Legal Commentary

An amazing sporting feat

By Tom Kirkendall

Although it is flying under the radar screen outside of golfing circles, Lance Ten Broeck's performance at last weekend's Valero Texas Open in San Antonio is one of the most amazing sports stories of the year. In fact, it would be so in most any year.

Ten Broeck is a 53 year-old former University of Texas golfer who bounced around the PGA Tour and satellite tours for decades before settling in to become a well-regarded caddy on the PGA Tour. Ten Broeck has looped for several well-known PGA Tour players and currently caddies for Jesper Parvenik.

As a former PGA Tour player, Ten Broeck was one of the alternates for the tournament in the event that one of the qualifying players dropped out. However, not expecting anyone to drop out of the tournament, Ten Broeck didn't even bring his golf clubs to San Antonio.

Then, last Thursday, as Ten Broeck was getting ready to caddy for Parvenik, tournament officials informed Ten Broeck that a player had dropped out because of injury and that a spot in the tournament had opened up for him.

In 90 degree heat, Ten Broeck proceeded to caddy for Parvenik during his morning round on the incredibly hilly La Cantera Golf Course. Then, in the afternoon -- and after borrowing clubs and shoes and buying a pair of pants at a nearby Dillard's -- Ten Broech went out and walked the course again while shooting a one-over-par 71 in the afternoon!

Incredibly, on Friday, again in 90 degree heat and after borrowing another set of clubs, Ten Broeck caddied for Parvenik in the morning and then went out and shot an even par 70. His 141 total for two days missed the 36-hole cut by two strokes.

By the way, Ten Broeck's boss Parvenik shot 70-74 = 144 to finish below his caddy in the tournament.

I've played La Cantera several times. The thought of walking that hilly course twice on one hot day is daunting enough. However, that a 53 year-old did so while carrying a PGA Tour member's bag, and then while shooting near par golf under PGA Tour tournament conditions, is flat-out unbelievable.

Brian Wacker provides more info here.

Full post as published by Houston's Clear Thinkers on May 20, 2009 (boomark / email).