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Behind the scenes with Tom Lehman
Lanny Raymond from Cave Creek has this lovely anecdote from the 2005 FBR Open. Over to you Lanny...(and thanks for sending this in).
As a worker at the 2005 FBR Open, I have a behind the scenes story that I feel needs to be told.
I was stationed each of the seven days in the caddy shack area, a secure area which is essentially limited to players, their families, caddies, and a select few others. It is considered a "sanctuary" where the players are able to have some privacy. Specifically, I was posted at one of the entrances to that area where the players would exit to enter the course and return from some parts of the course.
One of my jobs was to check the credentials of anyone trying to enter the area.
The players, while having such credentials, were used to not displaying them so we were expected to be able to recognize them by face and simply wave them on. Because of this, I soon learned each face and was able to match a few of them with their names.
My story is not so much about golf, but more about the character of one individual player - Tom Lehman. Most of the players I found to be very congenial and a pleasure to work with. Over the seven-day event, I saw every one of them at least a couple of times each day.
On the very first day, I was up at the caddy-master's tent where the caddies sign in and are assigned their players. I noticed on the table an announcement of a bible study class for tomorrow night at Tom Lehman's home in Scottsdale along with his address and a map on how to get there. "Every one is invited" said the notice.
In spite of this being in the secure area, I'm sure a lot of people (such as myself) who Tom didn't know would see this notice and would have been welcome if they showed up. I found this interesting that a famous golfer was not only not afraid or ashamed of his faith, but was even inviting everybody to come to his home to share it.
Just outside my entrance post was a place where the public could see the players up close so they were naturally drawn there, especially autographer seekers. While the tournament was on-going, most of the players wanted to focus on their tasks ahead and understandably were less willing to be distracted doing autographs. And of course, my secure area was off limits to such.
On Wednesday, one individual seeking Tom's autograph somehow got into the secure area and solicited an autograph from him. Tom was well within his rights to send the fan away. He didn't, however, but politely gave the fan the treasured signature along with a brief message. I then followed the individual back outside of the area and firmly warned him to not cross the line again. My point is that Tom chose to be kind and accommodating to a fan who probably didn't deserve it.
The week went on and Tom did "make the cut" meaning he was among the final 70 odd players continuing into the final two rounds on Saturday and Sunday. He didn't have a particularly good round on Saturday which meant that on the final round on Sunday, he was in the bottom half of the golfers and therefore started the round by first playing holes 10 through 18 and finishing by playing holes 1 through 9 and returning to the caddie shack from the 9th hole.
Since the leaders and eventually winner were finishing the final round on the 18th hole, nearly all of the crowd was there with only a few watching the action of those finishing on the 9th hole. The golfers returning to my secure area from the 9th hole would walk along a roped off area we called a chute.
Throughout this last day I had noticed a boy around the age of 12 in a wheelchair being pushed presumably by his father. He had some disability and was an obvious golf fan. Each time he passed by me he would grin and give me a "thumbs up" which I would happily return.
When the golfers starting returning up the chute from the 9th hole, he was there at the rope just a few feet outside of the secure area. I watched as each player would stop and most were willing now that the tournament was finished for them to sign autographs for the few fans who lined up next to rope. I think none of them could resist autographing the hat held out by the withered limb of my wheel chair friend.
Finally, I could see coming up the chute Tom Lehman. He too came quite slowly since he was signing as near as I could tell every hat, program or whatever the fans held out. Finally he just about reached my post into the "no autograph zone" when he spotted my wheelchair friend holding out his hat.
He immediaately stopped in front of him and autographed the boy's hat as had the other golfers. Then he did something small but also very big, something I will never forget.
After bending down and looking the boy straight in the eye and giving him a big smile, he took off his own cap, signed it, and placed it on the boy's head. There were only about 20 people close enough to witness this event. We all broke into an applause.
Tom then took the final four steps into the sanctuary. My voice was too choked with emotions to verbally welcome him back and my eyes were moist with tears as I could do no more than wave him past.
Tom had what was probably to him a disappointing tournament finish. I, however, think he finished it off perfectly. He took time and made the time for this young golf fan who will probably never ever be able to swing a club let alone play a round of golf. In my view, Tom is a superb golfer but that is not the half of it!