Patrick Reusse: Hometown crowd happy to wait in line for Lehman

There have been suggestions that the Minnesota sporting public isn't as worked up over this PGA Championship as was the case seven years ago. This was refuted by the crowd that swarmed Hazeltine National's enormous merchandise tent when it opened for the first time Saturday.

Tom Lehman, Minnesota's golfing hero for a generation, was recruited to spend an hour autographing whatever keepsakes the patrons had to offer. He stood behind an elevated desk 60-70 yards inside the main entrance, and the original line stretched out the doors.

The PGA of America made sure Lehman would be in the 156-player field by offering an exemption several weeks ago. A couple of local TV crews were in attendance Saturday, and Lehman confirmed the excitement that comes from playing a major in front of family, friends and home-state fans.

The family part was played out more intimately this past week, when the Lehmans descended on Alexandria, Minn., for a reunion built around the annual Resorters tournament.

This is an Alexandria Golf Club tradition that used to bring in low handicappers from various golf enclaves around the country. The number of outsiders is greatly reduced, but it remains a summer golf festival for the area.

Lehman's son Tom Jr., 14, played in the junior flight. He lost in the second round.

"He's like every 14-year-old, including me," Tom said. "Score means a lot to him. He worries about it every shot. So, when a couple of things go wrong, a 76, 78 can turn into 84.

"Tommy's pretty good, though. He hits it as far now as I did as a senior in high school."

What was Lehman hitting off the tee as a 14-year-old in 1973? "That was about the time I found a Toney Penna driver with a lacquered head," he said. "I loved that club."

Jim Lehman, Tom's older brother, was in the championship flight at the Resorters. "He won this morning in the semis, so that makes Jim the third Lehman to reach the title match at the Resorters," Tom said. "My brother Mike was in it twice."

Tom defeated Bill Israelson in the 1980 Resorters final. And brother Jim joined him as a Resorters champion with a 5-and-4 victory over Will Harris on Saturday afternoon.

That victory had an additional family note: Jim's father, Jim Sr., served as the caddie while riding in a cart.

Jim Sr., 75, has a serious health issue. The 2009 Resorters was an opportunity for the Lehman clan to be together in Alexandria and recall wonderful summers past.

"I caddied for Tom Jr.," Tom said. "One day, we were at the club from 6:30 in the morning until 9:30 at night. I told Tommy, 'This is what every summer day was like when I was a kid ... playing golf, hitting balls, all day long.' "

Thirteen years ago, Lehman took his father along to the British Open at Royal Lytham. Tom shot a 64 Saturday to take a six-stroke lead and survived Sunday to win his major championship.

Last month, Tom took his son to the British Open at Turnberry. "I had a good first round [68] and that was it," he said. "We got done early on Sunday, and Tommy said, 'I'm going to stick around and watch Tom Watson.'

"We could get inside the ropes with my player credentials, so I went with him. We walked the last 16 holes with Watson. It was tremendous. He might be 59, but Tom hit the ball better than anyone."

Lehman is 50 and has aspirations to contend over Hazeltine's gigantic acreage. He also is a family man, and that explains why a player might not spend as much time beating balls on the range as he did growing up in Alex, or when making the arduous ascent to golf's elite in the mid-'90s.

Tom was flying back home to Scottsdale, Ariz., this morning. "Our oldest, Rachel, is leaving for her first year at TCU," Lehman said. "Holly [17] and Tommy start school Monday. And we have Sean [7] to keep us moving."

Tom will be back Wednesday for a practice round over the Big H's listed 7,674 yards. "If it doesn't dry out, it's going to play very long," said Lehman, with an emphasis on very.

Patrick Reusse can be heard 5:30-9 a.m. weekdays on AM-1500 KSTP. • preusse@startribune.com