Former Open champion reveals hilarious encounter at store before US Senior Open

Mark Calcavecchia has taken to social media to reveal a hilarious story of how a local shopkeeper and supposed golf fan had absolutely no idea who he was - or his first-round playing partner Tom Lehman - ahead of the 2024 US Senior Open. 

The funniest part of the story was that Calcavecchia, who was purchasing a new pair of sneakers, pretended to be a golf fan who was heading to watch the senior major at Newport Country Club in Rhode Island. 

He said that he was excited to attend the tournament, especially so he could watch his favourite player, Mark Calcavecchia. 

Only the conversation turned awkward when the shopkeeper said he had never heard of the 13-time PGA Tour winner who famously won the 1989 Open at Royal Troon.

The shopkeeper had also never heard of five-time PGA Tour winner and 1996 Open champion Lehman. 

Scroll below for Calc's hilarious tweet...

Calcavecchia tweeted:

"So I go buy new sneakers. Guy says u at the tourney today. Yep. U going tomorrow. Yep. He’s says who u gonna watch. I say Mark Calcavecchia my fave player. He says never heard of him. I say he’s playing with T Lehman. Never heard of him either. Hahahahah."

Calcavecchia, 64, gets his first round of the US Senior Open underway from the 10th tee at 1.01pm local time alongside Lehman and Stephen Dodd.

LIV Golf players Richard Bland and Lee Westwood are both making their US Senior Open debuts. 

Other players toward the front of the betting market include Padraig Harrington, fresh off his latest PGA Tour Champions win last week, Steve Stricker, Steven Alker and in-form Ernie Els, who has won two of his last three starts on the circuit. 

Earlier this season, Calcavecchia accused the PGA of America for treating him unfairly after he withdrew from the Senior PGA Championship.

Calcavecchia took to X to outline his dissatisfaction with the governing body of the major.