image acquisition
This week at the Wells Fargo Championships, several PGA Tour pros and enthusiasts are honoring the legacy of a lost member of the professional golf community.
Longtime professional and later caddy keeper Lance Ten Brock died Sunday at a West Palm Beach, Florida hospital, according to the Palm Beach Post. He was 67 years old.
Tommy Fleetwood said he only met Ten Broeck a few times but he was still wearing the tape on Friday after he shot the round of 71 at Quail Hollow Club.
“Generally, someone always sets it up when someone passes, and that’s just a respectful thing for the guys who’ve been here and only been there on the first tee,” said Fleetwood. “I actually didn’t know him like a lot of the other guys and I didn’t get a chance to spend a lot of time with him, but he’s an absolutely amazing guy, a great story and I obviously loved the game.”
Ten Broeck has made 355 starts on the PGA Tour and 30 in the PGA Tour Champions, but moved on to become the long caddy for Jesper Parnevik in 1999. Although he never really lost touch with his game.
He is perhaps best known for both caddying and playing in the 2009 Valero Texas Open. He had his status by making over 150 cuts in his career and opening up a championship spot while there were no substitutes on site. Ten Broeck hit Pernevik in the morning, then hit it in the afternoon shooting 71 while borrowing clubs, shoes and balls from other pros, and running to a nearby shop for slacks.
He topped that with a score of 70 on Friday, but he and Barnevik missed the cut.
Adam Scott said he knew Ten Brock “very well” and that he had been dealing with health issues for a few years.
“Obviously it’s sad, but he’s been a little sick for a while,” Scott said. “I had a lot of fun times with Lance early in my career. It was many moons ago, but I always got along with him. Fond memories.”
Ten Broeck last played in the PGA Tour Champions in 2019, but has been touring with Ernie Els for the past two years in the PGA Tour Champions. Els broke the news of Ten Brock’s death Sunday night at the Insperity Invitational.
According to him, the cause of death was organ failure Palm Beach Post.