BROOKSVILLE, FL | B.J. Pitzen caddied for Niklas Lemke, of Sweden, at the Pete Dye design of Southern Hills Plantation Golf Club in Brooksville, FL on Monday, November 12.
Lemke played the first nine holes at Southern Hills with Pitzen on the bag but decided to fly his friend and former Arizona State golfer Philip Francis out from California that same day to loop for him the rest of the week.
Due to the untimely decision, Pitzen was not able to secure another bag for the week after finishing with Lemke around 1 p.m. as most of the players had already made up their minds by Monday afternoon who was going to caddy for them. Also, some players carried their own bags.
Pitzen ran into former players he has competed against on the Nationwide Tour (which is now the Web.com Tour) and various mini tours (i.e. Brian Duncan, Brandon Brown, Billy Hurley and Reid Estrom to name a few).
Pitzen also saw former Florida Southern golfers Lee Janzen and Marco Dawson practicing and getting ready for the tournament. Pitzen played at Florida Southern, an NCAA Div. II school, from the fall of 2000 to the spring of 2002 after transferring from Otterbein College, an NCAA Div. III school.
While at competing for Florida Southern College, Pitzen did not ever see Janzen, Dawson or Mediate visit the team to help or aid with advice or playing tips. The only time Pitzen recalled helpful advice was from former Moccasin golfer Wayne Raath or Jeff Klauk (which was over the phone). Klauk later visited the team after Pitzen was finished playing for FSC, in 2004.
Pitzen asked current coach Doug Gordin more than once if he could help with the team, but Gordin said he didn't need the help from Pitzen.
Pitzen went home to get ready to play in the Florida Hospital Pro-Am, which takes place at the Magnolia and Palm courses on the Disney World complex Sunday and Monday, Nov. 18 - Nov. 19.