Caddie raising money for the family of a late Kentucky sports star, photos from Portrush and more
By T.J. Auclair · July 15, 2019
On July 3, an incredibly popular sports figure in Kentucky passed at the age of 38.
Jared Lorenzen, a former quarterback for the Kentucky Wildcats (he set school records in total offense, passing yards and passing touchdowns) who had a brief stint as a back up for the New York Giants (earning a Super Bowl ring in 2008) died from an acute infection, complicated by heart and kidney problems.
Lorenzen was unusually large for a quarterback — nearly 300 lbs. — but it never held him back and he was affectionately known as the ‘Hefty Lefty’ and ‘Pillsbury Throwboy.’
His weight struggles over the years were well documented, but he had fans everywhere.
On July 8, Kentucky sports personality Matt Jones sent out the following tweet:
We at KSR are starting a Jared Lorenzen Memorial Fund, which will help pay for the future college education of Jared’s two children.
I am sure many of you will want to join us in donating in memory of #22 and we will have more details tomorrow as to how you can do it
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) July 8, 2019
So, you’re asking, what on earth does that have to do with golf and particularly caddies?
We’ll tell you.
Aaron Flener, caddie for J.T. Poston, quickly stepped up with an incredible gesture after seeing the Matt Jones tweet:
For this week’s @JDCLASSIC & next week’s @BarbasolChamp I will be donating $22 per birdie made by @JT_ThePostman to the Jared Lorenzen Memorial Fund. If we shoot -22 in either event I will donate $2,200. If you want in on this let me know. Please help out any way you can. https://t.co/1MvgQFDQuC
— Aaron Flener (@AaronFlener) July 9, 2019
Poston saw his caddie’s tweet and he stepped up to the plate, too:
I’m in for the same! Time to make some birdies! https://t.co/lLl3GthK37
— J.T. Poston (@JT_ThePostman) July 9, 2019
At the John Deere Classic, Poston unfortunately missed the cut. He made seven birdies. So, in week 1 of this two-week raising effort by Flener and Poston, $154 (each) has gone to the cause.
Flener told The Caddie Network on Monday that PGA Tour employee Mattie Lou Chandler, as well as his friends — Ryan and Rachel Atwell from Louisville — also matched the $22 per birdie.
“Additionally,” Flener said, “Korn Ferry Tour player Harry Higgs agreed to donate $22 per birdie that he made last week and this coming week. Lucky for us Harry made 23 birdies and finished 3rd!! So that’s $506 from Harry.”
A grand total of $1,122 was raised last week.
Very, very cool.
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One of our favorite items to share this week came courtesy of Steve Lohmeyer, caddie for Matthew Wolff. As you know, Wolff won in just his third start as a professional last Sunday at the 3M Open. It was Lohmeyer’s first week on the bag for Wolff. He sent in this video to TCN, explaining just how meaningful the victory was for him…
“He saved me.” Those are just a few of the words caddie Steve Lohmeyer shared with TCN about @matthew_wolff5 after the pair won in their first week together as a team Sunday in the @3MOpen. pic.twitter.com/di0o6hTLDj
— Caddie Network (@CaddieNetwork) July 10, 2019
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You can always count on Geno Bonnalie — caddie for Joel Dahmen — for a laugh. He offered up a pro-level travel tip:
Pro Caddie Travel Tip: pic.twitter.com/HEeAXb8ASn
— Geno Bonnalie (@GenoBonnalie) July 9, 2019
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Last Wednesday, Fox Sports golf personality Shane Bacon — a heck of a player — set out to qualify for the 2019 U.S. Amateur.
And he did so with a recent PGA Tour winner on the bag. Bacon’s buddy Max Homa — winner of the Wells Fargo Championship in May — was there to take the stroll and help his guy out.
Homa was scheduled to caddie for Bacon in a U.S. Open qualifier in May, but his schedule got a little hectic after the Quail Hollow win. So, on July 1, Bacon confirmed Homa would be on the bag for the U.S. Am bid:
So … it is with much excitement that I announce @maxhoma23 IS going to caddie for me next week in my U.S. Amateur qualifier unless, ya know, he wins Wimbledon or the World Cup between now and the first tee. Related: what is the heaviest carry bag on the market currently?
— Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) July 1, 2019
And the tweets that followed were great…
Looping for a lefty is gunna be tricky. Gotta stand on the left side and remember that a draw is actually a fade
— max homa (@maxhoma23) July 1, 2019
Like Mark Brooks caddying for JJ Henry! Except for the caddie having a major, the player being a tour pro. Question: if you "celebrity" caddie is refusing to give autographs to the zero gallery watching, is that like the proverbial tree falling in the forest?
— sabrecav (@sabrecav) July 1, 2019
This might be the best twitter reply I’ve ever received. So many jabs at the both of us in such a short amount of time. Historical. Topical. Might have it printed and framed for the office.
— Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) July 1, 2019
On the eve of the qualifier, Bacon posted this beauty:
Okay @maxhoma23 bag is set. Only the bare essentials for tomorrow. I’ll get all this in there so we are prepared for everything. Thanks again!! pic.twitter.com/2HPfMyHyyv
— Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) July 8, 2019
Of course, Homa had a reply:
The most disappointing part of this picture is there’s only 1 umbrella so if it rains I’m stuck getting soaked. Ur a sick evil genius my friend https://t.co/KecovZKGoX
— max homa (@maxhoma23) July 8, 2019
So how did they make out? Admirably, but not enough to move on…
72-76 ain’t gonna get it done to Pinehurst but always love the grind. Also glad Homa wasn’t there because he definitely would have talked me out of 7-iron from the pine straw on #2 to a tucked pin with water short, one of my few highlights on the day.
— Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) July 10, 2019
Homa caddied for just the first round and Bacon took a pushcart for the second round. But, it appears, Homa got a new appreciation for caddying. Check out this fantastic thread:
Caddying for @shanebacon at the US Amateur qualifier. A thread:
— max homa (@maxhoma23) July 9, 2019
2. I knew it was gunna be a fun day when we had 257 into the first hole and he said 2 iron was too much club. Now the downside came when he said things like “do u like 8 iron here?” and we were 188 yards away with a bunker short. I lied and said I liked it, and it was plenty
— max homa (@maxhoma23) July 9, 2019
4. Amateur golf & golf in general is so cool. This tournament in the grand scheme of life means very little. Money isn’t made for shooting a low round & consequences are so insignificant compared to pro golf. However I still felt so invested in every shot we had. It was beautiful
— max homa (@maxhoma23) July 9, 2019
6. (Last one I promise) Caddies are undervalued and not appreciated enough. There is a lot going on and it’s amazing how professional loops make it flow so seamlessly. I’m glad my caddy doesn’t have Twitter or else he’d be printing this out to remind me daily
— max homa (@maxhoma23) July 9, 2019
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Finally, all eyes turn to Northern Ireland this week for the season’s final major — The Open — at Royal Portrush.
Pete Persolja (aka, Crunchy Pete), caddie for Keith Mitchell, made the trip out early to get acclimated to links golf and sent us this sweet shot from his round at Old Head:
Matt Minister, looper for Patrick Cantlay, got his first look at Royal Portrush on Sunday and sent this along:
Earlier in the week, longtime caddie Basile Dalberto, showed off the special commemorative yardage book cover caddies receive at Open Championships. On the front — the Open logo and venue name. On the back — the list of Open champions from that venue:
For what it’s worth, if this sweet memento is going to again be provided to caddies this week, the back will feature just one name: Max Faulkner from England. He won the only Open previously played at Portrush back in 1951.
