A 15-year-old golfer from East Hempfield had a tough choice to make before the final round of the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open got underway on a Sunday morning in July at Lancaster Country Club.
As a volunteer standard bearer, he had to pick which group to walk with, carrying the sign that shows players’ scores to the gallery.
“I had to pick between anyone, anyone in the field,” he said.
Doing his homework
The young golfer, who was set to be a sophomore at Hempfield High School that fall, did his research before choosing.
“I was going through last night and doing some research, and looking at some scorecards,” he said. “I saw In Gee Chun was right there, and I thought she’d maybe win today, so I picked her.”
Clearly, he knew how to pick a winner.
A front-row seat
He carried the standard bearing the names of Chun and her playing partner, Shiho Oyama, for all 18 holes, watching the South Korean star up close.
“She hits it dead straight every time, she’s always consistent on the greens, and she makes a lot of putts,” he said.
Chun took the lead with a birdie run from the 15th through the 17th holes, then held on to beat fellow South Korean Amy Yang by one stroke and claim the 70th U.S. Women’s Open title.
A champion’s thank-you
After the trophy ceremony and press conference, the standard bearer waited patiently for Chun to sign the standard he had carried.
She did more than sign it. Chun drew a flag on a green, wrote “2015 US Open Champion” and inscribed the number 8 inside the flag, a number with special meaning to her.
What a standard bearer does
At major championships, volunteers walk inside the ropes with each group, carrying a tall sign that displays players’ names and their scores relative to par. The job gives volunteers, often young golfers, an unmatched view of the world’s best players and a chance to see how they manage the course, the pressure and the crowds.
Hundreds of local volunteers worked the 2015 championship, from marshals and scorers to standard bearers, helping make the first U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club a success.
About In Gee Chun
Chun, then 20, was playing in her first U.S. Women’s Open and was a star on the Korean LPGA Tour. Her victory in Lancaster earned her an LPGA Tour membership. She went on to win the 2016 Evian Championship with a record score and the 2022 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, giving her three major titles.
Lancaster’s championship
The 2015 Open drew record crowds and wide praise for Lancaster Country Club’s course, and the USGA returned the championship to Lancaster in 2024. For one young volunteer, though, the 2015 edition will always be the year he walked 18 holes with the champion.
Volunteers make the Open
A major championship like the U.S. Women’s Open depends on thousands of volunteers who handle everything from marshaling crowds and scoring to transportation and hospitality. Standard bearers walk inside the ropes with each group, carrying signs that show players’ scores relative to par so fans can follow the action.
For young golfers, the role offers a rare view of how the world’s best players prepare, manage their emotions and handle pressure shot after shot. Many volunteers say the experience stays with them for years.
A big week for Lancaster
Hosting the Open brought international attention to Lancaster Country Club and the county, along with large crowds and a boost for local hotels and restaurants.
This article was originally published in July 2015.