Quick reset for the week: First, next week I’ll be in the Senate Press Gallery with a true bird’s eye view of Roger Clemens’s latest act of self-immolation. Quite simply, if he can prove his innocence in this whole steroids mess, it will be the GREATEST comeback in sports history. If he can’t, we may be witnessing the greatest fall from grace...
Here’s Tim Rosaforte’s piece.
Although many at Erin Hills are crossing their fingers, and rightfully so, I’ll throw out Oakmont for consideration…who’s with me?
Simply click here for all things Oakmont on the site. They should build greens like this everywhere.
TULSA, OK – What is it about major championships in Tulsa that brings out the heavy artillery? Hubert Green was an unlikely leader at the U.S. Open in 1977 after three rounds. The journeyman pro had won several tour events, but had yet to clinch his first major. No one knows for sure whether it was disgruntled gamblers or lawless rakehells, but shortly after he...
As Mark Twain said, when some people get a batty idea in their head “there’s no getting it out again.” Czabe misses the boat completely by completely ignoring the agronomy. The added trees were KILLING the greens. All those roots were leeching nutrients form the soil. The leaves were shading parts of the greens relying on sunlight. Every golf...
Peter Williams had this to say about the set-up at the U.S. Open.
Hat tip to Golf Observer.
The most exciting major this year was The PLAYERS.
Yeah, that’s right, I said it…and it’s not even Players week.
DUCK BITES TIGER, TAMES OAKMONSTER Angel Cabrera roars from behind, claims U.S. Open at Oakmont OAKMONT, PA – At 2:10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the sportswriter from Japan was his cell phone shouting. “Anybody can win this thing except Cabrera” he bellowed. Maybe that guy should take a mulligan. Angel Cabrera may have shot 76 on Saturday to slide well down...
Think back for a moment. Take a deep breath, let the world around you dissolve away and drift back for a fleeting glimpse of those heady, halcyon days of youth. Those carefree days were you were free to play golf and love golf as much as you wanted. Rise and shine at daybreak, scarf down Captain Crunch, leave breadcrumbs from your toast all over the table, shout “Mom...
OAKMONT, PA – The pressure of an Oakmont U.S. Open finally caught up to the pretenders while the stars of the PGA Tour, led by Woods, called on their experience and positioned themselves at the top of the leaderboard. Aaron Baddeley’s mercurial round looked to finish in flames, but suddenly skyrocketed as he rolled in a 14-footer for an unlikely birdie...
OAKMONT, PA – My heart had skipped several beats from the time I had spotted her long flowing, radiant blond hair. The touch of her hand could have calmed Mahmoud Ahmadinejad [Author’s Note: He’s that nutjob in Iran.] Her long coltish legs folded and unfolded in a graceful ballet. When she smiled, she lit up the golf course. Then she opened her mouth. “I don’t get...
Richard Lee, the 15-year-old amateur and second oyungest contestent to compete in the U.S. Open withdrew after 13 holes because of a wrist injury.
The injury occurred as he tried to pitch out of greenside rough on the par=4 11th hole. “I caught my wrist a little bit and it hurt alot. He played two more holes before walking in.
OAKMONT, PA – Even though only two players were under par, the players were bloodied but not bowed as the rainstorm that blew through Wednesday evening at least softened things up so they could have soft enough targets to hold the greens. Late Wednesday, the greens were beginning to develop that shine; the dry almost crusty veneer they get after being pounded...
Phil Mickelson, answering whether he was “proud” of his 74: “I wouldn’t say proud. I had a good game plan, but this [Oakmont] is the USGA’s wet dream here.” And in response to whether he questioned whether or not he should be competing: “No. No. No. No. I believe I’ll get better as the week goes on.” On how much...
OAKMONT, PA – Jerry Garcia and Robert Hunter were singing about love in the song “When the Hunter Gets captured by the Game”, but the concept applies in golf as well. For even though golf’s greatest names come loaded for bear as they hunt for one of the game’s most coveted pelts, at the U.S. Open it’s the players who come away bloodied as the golf...
OAKMONT, PA – Two quick bits of news before I post my long piece for the day. First, the U.S. Open will return to Pinehurst No 2. in 2014. That means look for another 1-2 Winged Foot-Oakmont combination in 2015-16. Erin Hills in Wisconsin is the front runner for 2017 as they look to fill a need – a great U.S. Open venue near Chicago. Next, Charles...