Archive for June, 2009
June 19, 2009
Leading scores Thursday from the Saint-Omer Open, a ?600,000 ($830,000) European Tour event at 6,845-yard, par-71 Saint Omer Golf Club Course.
First Round
Fredrik Andersson Hed, Sweden 65
Tony Carolan, Australia 66
Michael Curtain, Australia 66
Carlos Del Moral, Spain 67
James Morrison, England 67
Ben Evans, England 68
Christian Nilsson, Sweden 68
Thomas Feyrsinger, Austria 69
Andreas Hogberg, Sweden 69
Kasper Linnet Jorgensen, Denmark 69
June 19, 2009
Already played on a long course, the US Open suddenly turned into a long week.
Tiger Woods began his title defense Thursday on soggy Bethpage Black by having his caddie hold an umbrella until it was time to hit his opening drive. Facing a 15-foot birdie putt on the second hole, Woods stepped away so workers could mop up the green with a squeegee.
He didnt finish seven holes before Bethpage was too soaked to continue.
We probably played more holes than we thought, Woods said.
Relentless rain covered the greens in water and created tiny streams in some of the fairways, forcing the first round to be suspended after only 3 hours, 15 minutes.
No one played more than 11 holes.
Phil Mickelson never even made it to the golf course.
And with rain in the forecast the rest of the week, no one was sure when it would end.
If the forecast weve got right now for Saturday and so on were absolutely accurate … yes, absolutely finishing on Sunday would be borderline impossible, said Mike Davis, the USGAs senior director of rules and competition.
The last time a U.S. Open finished on Monday without a playoff was in 1983 at Oakmont, won by Larry Nelson.
The 78 players who got started were to return at 7:30 a.m. Friday, and if weather allows the first round to finish, the second round would begin immediately until it was too dark to play.
Of the four players atop the leaderboard at 1-under par, Jeff Brehaut was the only one who saw more than four holes. He was on the par-3 third hole, his 12th hole of the round.
Even for a short day of work in the rain, it was clear that Bethpage Black would be long and tough from so much rain.
Brehauts first birdie came on the par-5 13th when he hit a 5-wood for this third shot into 10 feet. He hit fairway metals for his second shot on par 4s three other times.
It played even longer than the practice rounds, he said.
Justin Leonard was through seven holes at even par, despite making three birdies. He hit a 4-wood on the 216-yard third hole, and smoked a driver on the 408-yard sixth that traveled only 222 yards in the wind and rain. Leonard then hit 4-iron to 2 feet.
My goal was to forget about par and do the best I could, he said.
Also at even par was Masters champion Angel Cabrera, whose lone birdie came from a 30-yard pitch on the par-5 fourth hole that spit up water as it checked up inside a foot from the hole.
Woods was 1 over after a shaky start.
He hit his opening tee shot so far to the left that it appeared to carom off a merchandise tent into rough that had been trampled enough for him to easily hit toward the green. He found a greenside bunker, blasted out to 6 feet and escaped with par.
Trouble came on the fifth, when Woods hit into the trees, laid up to the fairway, then hit a shocker of a shot, coming up 15 yards short of his target and in a bunker, leading to double bogey.
The rain kept falling, and from all corners of the course, players were thinking the same thing: If it rains any harder, its over.
It started raining harder.
The horn sounded to stop play as Woods and Cabrera were in a bunker on the par-4 seventh. Both opted to play out of the sand before it turned into mud, and Woods marked his par putt 10 feet from the hole and left the course.
It was pretty tough out there, Woods said. There was a lot of standing water.
It was plenty tough for David Horsey of England, who was 10 over through 10 holes; and for British Open and PGA champion Padraig Harrington, who also made a double bogey at No. 5 and was 4 over when play was stopped.
If you started badly, youre delighted to be going off the golf course, Harrington said. Im starting a new round of golf tomorrow, and it doesnt look like this round was going in a very nice direction for me.
Indeed, there was relief in the parking lot as players walked through puddles to get to their cars. Those who didnt have to leave their hotel rooms were in even better shape.
I dont think theres a guy who hasnt teed off today that is not sitting very happy right now in their hotel room right now, or maybe at the cinema watching a movie, Harrington said. But thats the nature of the game. Youre going to get bad breaks. Youre going to get the wrong side of the draw.
The Irishman isnt one to complain, and this was not the time. Perhaps it was unlucky for him and the 77 other rain-soaked players who had to take on a beast of a course in the worst conditions.
Paul Casey, the No. 3 player in the world, was 1 over and about to be worse, hitting his fifth shot to the 15th green when play was stopped. His tee shot went into the waist-high grass, courtesy of so much water gathering on the face of his driver.
Real trouble could come later if the weather improves, and mud sticks to golf balls in the fairway.
The USGA is adamant that players not be allowed to lift, clean and place their golf balls - standard practice on the PGA Tour, but a policy a U.S. Open official once famously called lift, clean and cheat.
And make no mistake - this championship will be played over 72 holes, no matter how long it takes.
Nature is going to take its course, Harrington said. Well get this tournament done. And I guarantee you, they will have a U.S. Open champion at the end of this week.
Then he paused and corrected himself.
Well, at some stage in the next week, he said. Somebody is going to be happy, and somebody is going to be a winner. And the best player is probably going to win. Well wait and see.
At the moment, thats all they can do.
June 19, 2009
About an hour after US Open was suspended on Thursday, a course worker gingerly worked his way across Bethpage Blacks flooded 18th green to remove the flag, futilely trying to avoid leaving footprints.
A few yards (meters) away in a swale, wind whipped up waves on a green-long swath of water, exposing the top of a players white ball marker.
Back down the fairway in the soggy landing area, a yellow drainage hose bisected meandering ribbons of standing water.
Believe it or not, as much rain as this course has taken, it drains beautifully, with really the exception of that area down in 18 fairway, said Jim Hyler, the chairman of the U.S. Golf Associations championship committee.
In a low-lying area just beyond the large bunker complex that lines the right side of the fairway, a nearly 2-foot (half-meter) deep pond left the few remaining spectators with little choice but to trudge along the narrow muddy bank.
The players had a lot to negotiate, too.
The issue there is if a player hits their drive, the balls embedded, Hyler said. So under the rules you can lift your ball. You drop it as close as you can to the indentation. … So then you take relief from casual water. And how far do you have to go to get complete relief? And the player may very well decide to play it right there, even though theyre in casual water. Because complete relief could be 50 yards away.
Hyler bristled at the mere thought of allowing players to use preferred lies on the fairways, a regular practice on the U.S. PGA Tour.
Lift, clean and place is about mud on the ball, Hyler said. If youre getting mud on the ball, the tours will play lift, clean and place. Here were not faced with the issue of necessarily mud on the ball. And we just dont play lift, clean and place. If it gets that bad, were going to suspend.
Jeff Brehaut, tied for the lead at 1-under, was in the only group that completed the 411-yard, par-4 closing hole. Playing with J.P. Hayes and Greg Kraft in the first group off the 10th tee, Brehaut hit a creative shot on 18 to set up a two-putt par.
It was OK from the wetness standpoint when I was playing it, Brehaut said. I had an OK lie, but it was one of these lies where it probably called for a 5-iron, but I didnt think I could get enough hit on a 5-iron.
I was telling my caddie, dont laugh at me, but Im going to take out my 3-rescue and Im going to choke it down and play a big slice and chop at it. … It had a big old carve up there and it went 25 feet behind the hole.
Mike Davis, the USGA director in charge of course setup, watched helplessly as more than an inch (3 centimeters) of rain on the soaked layout further derailed his plans.
It is rather frustrating, the second U.S. Open here and we had a rather wet, soft U.S. Open last time, Davis said. This course, if you come out here most of the time, plays beautifully firm, because it does sit on kind of a sandy loam soil. So its very frustrating that were not really getting to see the true Bethpage.
The sandy soil is a big advantage in rainy conditions.
As bad as it looks right now on camera, Davis said, if this was a course on heavier soil or clay, I think wed be real worried right now. Not that were not worried, but I think that its nice to be on this type of course.
June 18, 2009
He won their hearts the last time, even though he couldnt win their tournament. Tiger Woods stood in his way, as he so often does, but that didnt stop New Yorkers from showing a lot of love for the swashbuckling lefty who kept grinning even as his chances of winning slipped away.
Seven years later, theyre pulling for Phil Mickelson again. They welcomed him back Wednesday as if he was an old family friend, lining the fairways and crowding around the greens to offer words of encouragement and wish him a happy, belated 39th birthday.
This time, though, theres more at stake than just a U.S. Open trophy.
You wouldnt have known it from watching as Mickelson smiled his way around Bethpage Black in a final tuneup for the title he so desperately covets but has yet to win. Seemed just like old times as he flashed a thumbs up to anyone who shouted his name and handed a ball to the cutest kid he could find between each hole.
The crowd knew, though they also knew enough not to bring it up. No reason to intrude on the one spot where he could find some solace, even if this is New York.
They could have yelled words of encouragement for his wife, Amy. But that was already understood, so they yelled for the man himself.
And being New Yorkers, they yelled a lot.
We love you Phil!
Good luck on Sunday!
Lefty!
Mickelson wasnt even going to be here, because his wifes health means more than being a U.S. Open champion, even to a player who may want it more than anyone in the field. He retreated from the golf course when his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer and it wasnt until two weeks ago that he made the decision to play.
The cancer, though, seems to have been caught early, and Mickelson seems increasingly optimistic that she will be OK. Though her treatment hasnt started - shes having surgery July 1 - playing in the Open seemed like a better idea than pacing around the house.
And she already has her husband on a mission.
Shes left me a number of little notes, texts, cards, hints, that she would like to have a silver trophy in her hospital room, Mickelson said. So Im going to try to accommodate that.
In a strange way, his chances may never be better in a tournament he has come so agonizingly close to winning. Indeed, the first Open he thought he would miss in 16 years could be the first Open he wins.
Thats largely because, other than trying to accommodate his wife, the pressure is off. There are no expectations, because there was never enough time to let them build and, besides, Woods is everyones pick to repeat anyway.
Hes hitting the ball perhaps better than ever, even though he hasnt played much.
Can he hold his concentration over 72 holes? Thats the question. But that might not be a bad thing, said Mickelsons swing coach, Butch Harmon. Phil has proven that he can overanalyze things too much sometimes. Maybe keeping everything simple will be a good thing.
There wasnt anything too complicated about his practice round on a beautiful day at one of the two most famous munis in the country. Just a lot of Phil being Phil, which was plenty enough for the fans who took pictures and cheered him on as he walked by.
His support system - Amy and the three kids - wont be here this week, and she wont be in the gallery, as usual, watching every shot. But the 42,500 who will pack Bethpage every day will offer a form of support of their own and wont be shy about showing their love.
Mickelson, of course, is used to being the fan favorite. Hes played the common guy up against the superstar for so long now that it seems ingrained in his DNA.
The danger this week is that it might all be too much. The emotional strain coupled with the emotional outpouring from the crowd might knock him off his game.
Possibly, Mickelson said. Or it could be that that support helps carry me through emotionally when Im on the course. Im certainly hoping for that.
So are a lot of New Yorkers, and not just because they want to see someone knock off Woods. Theyve watched Mickelson in action, and they like what theyve seen.
On this day they saw plenty, and they seemed to like him even more. Even as he worries about his wife and frets about his swing, Mickelson seems to have a thumbs up or smile for everyone.
One young fan in a wheelchair off the 17th tee did even better. Mickelson leaned over the ropes for a hug and brief chat before moving on to the green. The boys face lit up with a delighted smile that lasted long after Mickelson had gone.
For Mickelson and the fans at Bethpage, theres hope theyll soon have even more to smile about.
June 18, 2009
With a recent rain history approaching biblical proportions and a forecast that has umbrella salespeople smiling, the public course hosting the US Open is throwing a wet blanket over the chances of a lot of golfers.
When I practiced yesterday, (it was) the first time that I saw one of the more difficult golf courses in my life, probably because of the rain, Eduardo Romero said of Bethpage Black on Wednesday.
Come on, how much rain does it take to bother the worlds best golfers?
Its a big golf course. Its a wide golf course. Right now its extremely soft. Obviously the rain, the weather has not been our friend. Its rained in this area something like 30 of the last 45 days, Jim Hyler, chairman of the U.S. Golf Associations championship committee, said, referring to Long Island. So we have an extremely wet golf course out there. Bethpage would play long in any condition. But particularly with the softness, it will play longer.
Bethpage Black, at 7,426 yards, will be the second longest course in Open history. It will have three of the longest par 4s, including the 525-yard seventh, the longest non-par 5 ever played.
Chad Campbell hit driver off the tee and another off the fairway on No. 7 during a practice round. He was asked if he had ever done that before on a par 4.
Not when its not raining, and cold and howling, he said. It was wet, but pretty calm when I tried this.
The forecast called for rain to begin late Wednesday and carry into Thursday, the first day of competition.
It could be as much as half to an inch (a centimeter to three centimeters) of rain, Hyler said. If we get an inch of rain, it will definitely impact what we do. We certainly hope the thunder and lightning stays away. We can certainly play in the rain.
June 18, 2009
The US Open might have a tough act to follow.
Tiger Woods was pure theater at San Diego last year, playing on a left leg so badly injured that the U.S. Open turned out to be his last event of 2008. He made two eagles on the final six holes of the third round to take the lead, forced a playoff with a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole on the Sunday, then battled Rocco Mediate over 19 extra holes to capture his 14th career major.
Im not sure we can duplicate that drama, U.S. Golf Association president Jim Vernon said on Wednesday.
Try telling that to thousands of fans who trudged through the soggy turf of Bethpage Black for five hours on the final day of practice, all because it was their first glimpse of Phil Mickelson.
The New York gallery has always loved Mickelson, even as he broke their hearts with runner-up finishes in the U.S. Open at Bethpage in 2002, Shinnecock Hills in 2004 and Winged Foot in 2006 with that double bogey on the final hole.
The support now is louder and more tangible than ever.
Mickelson wasnt even sure he could return to Bethpage Black upon learning last month that his wife, Amy, had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Only after getting some optimistic news that the cancer might have been caught early did Mickelson feel comfortable leaving California in search of a major that has caused him so much grief.
How much he plays in the rest of the year - Mickelson said the British Open was unlikely - depends on what doctors find when his wife has surgery two weeks after the U.S. Open.
Im putting everything I have into this week, because I dont anticipate being able to play for a little while, Mickelson said. And the fact that my normal support system - Amy and the kids and so forth - arent going to make the trip this week, Im kind of hoping to feel that support to help me through the week.
That should be easier to find than a taxi in Times Square.
Mickelson started his practice round on the 10th tee, the farthest corner of Bethpage Black, yet they were waiting for him. He wore a pink ribbon sewn into his white cap, and some of the fans also wore pink. It was the largest crowd of the week when he made the turn, every grandstand full, every step accompanied by applause.
He already is so popular in New York, swing coach Butch Harmon said. And now with everything going on with Amy, they have even more love for him. He talks to them. He smiles at them. He takes time for them.
This was for a practice round on Wednesday, typically a quiet day on the eve of the U.S. Open. Imagine the energy if Mickelson works his way into contention on Sunday, with his wife at home facing such uncertainty.
Mickelson found inspiration from so many messages from his wife.
She has left me a number of little notes, texts, cards, hints, that she would like to have a silver trophy in her hospital room, Mickelson said. So Im going to try to accommodate that.
So much motivation, yet so many obstacles.
The biggest might be the Black Course at Bethpage, already a beast with five par 4s longer than 500 yards. It is playing even longer because of rain that has soaked Long Island for the last month, with a nasty forecast of showers for most of the week.
From tee to green, this golf course is all you want, Woods said.
The other obstacle is Woods himself.
Not only is he the defending champion at the U.S. Open, he is the defending champion at Bethpage, the only player to finish under par in 2002 when he held off a Sunday rally from Mickelson.
With two victories in seven starts since returning from knee surgery, Woods appears to be hitting his stride.
Mickelson also is a two-time winner this year. He says he is swinging as good as ever, working hard on a baby cut that allows him to control his tee shots. The greens are among the flattest for a major, and they will be slightly slower than the USGA would prefer because of all the rain.
Mickelson spent seven hours at Bethpage Black last week, and got in 18 holes on Wednesday under refreshing sunshine. The test begins on Thursday, when he plays in the afternoon with Retief Goosen and Ernie Els.
Youve got to expect him to contend to win, Harmon said. He loves this golf course. Hes playing extremely well. He got a lot of emotions right now, but I think the fans will help him.
The question is whether Mickelson can keep his focus for 72 holes with so many fans showering him with so much support.
Mickelson decided last month to take a private family matter public, which exposes he and Amy to even more emotions. One reason she chose to stay home was to avoid seeing so many friends and fans, and the tears that would be sure to follow.
Going public has an upside, however, and Mickelson already has felt it at Bethpage.
The support, he said, has meant the world to us.
June 17, 2009
El Nino is no longer a little boy, even if he sometimes still behaves like one.
The Spaniard whose future once looked so promising is still chasing the first of what was expected to be a string of major championship wins, except now hes standing on the cusp of 30.
Thanks for reminding me, Sergio Garcia said to laughter on Tuesday. Very close to 30 now.
A former NFL player once ridiculed potential as a French word meaning you havent done a damn thing yet. Apparently it translates into Spanish as well. Garcia, who turned pro 10 years ago, has won seven times on the U.S. PGA Tour and another 11 events worldwide. But with the U.S. Open just two days off, hes winless in 39 majors, the tournaments that count the most.
Thats what Im here for, to try to win it. If I didnt think it was possible, Garcia said, I would probably be back at home watching (TV) or something like that.
Garcia teased the golf world with a glimpse of how good he can be in the 1999 U.S. PGA Championship at Medinah, where he battled Tiger Woods, four years his senior, to the last hole. Garcia played a starring role for Europe at the Ryder Cup two years after that, raising hopes for a rivalry that might extend until he and Woods had to watch their waistlines more closely than each other.
What followed instead was a litany of alibis, needless drama and self-inflicted wounds. The low point came at the British Open in 2007, when Padraig Harrington beat Garcia in a playoff and the Spaniard never once mentioned his rivals name in a lengthy interview afterward. What Garcia couldnt stop whining about, though, was all the forces that conspired against him.
Never mind that he started the day three shots clear of the field and could have won in regulation with a par 18.
It seems to me like every time I get in this kind of position, I have no room for error. I need to miss one shot, he said, and I rarely get many good breaks.
Its been noted that the guys who make their own breaks win majors, in part because they expend little time and energy cursing their luck, focusing instead on the things they can control. Asked whether his temperament helped or hurt his play, Garcia responded, I think as you get older, you learn from things youve done in the past, and you try to mature from those things. …
I can change a little bit, but not too much, because then I wouldnt be myself.
Last year, Garcia could have made a good argument for staying the course. Using a belly putter, he finally won a big tournament, The Players Championship, two other tournaments overseas, posted a half-dozen top 10 finishes and climbed to No. 2 in the world.
In mid-March he had a chance - in Tigers absence - to claim the top spot. He finished 31st that week at Doral, hasnt sniffed the top 10 since, and missed two cuts, including last week.
A couple of personal things happened, and that didnt help, Garcia said, apparently referring to his breakup with girlfriend Morgan-Leigh Norman, daughter of Greg Norman.
Then obviously you lose a little bit of confidence, and its harder to recover from that. But the good thing is its moving forward, he said. Im looking forward to the challenges.
Hed better be. The clock is ticking.
June 17, 2009
Anthony Kim played a full practice round at Bethpage Black last week, and feels as though he knows where to go. He also caddied at the US Open course last week, and knows where not to go.
Kim took part in the Golf Digest Challenge, a made-for-TV event in which four amateurs try to break 100 on a U.S. Open course. He caddied for singer Justin Timberlake, who shot an 88.
Got to see some of the course that I probably dont want to see in the tournament, Kim said.
Or maybe he will.
Kim has been an enigma this season after a breakthrough year in 2008 when he won at Quail Hollow and Congressional, and gave the Americans a spark by whipping Sergio Garcia in the leadoff singles match at the Ryder Cup.
He opened the year with a runner-up finish at Kapalua. He hasnt had a top 10 since then.
Kim has dealt with a series of odd injuries, one to his jaw while horseback riding in New Zealand. But there are concerns that he is spending more time having fun off the course than putting in work on his game to be among the best players.
He has fallen to No. 15 in the world, and his best result since Kapalua was a tie for 20th in the Masters.
To be honest, its not far off, he said. I said that early last year before I went off and won a couple of tournaments. I just havent been as patient as I need to be on the golf course, and if theres anywhere thats going to test it, its going to be at Bethpage.
As for his days on the bag?
I wasnt a very good caddie, he said. I did everything I could, though. I probably should just stick to playing golf.
—
TIGER KOBE: Tiger Woods grew up watching the Los Angeles Lakers during the Showtime era and remains a big fan, even though he lives in Orlando, Fla., and has front-row seats for the Magic games.
But he had additional interest this year, having spent more time with All-Star guard Kobe Bryant. He said he took Bryant out to dinner when the Lakers were in Orlando, although he didnt say which day.
His work ethic is phenomenal, Woods said. Look at him on the court, how he guides his team throughout the game. Thats steady. Thats knowing the offenses, knowing defenses youre going against, knowing basically all the chess pieces. That takes hours upon hours upon hours of study. His preparation is second to none. And thats certainly something anyone can appreciate.
What was the occasion for taking Bryant to dinner?
We were hungry, he said.
—
WHERES LEFTY: Phil Mickelson celebrated his 39th birthday on Tuesday, but not on Bethpage Black.
Mickelson left the St. Jude Classic for his home in San Diego to be with wife Amy, who is battling breast cancer. He was to fly to New York later Tuesday, hold a press conference Wednesday morning and then play his lone practice round of the week.
Even so, the gallery was surprised to see his familiar sidekick - caddie Jim Bones Mackay - walking up the 13th fairway as he mapped out the course as part of his U.S. Open preparations.
Mackay spoke for about five minutes with Woods in front of the green, and with Woods caddie, Steve Williams. He wound up walking the last five holes with Woods group as he measured possible hole locations.
Along the way, fans continued to say to him, Wheres Phil? and Is Phil playing today? Mackay told them that Lefty would be on the course Wednesday. He couldnt help but notice the hand-painted shirt of one young fan.
Happy Birthday Phil. No. 39.
—
OGILVY AND THE EMPIRE STATE: Geoff Ogilvy won the U.S. Open the last time it was held in New York, and while Bethpage Black is more than an hour away from Winged Foot, he feels right at home.
Ogilvy was signing autographs Tuesday when he noticed several fans holding out ticket stubs from 2006 at Winged Foot. Some of them brought flags from the course in Westchester County. He even met 10 people who were inside the ropes as volunteers during the final round, when he took advantage of a double bogey by Phil Mickelson on the final hole for a one-shot victory.
I keep meeting people who were there at the time, and I saw you there earlier in the week and You signed by boys hat, and hundreds of them, Ogilvy said. Ive met a lot of people who were inside the ropes with me. Maybe theres some exaggeration going on, but its really, really cool. A lot of people I met have Winged Foot stories that makes the nostalgia better.
Ogilvy did not play Bethpage Black in 2002. He missed the cut at Shinnecock Hills in 2004.
—
WARNING: The Black Course at Bethpage State Park is famous for a sign behind the first tee, which remains posted during the U.S. Open. It says, Warning. The Black Course is an extremely difficult course which we recommend only for highly skilled golfers.
Henrik Stenson found that unusual.
I havent really played much courses with warning signs, the Swede said. Its more for the ski slopes, isnt it?
But the more he thought about it, and having played a practice round, he wasnt sure.
Might be a little bit seriousness in there, as well, he said.
—
DIVOTS: Sergio Garcia has agreed to fill in for Trevor Immelman next week in the World Skins Game in Canada. Immelman had to withdraw from the U.S. Open with a left elbow injury. Garcia will compete against Mike Weir, Geoff Ogilvy, Fred Couples and Ian Poulter. … Jack Nicklaus will be in the Big Apple on Wednesday to turn on the lights to the Empire State Building tower. The lights will be red, white and blue to celebrate the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, the 18th time the U.S. Open has been held in New York.
June 16, 2009
Geoff Ogilvy and Paul Casey are among the hottest players coming into the US Open, each having won three times around the world over the last seven months.
While neither is paying close attention this early in the year, they at least are poised for a potential run at history. No one has ever won the money title on the PGA Tour and European Tour in the same year.
Ogilvy is No. 2 in the FedEx Cup standings in America on the strength of victories in the Mercedes-Benz Championship and the Accenture Match Play Championship. The latter is a World Golf Championship and counts on all tours, which has gone a long way in the Australian being No. 2 in the Race to Dubai on the European Tour.
Casey won for the first time on the PGA Tour at the Houston Open and was runner-up to Ogilvy at Match Play, which has helped push him to No. 10 in the FedEx Cup standings. The key on the PGA Tour is to be in position going into the FedEx Cup playoffs, which feature four consecutive $7 million events.
The Englishman also won the BMW Championship at Wentworth and the Abu Dhabi Championship, which has given him a sizable lead in the Race to Dubai.
The U.S. Open will count toward both money lists, as will the final two majors and the Bridgestone Invitational.
That would be pretty cool, Ogilvy said about the prospects of leading both money lists. No one has ever done it? Im sure Tiger has done it, hasnt he?
Before waiting on an answer, Ogilvy realized that Woods has never taken up membership on the European Tour by playing a minimum 11 tournaments and being eligible for the Order of Merit.
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BIG BREAK: Few players deserve a good break like J.P. Hayes, and he finally got one.
The 43-year-old Hayes earned notoriety last year for disqualifying himself at Q-school on the PGA Tour when he discovered he inadvertently used a golf ball that had not been approved yet for tournament play. He has no status on tour, so he had to go through local and sectional qualifying to reach the U.S. Open.
Hayes signed up for local qualifying near his home in El Paso on May 12, which was a Tuesday.
But it became complicated when he received a sponsors exemption to the Texas Open, which asked that in return he play in the Monday pro-am. Getting from San Antonio to El Paso was not only a long trip, but an expensive one.
Just his luck, he played in the pro-am with a prominent businessman from El Paso who flew to San Antonio in his private jet. He offered Hayes a ride home for the qualifier, where he shot 68 to make it by one shot. In the sectional qualifier in Memphis, Tenn., he again qualified on the number.
This is my sixth U.S. Open, and I wont have many left, Hayes said. Im going to enjoy this one.
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WEATHER WOES: Weather is quickly becoming a major concern at this major championship.
Tiger Woods was delayed for about half an hour on the first tee Monday morning because of rain, then eventually got nine holes in, some of which actually took place in sunshine.
But more rain pelted Bethpage Black during the afternoon, leaving plenty of muddy puddles on walkways and further softening greens that could - assuming anyone hits them - be downright receptive this week.
Forecasters are calling for as much as a 50 percent chance of rain on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The two remaining practice days, according to the National Weather Service, likely will be mostly dry, but temperatures will be hard-pressed to crack the 70-degree plateau.
For Kenny Perry, the talk of bad weather brought up some memories from the last time this tournament was held at Bethpage. The 10th hole has a long carry to clear some overgrown grass, and during a downpour at the 2002 Open, Perry said Nick Price simply couldnt get the ball far enough.
He had a 3-yard landing area with the walkway there that he had to land in, Perry said. That will be a situation on that hole.
Maybe not. The fairway has been brought closer to the tee by some 40 yards, requiring only a 225-yard carry. That shouldnt be a problem in any weather.
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AMATEUR SUCCESS: Amateur Bronson Burgoon knows hes one of the longest shots in the 156-man field at the U.S. Open. The Texas AM standout put a shot from the rough, 120 yards from the hole, to within 3 inches of the cup to clinch the Aggies NCAA title last month.
But hes got some hope.
Already this year, two amateurs have won on the European Tour. Shane Lowry survived a playoff to win the Irish Open last month, and New Zealands Danny Lee won the Johnnie Walker Classic in February.
Over there the golf is just as good as it is over here, Burgoon said.
The 22-year-old from The Woodlands, Texas, also is finding some inspiration from this side of the pond as well.
I just think the level of competition as amateurs now has gone way up, Burgoon said. You know, like you can tell Anthony Kim comes out and does real well. Dustin Johnson comes out and does really well. Time and time again, people are just proving that young guys can play.
Perhaps the best example of amateurs on the rise: There are 15 amateurs in the field, the most since 18 amateurs in 1981.
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DIVOTS: Darren Clarke made a detour on his way to Bethpage Black, spending the weekend at Pine Valley. Clarke shot a 67 the first day and a 72 on Sunday. Its hard, he said with a grin. But its pure. … Tiger Woods played his practice round with James Kamte of South Africa, whose first trip to America has been one to remember. Kamte played with Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield Village the weekend before the Memorial, where he received an exemption. He played a practice round with Ernie Els at the Memorial. And then he played with Woods at Bethpage Black.
June 16, 2009
Tiger Woods held the putter with only his left hand as he rapped a 60-foot putt across the practice green. Then he hit another putt with his right hand, a third putt with both hands in conventional style
He asked for the wedge to try a variety of shots out of sticky grass, searching for the best approach.
Woods knows all the drills.
This is his 15th straight year playing in the U.S. Open, and his third attempt this decade at joining an elite group as back-to-back champions.
Woods is the overwhelming favorite at Bethpage Black, where he won by three shots in 2002 as the only player to finish under par. The challenge figures to come from a familiar cast, whether its Padraig Harrington or Phil Mickelson, Geoff Ogilvy or Jim Furyk.
What gives the U.S. Open its charm, however, are the long shots.
Ogilvy finished warming up on the range and walked past players he had never seen. One of them was Scott Lewis, a 20-year-old amateur still trying to get over the shock of playing in his first U.S. Open.
Lewis just finished his sophomore year at the University of California-Santa Barbara, where his best finish this year was a tie for seventh in the Wyoming Desert Invitational. An alternate from sectional qualifying, he didnt learn he was in the U.S. Open until Friday. Before he could blink, he had an audience like never before.
People are watching me hit balls, he said. First time thats ever happened.
Stranger still was walking to the range and hearing someone ask for an autograph. He kept right on walking until his father, who is caddying for him, realized no one else was around and tapped his son on the shoulder to sign.
Another first.
On the far end of the range was Clinton Jensen, a 34-year-old father of two young girls who quit golf for a couple of years until he realized he couldnt stay away. He is playing the Tar Heel Tour and wants to try Q-school again this fall, hopeful this time he can get past the second stage for the first time.
I just couldnt stay away, Jensen said.
For every Woods, Mickelson and Harrington who are trying to add to their collection of majors, there are players like Lewis, Jensen and 19-year-old David Erdy who are simply happy to be at Bethpage Black.
The U.S. Open is the only major where more than 50 percent of the field is open to any player willing to qualify. The last player to go through 18-hole local qualifying and 36-hole sectional qualify and win the U.S. Open was Orville Moody in 1969.
They all know their odds are longer than some of the par 4s at Bethpage Black.
The thrill was getting here.
Lewis made a 35-foot birdie putt on the final hole of sectional qualifying that got him into a four-man playoff for three spots. With jangled nerves, he made bogey and was first alternate.
The USGA handed him a packet of instructions for alternates - they cannot play the golf course, but they can use the practice facilities as long as theyre not taking up space. Lewis didnt even bother opening the envelope.
Then I got a text at 5:24 a.m., he said, a small detail that recites as easily as his birthday. It said to call the USGA because theres been a change in plans. I couldnt get back to sleep.
Lewis replaced Dudley Hart, who withdrew with an injury.
He finished final exams on Sunday, played in the sectional qualifier Monday, moved out of his house in Santa Barbara on Tuesday because his lease was up, traveled home to Henderson, Nevada, spent Thursday unpacking, then began booking flights to New York.
He took a redeye and arrived Monday morning.
My head is spinning, Lewis said. Everything happened so fast.
Its about to hit warp speed. He signed up for a practice round Monday afternoon, which was cut short when mostly sunny skies gave way to afternoon thunderstorms, dumping even more water on a Bethpage Black course already softer than the USGA prefers. That will make it play even longer than its 7,406 yards, no matter what tees are used.
I just want to learn as much as possible, Lewis said. Wed all like to be out there and play well. Im looking forward to competing.
Jensen made a 30-foot birdie putt on his last hole of sectional qualifying, then lost to a birdie in the playoff and was first alternate. He was debating whether he should even come to New York until he learned Thursday he would be among the top alternates. Three days later, he got in when former Masters champion Trevor Immelman withdrew with an elbow injury.
And to think he gave up on golf after missing the cut in his only other U.S. Open, in 2005 at Pinehurst No. 2.
I was just beating my head against the wall, he said.
Something told him not to stray too far, however, for he took a job at Lost Tree Golf Club in south Florida. He might find a new career someday, but he wasnt ready to quit just yet.
This is all Ive ever done since I was 15, Jensen said.
Then he looked around a practice range that was quickly getting crowded, and bleachers that were getting full.
Im having a great time, he said.
Over on the putting green, Woods finished his short-game practice, motioned to his caddie and coach, and walked briskly to the parking lot, just another day at the office.
