Here’s why some pros are wearing black ribbons at the Wells Fargo Championship

This week at the Wells Fargo Championship, several PGA Tour pros and caddies are honoring the legacy of a lost member of the pro golf community.

Longtime pro and later caddie Lance Ten Broeck died Sunday at a West Palm Beach, Florida Hospital, according to the Palm Beach Post. He was 67.

Tommy Fleetwood said he had met Ten Broeck just a few times but still was wearing a ribbon Friday after he shot a second-round 71 at Quail Hollow Club.

“Generally somebody always sets it up when someone’s passed and it’s just something respectful for the guys who have been out here and they were just there on the first tee,” Fleetwood said. “I actually didn’t know him as well as a lot of the other guys and I didn’t have the opportunity to spend that much time with him, but very cool guy and a great story and obviously loved the game.”

Ten Broeck made 355 starts on the PGA Tour and 30 on the PGA Tour Champions, but transitioned to become the longtime caddie for Jesper Parnevik in 1999. Although he never lost touch with his game.

He was perhaps best known for both caddying and playing in the 2009 Valero Texas Open. He had status by making more than 150 cuts in his career and a spot opened up in the tournament while no alternates were on site. Ten Broeck caddied for Pernevik in the morning, then beat him in the afternoon by shooting 71 while borrowing clubs, shoes and balls from other pros, and running to a nearby store for slacks.

He bettered that with a 70 on Friday, but both he and Parnevik missed the cut.

Adam Scott said he knew Ten Broeck “very well” and that he had been dealing with health problems for a few years.

“It’s sad obviously, but he had been a little unwell for a while,” Scott said. “I had a lot of fun times with Lance early on in my career. It was many moons ago, but I always got along well with him, fond memories.”

Ten Broeck last played on the PGA Tour Champions in 2019 but had been looping for Ernie Els the past two years on the PGA Tour Champions. Els broke the news of Ten Broeck’s death Sunday night at the Insperity Invitational.

The cause of death was organ failure, according to the Palm Beach Post.

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.