Rope Wood

Rope Wood

Entangled with ropes of Tiger Woods

While the clamor of the masses to see the space outside the ropes, several lucky volunteers get to see Tiger Woods intimate and personal within the cords. And I'm not talking about the quarterbacks who see him play a hole. I can beat this.

I'm talking about the standard-bearers – The guys who lead markers, with each group so that fans can see the players see where the day and overall.

The champions have access all inside the ropes on the golf course. They have a place in the tees, walk the streets and stand beside the green. Probably not a single spectator in the U.S. Open 109th in Bethpage would not change the points with the champions.

Jim Steigerwald is responsible for all the champions in the Open this year, and remembers the excitement of being inside the ropes with the players.

"I did for the group of Tiger at Shinnecock in '95," he said. "I had Tiger, Nick Price and Ernie Els in the first round – as a group, which is an experience! "

Steigerwald is now in charge of who will walk with Tiger on the Black Course. Do you have to deal with any attempt to bribe volunteers who want to walk with the world No. 1?

"It's consistent," he said.

All this goes for nothing, however, because the assignments are made three or four months before the tournament.

Steigerwald pairs of group names with numbers, and only once the USGA announced the departure times that the flag actually learns that he or she gets to walk the course.

Like everything else in the event This year, the weather has wreaked havoc on their tasks. It has Causio some people to cancel, forcing Steigerwald to make last minute adjustments, such as placing of himself in a group.

Kyle DeCanio, 32, of Setauket, NY, was the beneficiary of one of those cancellations. Another person was assigned to a group of tiger for Round 2, but did not appear.

"A child canceled," said DeCanio. "When that boy rescued, got".

Did you know I was in the group before he volunteered to step in?

"Uh, yes, I was a little to do with it," he replied with a smile.

So what was the experience?

"He's like a nice guy, very kind," DeCanio said. "He introduced himself himself, said: "Hi, I am the tiger." What am I supposed to say to that? "Uh, yeah, I know." That was very cool. "

In Round 1, while all players complained of having to leave half of the entire course and wait in the clubhouse to see if I would do it or not, there was a person who was in a cloud.

Matt Leslie, age 20, of Albany, New York, was the bearer of the Tiger group in Round 1, and said he had a blast out with players while waiting for the rain on Thursday.

"I sat next to [Tiger] in the trailer of emergency in seven [after play was suspended Initially Thursday], "said Leslie." He's like a different person off the field. He was laughing, joking, eating Chex Mix as anyone else. It's like night and day between the field and off. "

Leslie also has to wait around their group until the game was suspended for the day. It is expected that to get to walk 18 holes with the best golfer in the world, but to get to be with him in the locker room was, to say the least, the icing on the cake.

Leslie and her dad worked in the store of goods in the U.S. Open last year at Torrey Pines. Needless to say, had a bit more exciting this time of year.

So fat the wheel a bit to get to Tigre partner?

"You know, I went to [Steigerwald] and asked whether it was sufficient $ 20 for group of Tiger I, "said Leslie." He just laughed and asked me my name to see who had. I said, 'Matt Leslie " and he looked up Leslie and said I was in Group 7 of the first tee. It is complete luck of the draw that this is Tiger's group. "

Leslie said that it registered as a volunteer in Bethpage, before the start of the 2008 Open. Therefore, if you want to walk the course with Tiger at Pebble Beach next year Sign up now and "flag" as their first preference. You just get lucky enough to go inside the ropes for 18 holes with the world better.

Who knows? Maybe even get to hang out with him, too.

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