University golf coach Casey Martin completed his second practice round Wednesday at the Olympic Club in San Francisco with fans clamoring for a glimpse not only of Martin and his collegiate cohort Tiger Woods, but a recognizable face in the crowd as well.
Oregon football coach Chip Kelly made the trip to the Bay Area along with assistant coaches Steve Greatwood, Scott Frost and Mark Helfrich to take in the show and lend their support to Martin as he returns to the U.S. Open for the first time since his controversial appearance in 1998.
“”It’s an amazing story,” Kelly said to Adam Jude of the Register-Guard. “Somebody needs to do a ’30 For 30′ (for ESPN) or something on this. It’s really cool, and (especially) with the whole dynamic that he was here before (in 1998). And when you watch him on the range, he can hit with these guys.”
Woods has also enjoyed Martin’s company as he attempts to win his 15th career major tournament and 4th U.S. Open title. When asked at Tuesday’s press conference about Casey’s journey in golf and his issues with Klippel Trenaunay Weber syndrome, Woods didn’t mince words with his amazement.
“Unless you really know him I don’t think people really have appreciation of how much pain he’s in,” Woods said. “Just the everyday pain he lives with.  He doesn’t show it, doesn’t talk about it, doesn’t complain about it, he just lives with it.
“For him to try and play the Tour, just try in itself is just amazing. And to get out here and play a few events and try to make a career out of it, it’s hats off to him.”
As for Martin, he said that “it kind of feels like 1998 all over again with a lot of the (media) attention,” and that he has fond memories of his experience at that tournament, where he finished in a tie for 23rd. His appearance at that tournament was extremely controversial in that he was allowed to use a cart, if one could call it that. The cart he was given was a three-wheeled contraption with a metal bar for a steering wheel.
“It looked like something you’d see in a Shriner’s parade,” said columnist Rick Reilly in his 2004 book “Who’s your Caddy?”.
This year though, Martin has a “Cart Caddy” that helps him get his cart between holes, and the crowd reaction has been extremely positive towards Martin as he looks to continue his magical run when he tees off with Dennis Miller and Stanford sophomore Cameron Wilson at 12:45 Thursday Afternoon (coverage for Thursday and Friday rounds can be seen on ESPN).
“I’m going to go compete, give it my all, and see what that means,” Martin said. “If that means last place, that’s what it means. If it means first place, then — it’s not going to mean first place — but if it, you know, I’m going to take whatever I get and consider this a great experience.”