"Merion may be the site of the 2013 U.S. Open"

That's headline to this Joe Logan story that came from reader Stan. Logan says Merion's chances "seem better all the time" and that an announcement on the 2013 U.S. Open site is expected at Winged Foot this June.

That certainly was the impression left this week by Mike Davis, the U.S. Golf Association's senior director of rules and competitions, who was attending the Masters.

"We haven't run into one roadblock looking at Merion," said Davis, adding that only a few remaining logistical issues at the Ardmore club, not the strength of the golf course, present any potential problems.

While Merion, host of four previous U.S. Opens, has been on a short list of potential sites for the '13 Open for a couple of years, its chances have improved as the prospects of another potential site, the Country Club in Brookline, Mass., have dimmed.

The Country Club, regarded by some as a favorite for the '13 Open because it would mark the 100th anniversary since Francis Ouimet won the Open there, has more logistical and township issues than Merion.

Davis, who spent the week of the U.S. Amateur at Merion last summer, arrived as a fan of the course and left an ever bigger one. Not even the fact that Edoardo Molinari, the eventual winner of the Amateur, was 7 under par through 15 holes in the afternoon round of his final match against Dillon Dougherty took away from Davis' respect for the course.

"Out of 312, how many did Merion stand up to?" said Davis, referring to the fact that relatively few players broke par in the qualifying rounds. "There are a few of us who want it to happen, and you can put me at the top of that list."

Still, Davis conceded, no matter how much he and a few others at the USGA might push for Merion, the decision belongs to the 15-member Executive Committee, a body every bit as political as the U.S. Senate.

I would also take this as an encouraging sign that they are prepared to do something about distance, but the "Distance Myths" memo is another reminder that Logan was being kind with that last line.

Comments

[Stan DeBarons Jr.]

Nothing more in the world I want to see is Merion return to US Open prominence, hopefully even make it part of a rota every ten years. And yes of course meaning that the golf ball is soon to be turned back to what it should be. All's I'm hoping for is 1985 distances, nothing less. Golf seemed to be in a good mode then. The technology wasn't out of whack--yet!

[R. Thompson]

Sean,

Your integrity is completely intact. Keep it that way it's refreshing. To come out publicly and call B.S. on today’s equipment is certainly not going to win you many friends in the equipment industry, so what. The USGA has a responsibility to maintain the sport in an equitable fashion, they have failed.

In business it's easier to market a product around one or two or three icons. It appears to be taking place. Those distance spectrums proved to me that, like Vegas, the house (manufacturer) is going to be a large percentage winner.

When yourself and other players are ready to move forward with a class action, let Geoff know, I have just the guy.

[Smolmania]

Why are we going to have an Open at a course where Tiger, Phil, and the big hitters won't even be able to think about pulling driver out of the bag? Sorry to say, but until something is done about the ball, there's no reason to try to hold our national championship at Merion.