LOS ANGELES – Tom Gardner had a day during the third round of the 123rd U.S. Open.
Gardner, the Los Angeles Country Club director of golf, served as a marker in the first pairing on Saturday morning with Ryan Fox.
“It’s pretty special to do this in front of your membership on the course that you work at,” Gardner said. “If you were out here this morning on the first tee, there was a pretty loud roar. Got the juices flowing a bit.”
Gardner said that the USGA’s Jeff Hall approached him early last week and told him if they happened to get an odd number of players to make the 36-hole cut that they could use his services as a marker.
“I was very honored to be given the opportunity,” Gardner said.
Rory Sweeney, the head professional immediately offered to be his caddie.
On Friday, Gardner was standing behind the 18th green refreshing his phone to see the score and figured out Paul Barjon was the one golfer who could make it an even 66 players to make the cut. He had to play the last three holes in even par to do so. He made par at 16, but when he drained a 61-foot birdie putt at 17, Gardner figured the dream of getting to play at his club on the weekend at a major was over. He left 18 and was heading to meet his wife for a cocktail party.
“I get a text from a member, and he said, ‘You’re in.’ I immediately called him, I said, ‘No, I’m not. This guy birdied 17.’ He goes, ‘No, he doubled 18.’”
Barjon’s disastrous finish to miss the cut was Gardner’s good fortune. All of a sudden, he was bombarded with texts and emails and the club sent out an email to the membership, who made their pro feel at home.
“They were shouting our names, just something that you’ll remember for the rest of your life,” said Sweeney, who kept his word and served as Gardner’s caddie. “Just really special to be in between the ropes on a weekend on a major. Just truly special, and especially because it’s home for us. It’s our club and our members. To share it with one of my best mates is something really special.”
Gardner’s highlights included sinking a lengthy putt at the 10th near the LACC member tent.
“Everyone went crazy and was shouting and screaming,” Sweeney said. “It was great.”
“What a day,” Gardner said. “Hoping to do it all again tomorrow.”