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The story of Freddy Jacobsen's US Open pencil

BrianJ

By BrianJ
in Golf Talk

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Note: This thread is 5421 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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BrianJ Established Member

BrianJ

Posted
Posted

My brother and I attended the US Open at Congressional on Sunday.  We had a good day, spent a lot of it at the par3 7th, watching most everyone come thru.  We mixed it up a bit, followed Phil around in the morning, among other things.  This was my first time attending a golf tour event of any kind so I didn't really know what to expect or how to plan.

When Rory tee'd off we decided to go try to follow him, but after 2 holes that idea was quickly confirmed as impossible with the crowd around him.  I decided to go up ahead a few holes, stake out a good spot and wait for the final 3 groups to go thru (Garrigus / Jacobsen, Westwood / Day, Mcilroy / Yang).

We go ahead a few holes a couple times, and finally head to the 11th.  We are walking down the cart path, the spotter yells "Heads Up!" after Garrigus' tee shot and we duck.  His ball hits a tree, hits the cart path, bounces about 30 feet into the air and lands in the fairway.  It takes a little bit for the green to clear before this group can make their second shot, so in the mean time I'm watching Jacobsen and his caddy talk about the shot, and I notice the caddy drops his pencil after looking at his notebook.  Its sitting right there in the middle of the fairway.

The final three groups go by, including Rory's shot landing right in front of us which was awesome, and the pencil is still there in the fairway, taunting me.  I collect pencils from everywhere I play at, and my golfing buddies know to get a pencil for me if they go to a course I haven't been to.  I *MUST* have this pencil, it was in use Sunday at a US Open!  So Rory and Y.E. go by, and the place starts clearing out.  I'm still standing there, my brother thinks I'm crazy and wants to get going.  It's now been about an hour since I first saw the pencil laying there.  A rules official walks by, I say "Sir there is a pencil laying there, can you toss it to me?" (He was walking right by the thing) He looks at it, looks at me and goes "No I'm not supposed to do that"  I said "Can I run under the ropes and grab it real quick" he laughs and says "most definitely not".  So I'm standing there, not wanting to get kicked out of the US Open, but torn.  The officials are moving on, there are a few around but none directly around me.  A group of 4 guys comes walking toward us down the cart path, one of them says "Hey look, there is a pencil in the fairway" and I knew it was now or never.  I darted under the ropes, ran out in the middle of the fairway, snagged the pencil and ran back.  I explained that I've been staking out that pencil for an hour now and they laughed (probably at me).

So now Freddy wins the Travelers!  Maybe the value of my pencil increased.  So now in my collection, I have a pencil used in the 111th US Open at Congressional.  Its by far the coolest in my collection, great story I think and 100% true.

open pencil.jpg

I have since watched the final round on my DVR, and when Rory makes his second shot on 11, he is in the fairway, you can see this pencil in the background, to his back right.  Its out of focus, but there.. pretty cool!


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iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

Posted
  • Administrator
Posted

That's a nifty story. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • Author, Lowest Score Wins
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TheGeekGolfer Dedicated Member

TheGeekGolfer

Posted
Posted

Now, if you got him to 'autograph' the pencil, that would be cool.  Maybe then he could give you the pen he used to autograph it, that would be a complete set.

Good story!

In my :nike:  bag on my :clicgear: cart ...

Driver: :ping: G10 9*    3-Wood: :cleveland: Launcher
Hybrid: :adams: 20* Hybrid      Irons: :ping: i5 4-GW - silver dot, +1/2"
Wedges: :cleveland: 56* (bent to 54*) and 60* CG10     Putter: :ping: Craz-e (original blue)


act0fgod Member

act0fgod

Posted
Posted

With the dollars spent at large tournaments I'm surprised the pencils are just USGA pencils and not more commemorative type.


jamo Incredible Member

jamo

Posted
Posted
Nice! I wonder if there is any way to email Jacobsen, tell him your story, and get him to sign it or something? You having that pencil is good luck now! :-)

In my bag:

Driver: Titleist TSi3 | 15º 3-Wood: Ping G410 | 17º 2-Hybrid: Ping G410 | 19º 3-Iron: TaylorMade GAPR Lo |4-PW Irons: Nike VR Pro Combo | 54º SW, 60º LW: Titleist Vokey SM8 | Putter: Odyssey Toulon Las Vegas H7

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BrianJ Established Member

BrianJ

Posted
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With the dollars spent at large tournaments I'm surprised the pencils are just USGA pencils and not more commemorative type.

I was thinking something similar as I was running across the 11th fairway haha "all that waiting for this boring thing"


BuckeyeNut Great Member

BuckeyeNut

Posted
Posted

Haha....great story!!  I enjoyed reading it...thanks for sharing!!

Fun stuff!!

What's in Paul's Bag:
- Callaway Big Bertha Alpha Driver
- Big Bertha Alpha 815 3-wood
- Callaway Razr Fit 5-wood
- Callaway Big Bertha 4-5 Rescue Clubs
-- Mizuno Mx-25 six iron-gap wedge
- Mizuno Mp-T4 56degree SW
- Mizuno Mp-T11 60degree SW
- Putter- Ping Cadence Ketsch


Liam84 Member

Liam84

Posted
Posted

AWESOME Story!!

I was at Congressional with my father and was at the 11th fairway for the three last groups too, I mut have been just a few feet ahead of you as Rory hit it exactly in front of me.

HAd I noticed teh pencil I would´ve fought you for it


Note: This thread is 5421 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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