Against all odds: Caddie, 53, beats his boss at La Cantera

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Lance Ten Broeck (left) started working with Jesper Parnevik after his own playing career tailed off in the 1990s.

Beggars can't be choosers, especially when you get about 80 minutes notice that you're on the first tee.

That's what Lance Ten Broeck got at last week's Valero Texas Open, where, after caddieing for Jesper Parnevik in the morning, he got word that he would be filling in as an alternate for David Berganio Jr., who withdrew with an injury.

One problem. Actually, two. Ten Broeck didn't have his clubs with him. He didn't even have a pair of pants. And he wasn't about to borrow his boss' -- clubs or pants, that is -- so he drove to a nearby Dillards at the Shops at La Cantera, where he bought a pair of pants. He also secured a set of clubs from Richard S. Johnson, a putter from Tag Ridings and a pair of shoes from David Duval.

"If there had been a betting line, and I'm sure someone had one, most people probably would have bet that I wouldn't break 80," said Ten Broeck, who also borrowed his brother to caddie for him.

Ten Broeck did break 80, shooting a 1-over 71 with three birdies and four bogeys -- despite LaCantera being one of the toughest walking courses players will see all year and the fact that he is 53 years old.
• To replay his 36 holes with Shot Tracker, click here.

"Just being able to walk 36 holes in the same day on that course is impressive," Parnevik said.

The next day, Ten Broeck had another problem. He wouldn't be able to use Johnson's clubs since Johnson wouldn't be finished with his round in time. So Johnson gave him an extra set of irons, a spare driver and a spare 3-wood. He also borrowed another club from Glen Day and wedges from Fredrik Jacobson.

By this time, players and caddies alike were scrambling to find a computer or scoreboard to see if Ten Broeck could make the cut, which was at 1 under. "It became a bigger story than who was winning the golf tournament," said Parnevik, who missed the cut himself with rounds of 70-74 -- three strokes higher than his caddie.

Ten Broeck, too, would miss the cut, shooting even par to fall two strokes short. He still made history, however, becoming what appears to be the first caddie to loop for a player and play in the same event. "It was really a big deal," added Parnevik. "A lot of players weren't even aware you could do something like that."

Indeed Ten Broeck could because of his Veteran Member status on TOUR, which is to say that if not otherwise eligible and if needed to fill the field, a player with a minimum of 150 cuts during their career can tee it up.

This wasn't he first time that Ten Broeck had done so though, just the first time he'd caddied in the same day. Last year, Ten Broeck, who says he still plays golf three times a week and has a desire to play in some late-season events on the TOUR or on the Champions Tour, played with Parnevik at the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open after Tommy Armour III withdrew with a thumb injury.

"I found out there about 10 minutes before the tee time and jokingly asked if I could wear shorts and carry for both [myself and Jesper]," said Ten Broeck, who shot 88-79 for those two days at Montreux G&CC.

"It's something I always wanted to do," Ten Broeck added. "I was able to do it this week. I wasn't going to pass that up."

As for beating his boss, Ten Broeck knows better than to bite the hand that feeds him. "I'm sure he was embarrassed enough by it," Ten Broeck said. "I didn't want to rub it in."

Parnevik just laughed at that notion. "I don't know if I would have caddied for him [if he made the cut], but I thought about it," he said. "If he would have asked me to caddie, though, I would have for sure."