Former British Open champ shares funny 18th-hole story: 'Now you're on your own'

The winner of this week’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland obviously will make memories of a lifetime. Tom Lehman, winner of the 1996 Open at Royal Lytham and St. Annes in England, told a funny story this week of his best recollection of his closing round, all thanks to a big Bobby who led the way and knew a thing or two about crowd control.

Lehman, 66, was at Cragun’s Resort in his native Minnesota to meet with media and members to discuss the recent reopening of two golf courses that he redesigned, the Dutch 27 and the Lehman 18. The former World No. 1 reimagined the existing courses at the resort on Gull Lake in Brainerd. Leisure Hotels and Resorts acquired the property this year from the Cragun family and plans to spend more than $50 million to update the expansive resort.

Lehman was asked if he recalls anything particular from his Open win when his head hits the pillow each night. The American – who went on to captain the U.S. Ryder Cup team in 2006 – held off Ernie Els, Mark McCumber and Nick Faldo among others for a two-shot victory. We’ll let Lehman take the mic from here: 

That was a long time ago, ’96. You know, there's always great memories, obviously. People ask me, what's your most vivid memory of when you won the Open Championship? And I think they're expecting to hear about a shot or, you know, walking up to the 18th green, whatever. And, well, yes, walking up to the 18th green is the most vivid memory, but for a different reason.

I had this policeman who was my bodyguard for the week. I was ranked No. 2 in the world. So when I got there, they assigned me a big, tall dude, Kevin. Kevin Boyles. And so everywhere I went the whole week, he was leading the way. To the range, to the parking lot, you know. He walked inside the ropes. And if I wanted to go to the restroom out there, he would walk me there. I mean, just everywhere I went, he led the way.

And so we got to the 18th hole, and I hit my second shot on the green, and I had a lead, going to win the tournament. And the crowd all runs forward. And so there's, you know, 20 people deep. Kevin had to kind of fight through to get to the green. And he's got his arm back behind him, grabbing me from behind, and he swatting people away all the way with his other arm. And we finally get through the crowd, and there's the 18th green, and the people are all cheering and, you know, the scoreboard with my name on the top.

And he puts his arm around me and says, “Hey, Tom, we've been through a lot of s--- together, but now you're on your own.”

Thanks for the memories, Kevin.

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Tom Lehman tells funny British Open story of Bobby who showed the way