournament from the sliced tee ball, but rather the overly aggressive 3iron from the rough that followed it, it was a moment i'll never forget.

[Sam Morrow]

In the merchandise tent during the 07 PGA I was looking at a shirt that I liked when somebody grabbed it and took it. It was Bubba Watson, he said it for his Dad or someone.

[Tom ORourke]

I have a few but one was at the 74 Open at Winged Foot. I was in the left rough on the 17th hole late on Sunday. The only one who I saw get home in 2 was Weiskopf, and it is a par 4. He was playing with Gary Player, who yelled over, "what did you hit?" Weiskopf held up 3 fingers for 3 iron and Player just shook his head and laughed at the idea of how long that shot was. And then Hale Irwin hit his tee shot right in front of us. He and his caddy were discussing fairway wood or wedging it out, and when he took the wood out of his bag everyone around us was snickering. The rough was brutal, plus it was wet. The shot never really got airborne but rolled out to a spot where he wedged it on and made a putt for par. The wood probably went as far as the wedge would have, but at the time we all were wondering if he would even get it out of the rough, never mind make par.  

[Jeff_Mingay]

2008 PGA Championship @ Oakland Hills.

I'm walking down the left side of the 2nd hole, back toward the tees. For whatever reason, there are very few people in this area of the course at the time and I walk right into Pete Dye.

[Jud_T]

1999 PGA Championship Medinah:

Was there on Sunday.  Stood on the fifth tee for an hour to get a closeup view of Tiger and Sergio.  Saw them hit one tee shot.  Wandered around the course for a bit following a few nobodys to avoid the throng.  Went into the tent to watch the finish when a big screen and a cold beer became a lot more appealing than jockeying with 20,000 for a glimpse at the marquee pairing in 90 degree heat and humidity.  Decided then and there to only attend Amateur or Women's events going forward...

[Tim Martin]

 BPB 2009 U S Open - Got a picture with Walker Cup captain George "Buddy" Marucci while sporting a New York Giants tee shirt which is sort of like getting a picture with Superman while wearing an I love Kryptonite tee shirt.

During the Wed practice round my 14 year old son had his hat signed by GMac and Rory which is much more significant now than it was then.

[Niall C]

I'm perhaps fortunate that living in Scotland I've managed to attend nearly every Open played in Scotland since 1975, even if only for one day, and therefore probably have a few more stories than most but the one that comes up most often at family gatherings was at the first one at Carnoustie in '75.

I was 10 at the time, and during the practice rounds I collected players autographs. I approached one fourball playing down one of the holes, and as I approached one of the players stopped to reach out for my pen and paper. I looked at him and thought no way is that old duffer signing my autograph book, so went to the next guy who burst out laughing along with everyone else, including the "old duffer".

When I got back to my mother who was standing, less than pleased at the side of the fairway, she taught me firstly how to have better manners and secondly that the "old duffer" was none other than Arnold Palmer.

Niall  

[Link Walsh]

1981 PGA at, you guessed it, Atlanta Athletic Club-

We were out there all week.  I got tons of autographs at a practice round, including Player and Palmer on 18 tee (literally).  My dad was encouraging me to get their autographs as they waited to hit their tee shots.  I assume he meant for me to just ask them.  But, being 9, I just literally walked out onto the tee box and held out my program and pen.  Needless to say, Player made a little joke about it, but they both signed it!

Also, on Sunday my family sat down at the corner of the dogleg under a tree on 8 to watch the field go through.  I fell asleep and wound up on the front page of the Atlanta Journal the next day under a headline "Wake me when it's over".  The caption ends, "to find out what young Link missed, turned to the Sports section. 

I didn't really know who Larry Nelson was at the time, but we were right there to watch the trophy presentation.

[Kalen Braley]

I have a few but one was at the 74 Open at Winged Foot. I was in the left rough on the 17th hole late on Sunday. The only one who I saw get home in 2 was Weiskopf, and it is a par 4. He was playing with Gary Player, who yelled over, "what did you hit?" Weiskopf held up 3 fingers for 3 iron and Player just shook his head and laughed at the idea of how long that shot was. And then Hale Irwin hit his tee shot right in front of us. He and his caddy were discussing fairway wood or wedging it out, and when he took the wood out of his bag everyone around us was snickering. The rough was brutal, plus it was wet. The shot never really got airborne but rolled out to a spot where he wedged it on and made a putt for par. The wood probably went as far as the wedge would have, but at the time we all were wondering if he would even get it out of the rough, never mind make par.  

I have a hard time believing this.  Giving out club info is at least a two shot penalty...unless the rules were different back then.

[Link Walsh]

I have a few but one was at the 74 Open at Winged Foot. I was in the left rough on the 17th hole late on Sunday. The only one who I saw get home in 2 was Weiskopf, and it is a par 4. He was playing with Gary Player, who yelled over, "what did you hit?" Weiskopf held up 3 fingers for 3 iron and Player just shook his head and laughed at the idea of how long that shot was.

I have a hard time believing this.  Giving out club info is at least a two shot penalty...unless the rules were different back then.

I think it's safe to assume that Player already played his approach into the green considering Weiskopf's prodigious length.  That wouldn't be a penalty, would it? 

[Kalen Braley]

I have a few but one was at the 74 Open at Winged Foot. I was in the left rough on the 17th hole late on Sunday. The only one who I saw get home in 2 was Weiskopf, and it is a par 4. He was playing with Gary Player, who yelled over, "what did you hit?" Weiskopf held up 3 fingers for 3 iron and Player just shook his head and laughed at the idea of how long that shot was.

I have a hard time believing this.  Giving out club info is at least a two shot penalty...unless the rules were different back then.

I think it's safe to assume that Player already played his approach into the green considering Weiskopf's prodigious length.  That wouldn't be a penalty, would it? 

Yes that would be true.  After they had both hit, then its OK to ask.

Sorry for jumping the gun there!! 

[Michael Ryan]

1995 US Open at Shinnecock Hills, my brother and I were there most of the week and decided to head to the area left of the 18th fairway with about 90 minutes left in the final round.  From there we could see the 16th green, 17th tee and 18 fairway and green.  Watched Corey Pavin hit that 4 wood into the final green and win his first major.  I remember the sentiment from that week, the course was the real winner.  Bombers like Lehman, Norman and young Mickelson battling the shorter more strategic guys like Verplank, Tway and Pavin.  Everyone was even that week and they didn't have to kill the greens to do so....

[Jeff_Brauer]

Had one at the 95 Open, too.

See a Wild Wing hat on the guy next to me in the gallery.  Asked which course he played and he replied "I always play the Hummingbird or Woodstork courses."  I was a bit dissapointed, and asked why he didn't play the Avocet.  His reply cheered me up, though.  He said "Can never get on."

Not majors but at the Ryder Cup, my ex and I were coming out of a corporate tent, and she literally ran into Michael Jordan.  However, she blurted out, "Hey, its Michael Jackson!"

[archie_struthers]

 

Caddies in the 1975 Women's Open at Atlantic City CC.  Caddies were assigned by lot and drew a fine local amateur player who hit it good but missed the cut.    If memory serves Sandra Palmer won the tournament.   The following week started looping at Pine Valley, which turnednout to be a great break ! 

[Rory Connaughton]

Seeing hometowner Jim Furyk win in 2003 with my father was terrific.

Same tournament: as a Dub my father was keen to follow Harrington. As he approached the first tee Thea crowd was calling out to him but he kept his eyes forward to the crowds disappointment.  After he hit his tee shot and was walking off the tee, my father shouted something to him in Irish.  Harrington stopped looked squarely at my father and gave him a big smile.
my father was then mobbed by people wanting to know what was said. We still laugh about it.

[Mike Demetriou]

At the Open in 2003 at Olympia, I was a Marshall, but decided to go on my “off” days to watch some of the fun stuff. During a practice round I was able to sit directly behind the tee on the 7th hole (normally the 16th hole), which is a 212 yd par 3.   I watched a dozen or so players come and go – Jesper, Furyk, Els and a couple others started drawing a bit of a gallery, and of course all the usual suspects had huge followings.  Colin Montgomerie was still a bit of a lightning rod given his antics, but was generally a popular player to watch as well.  In fact, a friend of mine had given me a “be nice to Monty” button that someone had given him the year prior at Bethpage, and I think I may have been wearing it, though my memory is hazy.   Regardless, I’m standing up at this point, and he gets to the tee, and talks the club selection over with his caddie, then proceeds to fire a mid-iron of some sort which fades rather dramatically way right of the green. He immediately reaches into his pocket, takes out another ball and drops it next to his divot.  I said out loud, “I do that too.”  A few people in the gallery heard me and chuckled. Monty didn’t like that at all, you could just tell. He never acknowledged me, but he started focusing very intently on his bag, then the green, then pulled a new club, waggled it a few times, addressed his ball and hit the purest tee shot I think I'd ever seen. The ball went sizzled, went really high, drew a little bit, dropped about 2 feet from the cup and then rolled about another foot toward it.  People started cheering and jeering the show… 

He takes off his glove, hands his club to his caddie, starts to walk, and looking back at me, he says “DO YOU DO THAT TOO??”  At this point the tables turned, and everyone laughed along with him, and a few at me… it was very funny, and a reminder that these guys are just ridiculously talented.

[Jason Topp]

2002 PGA. Tiger had a birdie putt from 20 feet or so. Right before he putts Beam's eagle goes on the scoreboard. He stares and then blows his putt 4 feet past and misses the comebacker. It was the first time it occurred to me Beem might win.

[Tim_Cronin]

I wasn't part of the gallery but I did volunteer to be a standard bearer as a teenager at the 1989 PGA at Kemper Lakes.  As luck would have it my group drew Arnold Palmer for the first round.  Palmer made par at the first 3 holes and then went on a birdie run making 5 in a row en route to shooting an incredible front nine 31.  There wasn't a place to stand to see Palmer as he played that 8th hole and made his fifth birdie in a row and the roar was unreal.  People were going nuts!  My buddy and I had a front row seat as we kept putting up more and more red for Arnie.  He ended up with a 68 that day but this is one of my most favorite golf memories.  What I also took away from that week was just how crazy people were to get Arnold's autograph and how gracious he was to keep signing for what seemed like forever.

I had a good draw that week as my group also included Greg Norman later that week.  This is when Greg was the superstar on tour.  I remember kneeling down next to a tee marker waiting for our group to hit and Norman puts his peg in the ground right next to the tee marker that I'm kneeling next to.  There was no where to go as the tee was ringed with spectators and his ball was probably no more than a foot and a half to two feet from my head as he played his shot.  Before hitting he said "don't move", then went ahead and spanked it off the tee.  I've never held so still in my life.  It was at that moment I knew these guys were playing a game that very few could, to be able to play in an environment with people so close to you seemed crazy to me at the time.

The 1989 PGA was Arnie's last hurrah in several ways. I remember that Thursday vividly, and a bit differently. I was covering the PGA for the Daily Southtown (now the SouthtownStar), and the leaders after the morning flight were Leonard Thompson and Mike Reid (who figured in it all the way to the finish). "A typical first day at a major," I thought while leaving the interview area to go back into the main press area. Then someone said, "Arnie's 5-under," and we laughed. But when we saw the big board, sure enough Palmer was 5-under, and had birdied the first five holes.

The next few hours were electric. Palmer attracted the majority of the gallery, which had to be 10 deep at the 10th tee (next to the press tent). He was leading the PGA for much of the back nine and, as Jeff noted, finished with a 68. Even better, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, starting later than Arnold, took the cue and also had low rounds. (Palmer made the cut, his last in a major, and finished by making a birdie on the 18th hole. Nicklaus also birdied.)

Not much ended up being written about Leonard Thompson or Mike Reid on Thursday.