Tim Herron and the 2001 Kemper Open Pro Am

I got the call from Jason Andrews, the Kemper marketing representative in early April.  “Would you like to play in the Pro-Am preceding the Kemper Open, the last week in May?”   

The property casualty insurance business is a great business and has been very good to me.  In the 90’s and early part of the 2000’s our insurance agency wrote a large volume of business with Kemper Insurance Company.  Frequently, incentive trips are awarded for insurance production.  While this was not an incentive trip, it was awarded to us because of our success with Kemper.

“That sounds interesting,” I replied.  “Tell me more about it.”  

“We will fly you and your wife to Washington DC, the tournament site, and put you up in the tournament hotel.  You will be invited to a Pro-Am party on Tuesday night and play the Pro-Am on Wednesday. You can go to the tournament on Thursday and return to Minneapolis on Thursday night.  I realize that you may not be comfortable playing in a PGA Tour Pro-Am, so if you would rather not play, you can just watch. Why don’t you give it some thought and give me a call in a few days.”

“Jason, I don’t need a few days,” I said.  “I can tell you right now that I am in, am excited to play and thank you for the invitation!”

I had played in several pro-ams at the Dayton’s Challenge, a fund raising event for Childrens Cancer Research Fund, and some LPGA tour stops in Minneapolis.  In addition, as a caddie, I had seen many Wednesday pro-ams on tour.  I was more than comfortable playing in a PGA Tour Pro-Am, they are a gas!

Toward the end of April Jason invited me to lunch.  At our meeting he took my shirt and pant size, and gave me all the details of the week.  Then he asked me, “Who do you think you would like to play with?”  It was just a curiosity question, from a non golfer. 

The Kemper Open, played at Avenal Golf Club, annually drew a field that was good, but not great.  In 2001 Phil Mickelson was the biggest name scheduled to play.   No top money winners Tiger Woods, Davis Love or Vijay Singh.

I thought for a moment and responded, “You know, I guess I would be perfectly happy to play with Tim Herron. Tim is a friend of mine.  His parents have been good friends of ours for over 30 years.”

The lunch meeting ended and I forgot all about the question.  

We left Minneapolis Monday night of tournament week headed for Dulles Airport on a flight that pulled back from the gate at 6:30 PM.  Three hours later we were on the ground in Washington DC in a driving rain storm.   We disembarked and climbed into a cab for the 45 minute drive to the Ritz Carlton.

It was nearly midnight when I opened the hotel room door and was shocked to see that someone was already in our room.  There was a suitcase, clothes spread out on the bed, but thankfully nobody was in the room.  I closed the door and summoned the front desk.  “We’ve got a problem,"  I told the staff person.  “There is already someone in the room we were given.”

Promptly a front desk person arrived saying, “I checked the room assignments and this is the correct room for you.  Nobody else is registered in this room.”  She cautiously opened the door peering into the room. Looking at the bed with all of the items she said, “This is your room. You must be playing the tournament because these are all of your gifts.”

A treasure trove of items.  There were so many clothes, and other items that we were given a suitcase to carry them home. Shirts, pants, a pullover, hats, shoes, a briefcase - it never seemed to end. This was Christmas!

We spent a leisurely morning Tuesday and were eating lunch when we were approached by a man I had never seen.  “Cal Simmons?”

“Yes.”

"My name is Jim, I'm with the tournament. Are you still interested in playing with Tim Herron?” 

“Sure,” I said.

“Okay, here is what is going to happen at the draw party tonight.  There will be three bowls with names of amateur players in them divided into A, B, C, based on ability.  You are an A player.  They'll draw one name from each bowl to make up the group.  They'll rotate which player picks for the professional selection for the group.  They will start the draw with a name being drawn from the A bowl.  Your name will be drawn first.”  

He continued, “When they draw your name, you stand up and announce which professional you are choosing.  Understand?”

"Yes,” I said.  He shook my hand, turned and walked away.  I never saw the man again.  How he knew who I was, I have no idea.  Obviously, Jason had sent word out to the tournament of my selection.  I felt like I was in a spy novel.  The foreign agent had made contact.

The draw party started at 6:00 PM with nearly every amateur in the field in attendance, but few PGA Tour players to be seen.  It’s difficult to get the professionals to attend events such as the draw party.  Standing around making small talk with a bunch of people they do not know and will probably never see again is not very appealing week after week.

At 7:00 the volunteer head of the Pro-Am climbed up on the temporary stage in the hotel ballroom, welcomed everybody and ran through how the draw was going to happen.  

“Okay, let’s get started,” he said.  He stuck his hand in the A bowl, mixed the names all up, pulled out a name and announced, “With the first pick of the evening, Cal Simmons.”  Just as the mysterious Jim had said it would happen. The fix was in and was successful.

I stood and announced, “Tim Herron.”

The second pick came from bowl B.  A name came out of the bowl, a tall rangy man stood and announced, “Phil Mickelson.”  The draw continued until all of the names came out of the bowl with the pros being chosen by the amateurs.

With a 10:20 starting time I got to the course just before 9:00 on Wednesday morning.  Being a Pro-Am player I had full privileges in the clubhouse and practice tee.  Nothing is more fun than hitting balls on the practice tee with the pros all around, and I took full advantage.  

One of the few PGA Tour players I knew at the time, Olin Browne, walked by, did a double take and said, “Cal what are you doing here?”  I had gotten to know Olin because he played in the Dayton’s Challenge.  It’s quite a skill to be able to remember names and faces.  Obviously Olin has that skill.

Tim was now on the practice range.  I had known Tim Herron his entire life.  I’ve played golf with Tim several times and he caddied for me as a kid. His dad, Carson, was one of my favorite golf partners.  As a result, I was looking forward to playing with him “at his office”.

Sandy joined me on the practice tee to watch.  “You won’t believe this,” she said as I finished hitting balls.  “As I was coming down the elevator there were two women talking about the pro-am.  "Who is your husband going to play with?"  said one.

"He is paired with Phil Mickelson!"  

"Wow,” said the first woman. “How did he get that pairing?”  

“His name was the second one drawn and he picked Phil.”

“Well, who in the world did the first guy pick?” asked the woman.

“Tim Herron.”

"Tim Herron?  Who the heck is Tim Herron?” 

“I have no idea. Some pro, I guess.”

Our team had something to prove.

The foursome assembled on the first tee, 10 minutes before our time.  It was an unimpressive group if there ever was one, particularly after the opening tee shots.  The format in a PGA Tour Pro-Am is one best ball of the four players, full amateur handicap. The winning scores for a PGA Tour Pro-Am are ridiculous, generally in the low 50s. 

A Wednesday Pro-Am is not the favorite thing for the golf professionals.  Five hours of slow play, frequently with partners who play no more than a couple of times a year.  Players ask for tips when they haven’t a clue.  But, on the other side of the coin, it might be amateurs who are influential people and they end up being very interesting and helpful to the professional player in the future.  

Tim was just the kind of professional an amateur hopes to draw.  He is engaging, helpful, friendly, hits it a mile, (what we all want to see), and plays well.  Throughout the round Tim and his caddie, Scotty, offered swing tips, helped read our putts and told stories about the tour.  Tim has figured out that his amateur partners can help him off the course.  You never know who you will meet on the first tee. 

Obviously quite nervous, our B player, Bill, a burly guy, hit a wild slice at the par four, first hole.  Our C player, Dick, a man of about 60 made a feeble effort, getting the ball about 150 yards down the fairway.  I hit a good shot, as did Tim.

Somehow I made a birdie on the first hole, while Bill and Dick slashed it around, finally picking up.  This might be a long day for the Tim Herron team, I thought.  

But, our guys calmed down and with all the handicap shots they got, we hung in there.  Tim played well contributing several birdies along the way.  Suddenly, after the turn, our team made a big move.  Our once questionable slashers started making pars and an occasional birdie. I made a net eagle and we were in the hunt.  

Nothing is more nerve wracking than needing a weaker player to make a long two putt.  That was just the position we were in on the 18th green after Dick hit the green in regulation. With a handicap stroke on the hole, we needed him to two putt from 50 feet to finish at 18 under par, 54.  

He hit a decent putt to five feet.  Then, with coaching from Tim, he stood over the five footer, slowly took the putter back and jabbed it right in the hole. Yes!

It was a nice round of 54, good for second place.  Tim shot 68, good for 4th for the day, making a check of $1750, and another $750 for the team finish. Nothing is more fun than sitting at the 19th hole after a winning round of golf.  Everybody feels good.  

We wrapped up the trip watching the first round of the tournament and heading out to the airport with an extra suitcase and many great memories.

Oh, by the way, our team beat the Phil Mickelson team and Tim beat Phil!  It was a fun event in A Life in Golf.