US OPEN.

I read that Tiger played 9 holes today with no pain, supposedly.

I however after playing all spring, played the La Cantera course in San Antonio last weekend, they play a PGA tour event there (Texas Open). And I think I need to have that surgery he had. I pretty much cleaned out the ball stock in my bag. You are either on the fairway or you pretty much lost your ball. Of course if you feel like tussling with rattlers you can go into the Hill Country brush and search for you ball to keep the inventory up.

This is the first major in a long time that I don't have Tiger in my top 5 though, I just don't believe that he can be tournament ready for a course like this in US Open conditions.

Right now my top 5 are

1. Phil
2. Sergio
3. Paddy Harrington
4. Vijay
5. Jim Furyik

 

It seems that with Torrey set up the way it is, the shorter hitters will have a real tough time. I don't see Furyk having much of a chance. Guys like Kenny Perry, Paul Casey and Sergio have a good chance. Just a Borg and Wimbeldon and Reggie Jackson and October go together, so do Tiger and Torrey.
I played a round at Torrey back in Feb. (walked all 18 I might add) and the rough was already so high in some places that the starter told us that the new local rule was that if you didn't find your ball in 2 min. you got a free drop at where you thought it was lost. I can't imagine what it's like now. If it rains and the fairways are soft, it's going to be really, really long. I think that no. 12 is the toughest hole I've ever played. And 11 might be the second hardest.
Oh, and Phil could do well. He's a local and has the game for the course. But playing with Tiger the first 2 days might screw with his concentration. I wouldn't be surprised if Adam Scott had the best score in that group after round 2.

 

Free drop after 2minutes...did you even bother to look???

 

Bought a sleeve of Pro Vs lately?

 

When I look at the chart in Golf Digest that tells you what balls are good for your game it always comes up XXX out Top Flite!!

 

Good news for you Doc. The woods are full of XXX out Top Flites!!!

 

I read that Adam Scott has a broken pinkie finger on his right hand....so much for his chances. If the rough is as penal as Gip is suggesting, even though its long, the straight hitters may be the ones to beat.....Furyk, Sergio if he can keep his putter from self-destructing and some day soon the likes of Luke Donald, Justin Rose are going to be in the hunt. I like Oglivies chances and at TP never count Phil out till Sunday on the back! :wink:

 

T you raise a good point. As Torrey is set up there are 14 fairway holes. The straight hitter hits, let's say 12 and the bomber misses 5. The short hitter now finds himself in the rough a 4 iron away. The bomber is in the rough but only a 6 or 7 out. Obviously the bomber has a much better chance of getting on than the short hitter.
But the US Open is different. Andy North and Lee Jansen won 2 each. Compared to their records in non-open tournaments, these were surprising accomplishments.
However, having seen Woods in the 2000 Open at Pebble, I've got to think that if he's back to 90% he's a lock.

 

Gip,

re: Tiger, I can't help but think of the last time he was sidelined from comptetion for a lengthy period prior to the Open at the passing of his father.....he had a horrible Open and missed the cut. But he is Tiger and he loves TP....we'll see.

I'd be surprised not to see Furyk in the hunt....he has played well in prior opens. The question for Sergio is the putter.....he's straight enough and long enough to be advantaged off the tee.....the real question is how many is he gonna give away on the greens.

 

T my biggest concern about Tiger is that he is not physically where he hoped to be at this point. I think he would have liked to have played in the Memorial if he possibly could. I saw where he used a cart for a practice round the other day. Yesterday he walked but only 9. Despite what our Supreme Court said in the Martin case, the fatigue at the end of 18 especially if you're not in top shape, can be an influence on your game.

 

Now that's a statement I can relate to.

 

Listening to Phil, nobody has a chance to post a low number. One par 5 has a 240yd carry over a ravine/canyon, whoa. He said the greens are hard the pin placements are very difficult. The USGA says whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, whaaaaaaaaaaaa, just play.

 

From what I'm hearing, I think the set-up will determine the score....if they play from the back - 7600+ yards - a 518 yd par 4, a 600+ par 5 - are you kidding me?! - even may win. I'd be shocked if anybody goes lower than 4 under.

My list....

Mickelson
Sergio
Donald
Oglivie
Cink
Furyk

Dark Horse - Kim

 

El Tigre 2 over after 2.....but just hit it stiff on 3. Not the start he was looking for but alot of golf to be played.

 

ESPN has live coverage of the Woods/Mickelson/Scott trio on the web...god bless the internet for those of us at work!!

Phil doesn't even have a driver in the bag, how odd given the length of this course, even if his 3 wood is bent to 11.5.

 

That's the only way Bones can make him keep it out of his hands at the most inopportune time!

Question......is a 3 wood with 11.5 loft still a 3 wood? Probably more like a "short shafted" driver!

I carry a 10.5 driver and my 3 wood is 14.5....

 

Thus far today, I've seen Phil with a near whiff out the rough, Tiger just bladed a lob wedge over the green from 50 yards out and Appleby miss a 12 incher....given I am prone to do all of those quite frequently, I feel better about my game than I have in a long time! 8)

 

Pretty tight spread today -3 to +2 takes in a lot of players.

 

Tiger on the prowl.

 

I'm embarrassed that I doubted tiger! What an incredible 9