Fans Share Martin’s Experience, but He Keeps Secret to Himself

Pssst. Casey Martin has a U.S. Open secret.

He said he hasn’t reached his goal, not yet.

“I do have a goal, but I am not there yet,” said Martin, who shot a 71 despite bogeying the last two holes. “My goal was not just to make the cut. I think I have played long enough professionally that that shouldn’t be my goal. And it wasn’t.”

So what is the goal?

“Tell you later,” he said. “Not now.”

Martin’s 74-71--145 is five over par and eight shots off the 36-hole lead of Payne Stewart.

Martin was accompanied by his father and mother, King and Melinda, and his brother, Cameron, plus Cameron’s wife, Nicole. They followed him all the way and attracted a large number of their own fans.

“It’s just great, but it’s also exhausting,” King Martin said.

Martin, who has a Nike Tour card, accepted a sponsor’s invitation to make his PGA Tour debut at the Greater Hartford Open, June 29-July 5. His agent, Chris Murray, said Martin will decide Monday whether to play the Quad City Classic on July 6-12. He also may play the CVS Charity Classic in Sutton, Mass., July 20-26.