Fifteen-year-old Jimmy Ellis knows what it's like to be up close with some of the best golfers in the world as Oakmont Country Club hosts the U.S. Open. Jimmy will carry the score panels on Friday for J.B. Holmes, Kevin Chappell and Rafa Cabrera Bello. The group has a 1:47 p.m. tee time starting on the back nine. Jimmy carried the placards for Martin Kaymer and Matt Fitzpatrick on Monday and for Dustin Johnson, Webb Simpson, Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka on Tuesday.

OAKMONT — Jimmy Ellis is doing more than simply carrying around score panels at Oakmont Country Club for the U.S. Open golf tournament, which began with practice rounds earlier this week and gets into full swing today.

The Knoch junior and Butler native is also studying so he can be a better golfer himself.

“I'm watching them and seeing what it takes to be on the PGA Tour,” Ellis said. “I'm seeing how they handle everything.”

Ellis, 16, was struck by how mild-mannered everyone was, including his group Tuesday of Dustin Johnson, Webb Simpson, Scottie Scheffler and Brooks Koepka.

“They don't really show too much emotion,” Ellis said. “They don't really get too worked up about anything.”

Ellis will be back on the course at Oakmont Country Club Friday for the second round. He'll be carrying the placards for J.B. Holmes, Kevin Campbell and Rafa Cabrera Bello for their 1:47 p.m. tee time starting on the back nine.

Ellis worked the course Monday as well as Tuesday and noticed how utterly challenging it's going to be for the golfers.

“The rough is extremely thick,” Ellis said. “And the greens have so much undulation and breaks, severe uphill and downhill putting.”

Ellis is glad he doesn't have to play that course.

Yet.

Ellis is a standout golfer in his own right with a case full of trophies in his Butler home.

Last August, he won a National Junior Golf Tour stop at Arrowhead Country Club in Myrtle Beach, S.C. with a 3-over-par 75.

He followed that up with a strong golf season in the fall at Knoch.

Ellis is looking forward to being on the course Friday.

“There's going to be a lot of people,” Ellis said. “The crowds are going to be big and I have a good group.”

Groups are assigned at random.

On Tuesday, he had a chance to chat with Simpson's caddie.

“He asked me how I was doing and how I liked being there,” Ellis said. “I told him it was a dream come true for me.”

Ellis is hoping to fulfill another dream.

Winning his own U.S. Open.

“The U.S. Open is always on Father's Day weekend,” said Jim Ellis, Jimmy's father. “He promised me he'd win one for me one day. That would be a dream come true for me.”