"IF YOU LIKE GOLF"
weekly online golf column
by
Stan Crawley

June 18, 2002

It was Friday at the U.S. Open and the cameras were focused on PGA Tour player Woody Austin as he prepared to hit into the No. 18 green at the Bethpage Black Course.

Austin lofted his shot onto the putting surface, and it was straight and true. The ball sped into the hole for an eagle 2.

As the cameras panned back to Austin, he was giving a high-five to his caddy—Chattanooga’s Brent Henley, who was grinning from ear to ear. Henley was still smiling when the cameras found him again after Austin took the ball out of the cup.

No wonder the 38-year-old Henley had such a smile. He had just clubbed Austin on the eagle-shot.

"He thought 8-iron, and I said maybe 9-iron,’’ Henley said. "He went with the 9. Every hole we’ll talk about it, but usually it’s his call unless I see something completely different.

"I’ve talked to a lot of people who saw the shot on TV. I haven’t seen it yet, but I hope somebody taped it.’’

Austin’s perfect shot turned out to be his last for the U.S. Open as he missed the cut with rounds of 79 and 76 on the par 70 course.

"It was too bad he missed the cut, but maybe that shot will give him some momentum,’’ Henley said. "It was the first good iron shot he hit all week at Bethpage.’’

Henley, who caddied some last year for Garrett Willis, tried to hook up with Austin at the start of the 2002 season. Austin decided to go with someone he knew better, but then lost that caddy to Justin Leonard.

"Woody called me and I’ve been with him ever since,’’ Henley said. "And now that I’m out here, I’ve had two or three other offers. But I like Woody a lot. He has a lot of game.’’

Before the U.S. Open, Henley said he talked with another caddy from Chattanooga, Mitch Knox, about what score would win on the Black Course. Knox caddies for David Duval.

"Mitch and I talk a lot on the course and on the range,’’ Henley said. "Before the Open we were talking that even par might win, but then we decided that it would take 4-under. And it ended up being 3-under when Tiger [Woods] bogeyed the last hole.’’

Woods became the first player since Jack Nicklaus in 1972 to capture the first two major championships with his victory at Bethpage.

"Tiger is a great player, but he’s lucky, too,’’ Henley said. "When our ball went in the rough we could barely see it. It seemed like he had a good lie every time.

"All the players say he is lucky on top of being the best. And with that combination, it’s hard to beat him. He’s proven that he’s the best.’’

Woods struggled some on Sunday, but neither Phil Mickelson nor Sergio Garcia could mount a charge.

"They took some runs at him, but then he starts making birdies,’’ Henley said. "He had a birdie on No. 15 on Sunday, the hardest hole on the course.

"Tiger won’t let you get any momentum. Once he feels challenged, he does something special to take away the momentum. He’s like [Michael] Jordan, the same thing, he takes over at crunch time. All the great ones want the ball, and that’s Tiger. He’s pretty fun to watch.’’

Henley and Austin are in Hartford, Conn., for the Great Hartford Open this weekend. Henley hopes Austin is ready to get on track.

"He’s a notorious slow starter on the tour,’’ Henley said. "He’s made only $150,00 so far, but he always gets hot at the end of the year.

"I think the nerves may have got to him at the U.S. Open. Maybe he will be less nervous and play well. We’ll see. Woody is a great guy. He’s nice to me. He’s unreal from tee to green, he just doesn’t score as well as he hits it. We’ve been with David Toms and V.J. Singh. Woody hits it just as well as they do, but they always beat him.’’

Henley said that Austin had some problems with the prescription on his glasses, and is just now getting back to his old self.

"This guy has potential,’’ Henley said. "I absolutely love caddying. I want to do it for a long time. I’ve never had a job I didn’t dread going to every day. With this, I love coming to work every day.’’

Henley misses his family and his girlfriend, Holly Walraven. He will get to see Holly next week when the tour comes to Memphis.

"I wish that Holly could come out here with me, and maybe we will get that chance some time,’’ Henley said. "Woody doesn’t have to win for me to make good money. He just needs to play solid for three or four events.’’

Henley won’t be back to Chattanooga for a while because Austin plans to play straight through for 15 weeks until the PGA Championship.

"I’ll be with him the rest of the year, unless something happens,’’ Henley said. "He could fire me tomorrow, but more than likely, yes, I’ll be with him the rest of the way. If he starts playing well, it will be even more fun out here.

"Regardless, I’ve been all over the country. It’s quite an experience.’’

Especially when he chooses the right club before a national audience at the U.S. Open.

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