When you come to think of it that is the secret of most of the great holes all over the world. They all have some kind of a twist. C.B. MACDONALD
The cheese factor is high, with a strong late 70s influence in hair, music and kitsch factor, which makes this 1982 U.S. Open film so much fun. It has a happy ending too. And how about PSA for the member’s program!
And here’s a great fast-forward to the present day with Watson talking about ‘82 with highlights.
I’ve always had something for 13 given it’s simple, but timeless strategy: hug the huge left bunker, get a great view and stance for approach the steeply-pitched Alister MacKenzie green from 1926.
Bail out right and the view stinks, the angle isn’t great and the stances vary. The bunkers down the right were suggested by the USGA’s Tom Meeks and should be filled in at the first opportunity. Like the third hole, the player should be lured to bail out, not deterred by sand.
The green has been remodeled since the last U.S. Open and certain functions much better. It still gives players fits with its steep pitch.
At 380 yards into the wind back in 1929, it was also seen as a long iron approach hole.
The 13th will feature a new tee this time around. For what it’s worth, players in last summer’s U.S. Amateur were not shy about bailing out way left.
At 580 yards the 14th can play seemingly a hundred yards longer to into the wind and uphill. It’s 330 to carry the bunkers and hard to do visually from the tee. The lurking OB right, with the wind in from the left, doesn’t help, either.
This green has been remodeled since the last U.S. Open and should function better, though without an attempt to restore the old lost front right pin, will be a bit one-dimensional again. The removal of a short grass chipping area left of the green this time around should encourage a few players to attack the green in two after a long drive.
Your most vital piece of information sits above, with the Fox schedule with ET times. Look at those prime time windows. Have I mentioned that California U.S. Opens are just better? Oh, anyway…
The Forecaddie previews a new twist on Toptracer technology from Fox Sports next week. Sounds like we will need players to go for the 14th green in two if we want to see in all its glory. And the live drone should be great fun getting the seagulls view of the action!
Golf Channel will provide plenty of programming as well, starting with Monday’s World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony followed by Morning Drive and Live From the U.S. Open coverage all week. You will note in their release my name attached to two features: one on poa annua and another Chandler Egan’s 1929 redesign of the course and whether it needs to be restored. I hope you enjoy the pieces and I’ll do my best to make sure to preview when they will air.
It’s going to be a stellar week from the Monterey Peninsula!
For Immediate Release from Fox Sports:
FOX SPORTS CONTINUES PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY EVOLUTION
FOR 119TH U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
Tethered Drone, Operates from a Boat off the Northern California Coastline,
To Offer Unique Views of Pebble Beach
LOS ANGELES – FOX Sports continues its industry-leading production technology development, with additions and upgrades in place for its coverage of the 119th U.S. Open Championship from Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif., from Thursday, June 13 to Sunday, June 16 on FOX, FS1, FOX Deportes, FOXSports.com and the FOX Sports App.
"We are planning our most comprehensive and technologically advanced U.S. Open to date, matching the excitement level surrounding the championship being held at iconic Pebble Beach,” said Zac Fields, SVP Graphic Tech & Innovation, FOX Sports. “We’re constantly improving the viewing experience of this great event and the FOX Sports team is excited to offer viewers more dynamic experiences from the golf course than ever before.”
FOX Sports remains at the forefront of ball-tracing technology in 2019, as the network equips the tee box on all 18 holes with Trackman radar technology. Nine holes are equipped to show viewers a standard ball-trace over live video, with enhanced club and ball data. The remaining nine holes will display Emmy-nominated FOX FlightTrack, a live trace over a graphic representation of the golf hole, offering more perspective to the viewer. All 18 holes will have the ability to insert a real-time live carry distance.
Three roaming wireless RF tracers will work to provide ball tracing on approach shots. There will also be FlightTrack for fairways shots on two holes, Nos. 6 and 14. New this year will be a mobile tower camera equipped with Toptracer technology, also positioned on No. 14, allowing for more dynamics within the shot. Unlike most tracer shots, where the camera must remain still, this camera will allow FOX Sports to pan, tilt and zoom to see the ball as it comes towards the camera.
Just a few weeks ago, FOX Sports’ Shane Bacon and Joel Klatt played a round at Pebble Beach and discussed No. 14’s difficult approach and tough green, offering insights on what to expect from the pros at the U.S. Open: https://vimeo.com/340574507
FOX Sports’ image capture continues to evolve at the U.S. Open, with the most 1080p HDR cameras in place for any live event in the U.S. ever, placing over 50 cameras across the course, and in each tower camera and blimp to help capture the stunning beauty of Pebble Beach.
Alongside this technology is the new penalty area camera system, which houses three cameras for over 210 degrees of capture alongside the out of bounds markers at holes Nos. 4 and 5.
As FOX Sports has done since its USGA debut in 2015, live replay coverage of the event continues to capture every camera across the course simultaneously with 178 record channels and 54 playout channels.
A Pebble Beach first, FOX Sports will deploy a live tethered-aerial drone camera to be launched and operated from a boat along the coastline at Pebble Beach, giving the viewer unique live action on the course.
In addition to its television broadcast and featured groups and holes streams, this year FOX Sports introduces a new “USGA Practice Tee” channel, which is focused on the driving range and uses Toptracer Range technology for added insight as players warm up. Fans at Pebble Beach will see players’ shots being traced on LED boards at the range, while the broadcast and all streaming channels will be able to go into greater detail on swing technique, ball flight and more. Streaming feeds are available on FOXSports.com, the FOX Sports App, DirecTV and USGA.org.
Continuing to develop elements in augmented reality (AR) that offer viewers greater context, FOX Sports will be using various shots from multiple blimps and cranes to layer graphics on top of video, including, but not limited to, wind direction and speed, player on-course location and course statistics.
In addition to the new “USGA Practice Tee” channel, the “Featured Holes” channel gets an upgrade for 2019. Data from Trackman units on these holes will be displayed on the streaming feeds in real-time. Viewers will see data for live shots along with more advanced statistics throughout the championship.
In preparation for this week’s event, multiple days of aerial production drone flights were completed last week, capturing unique images from each of the 18 holes.
Staff & Support
455 technicians
72 support staff
66,000+ man-hours over 15 days
Field Support
51 miles of multi-strand fiber optics (over 1,872 miles of actual fiber connectivity)
912 strands of fiber optics available across the course
IP Networking
1,056 1Gbps Ethernet ports distributed across the course
28 managed network locations
94 distinct managed networks
6 Gbps of Internet data managed
78 Gbps of broadcast data managed
Cameras
121 Total Cameras
18 – 1080p wireless cameras
6 – 1080p HDR wireless cameras
52 – 1080p HDR cameras
12 – 100x lens-based cameras
19 – 95x lens-based cameras
5 – Xmo High-frame-rate cameras (4,000+ fps)
2 – Sony – 8x – High-frame-rate cameras (480fps)
4 – Cinematic Cameras with FOX Films look
3 – RF Tracer cameras
2 – Mini portable robotic cameras
75’ Strada Camera Crane
Audio
12 audio consoles
232 microphones across the course
8 RF announcers
18 hole microphones
20 RF walking microphones
Replay / Post Production
178 Record Channels
54 Playout Channels
768 TB real-time storage
5 Edit Bays
You can see the full list at USOpen.com, and remember the TBD’s will be filled by alternates unless there are additions to the field via the RBC Canadian Open or world top 60 Sunday night.
Some that got my eye…
119th U.S. Open Championship
June 13-16, 2019
Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links
All Times PDT
Thursday (June 13), Hole #1 / Friday (June 14), Hole #10
6:45 a.m. / 12:30 p.m. – Sam Saunders, Atlantic Beach, Fla.; Carlos Ortiz, Mexico; Marcus Fraser, Australia
7:18 a.m. / 1:03 p.m. – Scottie Scheffler, Dallas, Texas; (a) Matt Parziale, Brockton, Mass.; Nick Taylor, Canada
7:40 a.m. / 1:25 p.m. – Haotong Li, People's Republic of China; Bubba Watson, Bagdad, Fla.; J.B. Holmes, Lexington, Ky.
8:24 a.m. / 2:09 p.m. – Cameron Smith, Australia; Matthew Wallace, England; Xander Schauffele, San Diego, Calif.
Thursday (June 13), Hole #10 / Friday (June 14), Hole #1
7:51 a.m. / 1:36 p.m. – Jon Rahm, Spain; Marc Leishman, Australia; Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland
8:02 a.m. / 1:47 p.m. – Justin Thomas, Louisville, Ky.; Kevin Kisner, Aiken, S.C.; Bryson DeChambeau, Clovis, Calif.
8:13 a.m. / 1:58 p.m. – Dustin Johnson, Jupiter, Fla.; Phil Mickelson, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.; Graeme McDowell, Northern Ireland
8:24 a.m. / 2:09 p.m. – Hideki Matsuyama, Japan; Sergio Garcia, Spain; Tommy Fleetwood, England
Thursday (June 13), Hole #1 / Friday (June 14), Hole #10
1:03 p.m. / 7:18 a.m. – (a) Austin Eckroat, Edmond, Okla.; Alexander Noren, Sweden; Charles Howell III, Orlando, Fla.
1:14 p.m. / 7:29 a.m. – Thomas Pieters, Belgium; Chesson Hadley, Raleigh, N.C.; (a) Stewart Hagestad, Newport Beach, Calif.
1:25 p.m. / 7:40 a.m. – Paul Casey, England; Patrick Cantlay, North Palm Beach, Fla.; Lucas Glover, Jupiter, Fla.
1:47 p.m. / 8:02 a.m. – Francesco Molinari, Italy; (a) Viktor Hovland, Norway; Brooks Koepka, West Palm Beach, Fla.
2:09 p.m. / 8:24 a.m. – Jordan Spieth, Dallas, Texas; Justin Rose, England; Tiger Woods, Hobe Sound, Fla.
Thursday (June 13), Hole #10 / Friday (June 14), Hole #1
12:30 p.m. / 6:45 a.m. – Nathan Lashley, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Renato Paratore, Italy; Lee Slattery, England
12:41 p.m. / 6:56 a.m. – TBD; Collin Morikawa, La Canada Flintridge, Calif.; Aaron Wise, Las Vegas, Nev.
1:36 p.m. / 7:51 a.m. – Luke List, Augusta, Ga.; Lucas Bjerregaard, Denmark; Branden Grace, South Africa
1:47 p.m. / 8:02 a.m. – Webb Simpson, Charlotte, N.C.; Adam Scott, Australia; Matt Kuchar, Sea Island, Ga.
1:58 p.m. / 8:13 a.m. – Byeong Hun An, Republic of Korea; (a) Devon Bling, Ridgecrest, Calif.; Matthew Fitzpatrick, England
Back in 1929 this well-bunkered green was created think of 3 iron approaches, now of course it’s little more than a flip wedge for the players who hit driver. Probably the smallest and least-functional green on the property due to hears of flying sand shots and faster green speeds, the 11th is down to about 100 square foot area to place holes at the traditional U.S. Open pace.
The overall architectural deterioration here gives critics of the inland holes very reasonable ammunition in making their case against Pebble Beach. It doesn’t have to be that way.
The fairway contour has been significantly reduced since this flyover and hugs the right this time around:
The par-3 12th is another odd one when the U.S. Open comes and firms things up. The bunker face is at its highest and most penal on the right portion where most daily-fee golfers have hit the ball over the years. It’s a pretty common sign of age and should have been addressed long ago since it discourages a direct shot at the center hole locations, while the more left the pin goes, the more accessible it becomes all due to the bunker face build up.
There can be a bit of a Redan component here but the opening is so slight that modern players seem to just take their chances getting up and down from the front bunker or from the rear rough. The green has also lost many great wing hole locations due to a square footage deterioration.
Many names will bandied about next week during the U.S. Open, but only one is genuinely and only the reason we will be enjoying another national championship at Pebble Beach.
Founder Samuel Morse is profiled by Jim Nantz in this excellent Golf Digest piece on the great man’s vision, life and a fun cocktail hour chat with his late daughter.
Oh, and we should remember his lender too, particularly with the Wodehouse name and bank.
In his grandson Charles Osborne’s fabulous 2018 biography, Boss: The Story of S.F.B Morse, the Founder of Pebble Beach, he talks of how Morse in 1918 was riding his horse, Moonlight, around Pebble Beach, imagining what it could become, when he was called to a meeting with Crocker, in which he revealed his desire to have Crocker help with financing so Morse could make the purchase himself. Crocker demurred because he didn’t want to essentially be both seller and buyer. Morse struck out on his own and a short time later obtained the $1.3 million financing through a bond offering arranged by Herbert Fleishhacker of the Anglo California National Bank in San Francisco.
One other important note about Morse: legend says that Jack Neville’s first routing for Pebble Beach featured homes on the clifftops, golf holes inland. He was doing what any sensible real estate man would do, but Morse declared the golf took priority, otherwise the entire development would not succeed. Lewis Lapham explained this for GolfDigest.com back in 2010.
Regarding Morse, you can seem some memorabilia related to his life at Golf Links to the Past (where Nantz details having bought some of Morse’s original paintings).
There is also a new biography of Morse available in the shop and listed at Amazon. I believe author Charles Osborne will be signing at some point during U.S. Open week.
Well, doesn’t REALLY matter, if that makes the folks ponying up millions for the FedExCup and Wyndham Rewards chases. (I’d tell you the leaders, but I know you’ve been studying the races and it would be redundant).
Either, the point is, majors are really that all that matter to the stars. Good for the majors, good for the game, not so great for points chases. From Ryan Lavner’s GolfChannel.com story from the RBC Canadian where Brooks Koepka is tuning up for Pebble Beach’s U.S. Open.
“I could care less what happens,” he said. “I just want to feel good going into next week. As long as I can leave feeling confident, striking the ball very well, starting it where I want to, finishing where I want to, hitting some good putts ... it doesn’t matter if they do go in or not. I just want to feel confident leaving.”
Koepka has played the week before all four of his major victories, and he pointed to the fact that he’s won back-to-back U.S. Opens despite finishing 30th or worse in each of his tune-up starts at the FedEx St. Jude Classic.
“The result doesn’t really matter this week,” he said. “It’s just how I feel I’ve played. Am I hitting enough good shots and really finding a rhythm?”
But think of the points Brooks! For the children. And the VP’s whose bonuses depend on them.
Anyone who doesn’t stop and ponder their fortunate fate when on the 9th hole is missing out, as the view toward Carmel and beyond never gets tiresome.
That said, the 9th as a piece of architecture, has some issues.
Players in last summer’s U.S. Amateur were less than enthralled with the new 526-yard tee leaving an awkward decision. Many actually hit 3-wood and even a few irons late in the day, leaving their ball atop the hill instead of an undesirable hanging lie and stance. There is a definite advantage for bombers here to play the hole as it had been attacked before the latest tee was added to offset the amazing modern athleticism delivered by Trackman.
Originally the fairway spilled down to the right next to the ocean. It would appear the tees were positioned to hit into that fairway and a lovely spot exists to restore such a tee. But the hole would play very short in a world where players better manage their rest to hit the ball longer than the geeks of yesteryear.
Either way, the 1929 renovation of Pebble Beach by Chandler Egan appeared to present a far more interesting and complicated hole.
The USGA’s flyover:
The 10th is far less complicated but beautiful in the simple way it fits the landscape. It’s as demanding as they come but also sadly missing some great hole locations back left and front/middle right near the water’s edge.
Even though Pebble Beach Company CEO Bill Perocchi calls himself the “biggest Patriot fan in California” and worked with the agency developing this year’s U.S. Open logo, I’m sure there was not Patriots influence whatsoever in the crafting process. None!
According to Golf.com’s Jessica Marksbury, the Hooray Agency’s Steve Seghers was looking to design a logo that “captured the legacy, the commitment to national pride, and the passion of golf and sport enthusiasts around the world".
Apparently the “wavy embellishment” under the lone Cypress “represents the crashing waves off Pebble’s 7th and 8th holes, as well as the wing of America’s national symbolic bird, the bald eagle,” and NOT the Patriots logo.
Furthermore, Marksbury writes, “each stripe on the wave embellishment represents a year that Pebble Beach has hosted the U.S. Open. There are six total: 1972, 1982, 1992, 2000, 2010 and 2019.”
And it’s just a coincidence that the Patriots have won….drum roll please, six Super Bowls since 2002.
This is spectacular in so many ways, including out of the chute with stock 70s music and graphics. But gosh is there some fun viewing in here for those looking to get even more excited about the U.S. Open’s return to Pebble Beach.
And just to further the mood-setting, check out my Q&A with the late great Frank Hannigan from 2010 on some memories of early U.S. Open’s at Pebble: Bing Crosby asking for a cart, Vietnam war protesters on 18, etc…as only Frank can recall.
With apologies to those named by the USGA’s communications department, but deleted below, the most interesting players to follow during Monday’s Sectional Qualifying. The low scores will turn up June 13-16 at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links.
The venues, and main USGA page following the action.
Golfweek’s live coverage blog, which I’ll be contributing to from the Newport Beach qualifier.
Fox Sports 1 will wrap up the day with an 11 pm ET show.
RattleSnake Point Golf Club (Copperhead and Sidewinder courses), Milton, Canada
Walton Heath Golf Club (New and Old courses), Surrey, England
Big Canyon Country Club & Newport Beach Country Club, Newport Beach, Calif.
Streamsong Resort (Black Course), Bowling Green, Fla.
Hawks Ridge Golf Club, Ball Ground, Ga.
Woodmont Country Club (North Course), Rockville, Md.
Century Country Club & Old Oaks Country Club, Purchase, N.Y.
Brookside Golf & Country Club & Scioto Country Club, Columbus, Ohio
Springfield (Ohio) Country Club
Wine Valley Golf Club, Walla Walla, Wash.
Ok here goes…
RattleSnake Point Golf Club (Copperhead and Sidewinder courses)
Milton, Canada
Ricky Barnes, 38, of Stockton, Calif., tied for second in the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course. He also qualified for the 2000 U.S. Open as a 19-year-old amateur, one of six Opens in which he has competed. Barnes won the 2002 U.S. Amateur Championship, defeating Hunter Mahan in the final at Oakland Hills.
Cameron Davis, 24, of Australia, is attempting to qualify for his first U.S. Open after tying for 39th in last year’s Open Championship at Carnoustie. Davis has won on the Web.com Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia. He helped Australia win the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship by 19 strokes and was the individual leader (269). Davis also won the 2015 Australian Amateur.
Dylan Fritelli, 28, of South Africa, is attempting to play in his second consecutive U.S. Open. He missed the cut at Shinnecock Hills last year. Fritelli, who has won twice on the PGA European Tour, has also competed on the Asian, Sunshine and Challenge tours. He helped the University of Texas claim the 2012 NCAA Championship.
Padraig Harrington, 47, of the Republic of Ireland, won the 2007 and 2008 Open Championships, conducted by The R&A, and the 2008 PGA Championship. He has competed in 16 U.S. Opens and has posted five top-10 finishes. He tied for fourth in 2012 at The Olympic Club. He was chosen 2007 European Tour Player of the Year and 2008 PGA Tour Player of the Year. Harrington will captain the European Ryder Cup Team in 2020.
Scott Langley, 30, of Scottsdale, Ariz., has competed in four U.S. Opens and tied for low amateur with Russell Henley in 2010 at Pebble Beach when they tied for 16th. Langley, who won the 2010 NCAA individual championship as a member of the University of Illinois team, claimed his first Web.com Tour title last year. He is the first alumnus of The First Tee to play on the PGA Tour.
Walton Heath Golf Club (New and Old courses)
Surrey, England
Sam Horsfield, 22, of England, has played in 13 USGA championships, including the 2015 and 2016 U.S. Opens. Horsfield, who reached the Round of 16 in the 2016 U.S. Amateur, was the medalist in 2017 PGA European Tour Qualifying School. A two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection at the University of Florida, Horsfield was chosen first-team All-American and SEC Freshman of the Year in 2016.
Min Woo Lee, 20, of Australia, is in his first year as a professional and plays primarily on the PGA European Tour. Lee, who competed in three U.S. Amateurs, defeated Noah Goodwin to win the 2016 U.S. Junior Amateur. He became the fourth international champion and the first male Australian in 10 years to win a USGA title. His sister, Minjee, captured the 2012 U.S. Girls’ Junior and has won five LPGA Tour events, including this year’s LA Open.
Andrew Johnston, 30, of England, has played in three U.S. Opens, finishing 62nd last year at Shinnecock Hills, tying for 42nd in 2017 at Erin Hills and tying for 54th in 2016 at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. Johnston, known as “Beef” since his youth, has won once on the PGA European Tour and twice on the Challenge Tour.
Edoardo Molinari, 38, of Italy, is the older brother of reigning Open champion Francesco Molinari, who has competed in nine U.S. Opens. Edoardo won the 2005 U.S. Amateur at Merion Golf Club and became the first Italian to win the championship. He has played in three U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 47th in 2010. Edoardo has won a combined nine titles on the PGA European, Challenge and Japan tours.
Thomas Pieters, 27, of Belgium, played in his lone U.S. Open in 2017 at Erin Hills. He has won three PGA European Tour events and has three top-25 finishes on the PGA Tour this season, including a tie for 23rd in the PGA Championship. Pieters had a celebrated career at the University of Illinois and won the 2012 NCAA Division I individual championship. In 2013, he claimed the Big Ten Conference title and led the Illini to a runner-up finish in the NCAAs.
Alfie Plant, 26, of England, earned the silver medal as the low amateur in the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Plant, who is in his second year as a professional, won the 2017 European Amateur Championship with a birdie on the fifth playoff hole. He was a member of the 2017 Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup Team. Plant, who helped England finish second in the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship, has run a marathon, parachuted from a plane, bungee jumped and gone cage-diving among great white sharks.
Richie Ramsay, 35, of Scotland, has played in three U.S. Opens, including last year at Shinnecock Hills. Ramsay, who has won three times on the PGA European Tour and twice on the Challenge Tour, claimed the 2006 U.S. Amateur. He became the first Scot since 1898 to win the championship. He was a member of the 2005 Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup Team.
Lee Westwood, 46, of England, has played in 18 U.S. Opens and has recorded nine top-25 finishes. He tied for third in 2008 at Torrey Pines Golf Course and in 2011 at Congressional Country Club. Westwood, who has competed on seven winning European Ryder Cup Teams, has compiled 24 victories on the PGA European Tour and has 43 professional wins overall.
Big Canyon Country Club & Newport Beach Country Club
Newport Beach, Calif.
Sean Crocker, 22, of West Palm Beach, Fla., tied for 47th in last year’s Open Championship at Carnoustie. He has competed in three U.S. Amateurs and two U.S. Junior Amateurs. He was twice chosen All-American and was a three-time All-Pac-12 Conference selection at the University of Southern California. Crocker, who was born in Zimbabwe, learned the game from his father, Gary, a professional cricket player.
Stewart Hagestad, 28, of Newport Beach, Calif., won the 2016 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship and was a member of the winning 2017 USA Walker Cup Team. In his Mid-Amateur triumph, he produced the largest comeback victory (4 down with five holes to play) since a 36-hole final was introduced in 2001. Hagestad, who was the low amateur (T-36) in the 2017 Masters Tournament, has competed in 17 USGA championships, including reaching the Round of 16 in the U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach last year.
Kaiwen Liu, 19, of People’s Republic of China, posted five top-20 finishes, including a tie for 14th in the NCAA Myrtle Beach Regional, as a sophomore on the University of California-Berkeley golf team. Liu has competed in five USGA championships, including two U.S. Amateurs. Liu, who attended Torrey Pines High, advanced to match play in three U.S. Junior Amateurs.
Isaiah Salinda, 22, of South San Francisco, Calif., advanced to the semifinals of the 2018 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Salinda, a senior on the Stanford University team, earned first team All-Pac-12 Conference recognition and helped the Cardinal win its third consecutive Pac-12 championship, the NCAA Stanford Regional title and NCAA Championship. Salinda, who won last year’s Pacific Coast Amateur, tied for sixth in the 2019 NCAA individual championship.
John Sawin, 34, of Pebble Beach, Calif., carded a 67 to share medalist honors in the Santa Cruz, Calif., local qualifier at Pasatiempo Golf Club. Sawin is the vice president and director of golf at Pebble Beach Golf Links and moved to the position after a decade in financial services. Sawin has competed in six USGA championships, including two U.S. Amateurs. He won the 2014 Pennsylvania Amateur with a 25-foot putt on the final green at Oakmont Country Club.
Justin Suh, 21, of San Jose, Calif., earned first team All-Pac-12 Conference honors for the third consecutive year. He tied for fourth in the 2019 NCAA individual championship. In 2018, Suh helped the University of Southern California win the Pac-12 Championship and was the conference individual champion. He was chosen Pac-12 Player of the Year. Suh qualified for the 2016 U.S. Open and advanced to match play in three consecutive U.S. Amateurs (2016-18). His sister, Hannah, played in the 2013 U.S. Women’s Open.
Jeff Wilson, 55, of Fairfield, Calif., won the 2018 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Eugene (Ore.) Country Club. Wilson, a general sales manager for an automobile dealership, tied for 31st in last year’s U.S. Senior Open and became the second player to earn low amateur in both the U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open, joining Marvin “Vinny” Giles III. Wilson has competed in four U.S. Opens and was the low amateur in 2000 at Pebble Beach Golf Links when he tied for 59th place, Wilson has competed in 32 USGA championships, including 10 U.S. Amateurs.
Streamsong Resort (Black Course)
Bowling Green, Fla.
Canon Claycomb, 17, of Bowling Green, Ky., was the runner-up in the 2018 Class 1A state championship after tying for third the previous year. Claycomb, who reached match play in last year’s U.S. Junior Amateur, helped Circle Christian High claim the 2017 state title. He splits time between Kentucky and Orlando, Fla. Claycomb has played on the Greenwood High team in Bowling Green since fourth grade and, in 2016, he led the team to a second-place finish in the state championship while tying for second individually.
Luis Gagne, 21, of Costa Rica, shared low amateur honors with Matt Parziale in the 2018 U.S. Open, tying for 48th at Shinnecock Hills. Gagne, a senior on the Louisiana State University team, also advanced to the Round of 32 in last year’s U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Gagne, who earned All-Southeastern Conference recognition for the third consecutive year in 2018-19, tied for 10th in the NCAA Stanford Regional. He has competed in three U.S. Amateurs, reaching the quarterfinals in 2016, and two U.S. Junior Amateurs.
Retief Goosen, 50, of South Africa, won the U.S. Open in 2001 (playoff with Mark Brooks) and 2004, a two-stroke victory over Phil Mickelson at Shinnecock Hills. Goosen, who was struck by lightning as an amateur, has seven wins on the PGA Tour and 12 victories on the PGA European Tour. He has played in 18 U.S. Opens and will compete for the first time in the U.S. Senior Open, held at the Warren Course at Notre Dame, in South Bend, Ind., on June 27-30.
Tyler Strafaci, 20, of Davie, Fla., earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors and helped Georgia Tech win the 2019 ACC title. He is the grandson of Frank Strafaci, who won the 1935 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and went on to become the executive director of the Florida State Golf Association and director of golf at Doral Country Club. Tyler’s mother, Jill, played golf at the University of Florida from 1976-79. Tyler competed in last year’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills and advanced to match play in the U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach Golf Links.
Hawks Ridge Golf Club
Ball Ground, Ga.
Stephen Behr, 26, of Atlanta, Ga., was stroke-play medalist and reached the Round of 16 in last year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur. He also advanced to match play in the 2018 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach. Behr earned his undergraduate degree in accounting from Clemson University and became a risk consultant for Ernst & Young. Although he was a second-team All-American and a first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection for the Tigers in 2016, Behr chose not to turn professional. His father, Steve, is the head golf professional at Florence (S.C.) Country Club.
Doug Ghim, 23, of Arlington Heights, Ill., qualified for last year’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills and has played in eight USGA championships. He was the runner-up in the 2017 U.S. Amateur and was a first-team All-American at the University of Texas. Ghim, who has two top-25 finishes on the Web.com Tour in 2019, was a member of the winning 2017 USA Walker Cup Team and posted a 4-0 record. He was also the 2014 U.S. Amateur Public Links runner-up to Byron Meth.
D.J. Trahan, 38, of Kiawah Island, S.C., has played in four U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for fourth at Torrey Pines Golf Course in 2008. Trahan, a four-time All-America selection at Clemson University, has two PGA Tour victories. He won the 2000 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. His father, Don, is a master golf instructor and is known as “The Swing Surgeon.”
Woodmont Country Club (North Course)
Rockville, Md.
Joseph Bramlett, 31, of San Jose, Calif., was the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Amateur when he competed at age 14 in 2002. Bramlett was later sidelined for two years due to lateral spine dysfunction and returned to golf in 2018. He was an All-America and All-Pac-12 Conference selection at Stanford University and earned his PGA Tour card through qualifying school in 2010. He has five top-20 finishes on the Web.com Tour this year.
Erik Compton, 39, of Coral Gables, Fla., was diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy at age 9 and has since had two successful heart transplants. Compton, a member of the 2001 USA Walker Cup Team, has played in three U.S. Opens. He tied for second at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014.
Billy Hurley III, 36, of Annapolis, Md., has played in three U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 48th at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014. Hurley, who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and was the 2004 Patriot League Player of the Year, was a member of the winning 2005 USA Walker Cup Team. He rose to the rank of lieutenant and served on U.S. Navy destroyers and cruisers.
Drew Kittleson, 30, of Scottsdale, Ariz., was the runner-up to Danny Lee in the 2008 U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2 and competed in the 2009 U.S. Open and Masters. He has played in seven USGA championship, including five U.S. Amateurs. Kittleson, who was reinstated as an amateur four years ago, is a sales manager for a kitchen and bathroom remodeling company.
Garrett Rank, 31, of Canada, became a full-time National Hockey League official in 2016-17 after working for several years in the American Hockey League. He qualified through local and sectional play and competed in his first U.S. Open last year at Shinnecock Hills. Rank, who overcame a cancer scare at age 23, was the runner-up in the 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur. He has competed in 17 USGA championships, including seven U.S. Amateurs. He advanced to match play in the 2018 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach.
Nick Sorkin, 28, of Rockville, Md., signed as an undrafted free agent in 2014 with the National Hockey League’s Montreal Canadians after totaling 20 goals and 21 assists as a senior at the University of New Hampshire and leading the Wildcats to NCAA Tournament play. Sorkin, who qualified for the 2016 U.S. Amateur, split time this season with the American Hockey League’s Binghamton Devils and the East Coast Hockey League’s Worcester Railers.
Karl Vilips, 17, of Australia, has played in two U.S. Amateurs (2016, 2017) and advanced to the Round of 32 in last year’s U.S. Junior Amateur at Baltusrol Golf Club. He tied for fourth in the 2019 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley on April 27. In 2018, he won the Wyndham Invitational and was the runner-up in the Western Junior. In 2017, he captured the Southern Amateur title and matched Bob Jones (1917) as the youngest champion in tournament history. Vilips, who was born in Indonesia, has used fund-raising activities to travel to tournaments.
Century Country Club & Old Oaks Country Club
Purchase, N.Y.
Brett Boner, 45, of Charlotte, N.C., was the runner-up to Kevin O’Connell in last year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur final at Charlotte Country Club. In 2016, he advanced to match play in the U.S. Mid-Amateur and played with his brother-in-law, Stephen Woodward, in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball at Winged Foot Golf Club. Boner, a financial advisor who is a member at Carolina Golf Club, last year’s Mid-Amateur stroke play co-host course.
Michael McCoy, 56, of Norwalk, Iowa, has played in 58 USGA championships. He was the low amateur in the 2014 and 2015 U.S. Senior Opens and won the 2013 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, the second-oldest winner. McCoy, who was a member of the 2015 USA Walker Cup Team, reached the semifinals of last year’s U.S. Senior Amateur and is scheduled to compete in his seventh consecutive U.S. Senior Open in 2018.
Gary Nicklaus, 50, of Jupiter, Fla., is the son of four-time U.S. Open champion Jack Nicklaus. Gary, who has competed in 10 USGA championships, including the 1997 and 2001 U.S. Opens, advanced through the Jupiter, Fla., local qualifier. He qualified for last year’s U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach Golf Links, where his father won the 1972 U.S. Open and 1961 U.S. Amateur.
Matt Parziale, 31, of Brockton, Mass., won the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur and became the first champion to earn a full exemption into the following year’s U.S. Open. He and Luis Gagne were the low amateurs in the 2018 U.S. Open, tying for 48th at Shinnecock Hills. Parziale, who also competed in the 2018 Masters, has played in 13 USGA championships.
Jack Wall, 18, of Brielle, N.J., has won back-to-back individual state championships and has helped Christian Brothers Academy win three consecutive state crowns. Wall, who advanced through U.S. Open local qualifying for the second year in a row, was the 2018 NJ.com Golfer of the Year and finished second in last year’s New Jersey State Amateur. His older brother, Jeremy, is also in this sectional field.
Jeremy Wall, 23, of Brielle, N.J., was involved in Loyola University (Md.) capturing three Patriot League championships during a four-year span. Wall, who works in sales for a car dealership, earned first-team all-league honors twice. He won last year’s Philadelphia Amateur and is competing in his seventh USGA championship. His brother, Jack, is also in this U.S. Open sectional field.
Cameron Young, 22, of Scarborough, N.Y., earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors for the third consecutive year as a senior at Wake Forest University. He has competed in nine USGA championships, including five U.S. Amateurs. Young became the first amateur to win the New York Open when he shot a final-round 64 at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course in July 2017. His father, David, is the head professional at Sleepy Hollow Country Club.
Brookside Golf & Country Club & Scioto Country Club
Columbus, Ohio
Akshay Bhatia, 17, of Wake Forest, N.C., was the runner-up to Michael Thorbjornsen in the 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club. He also advanced to match play in last year’s U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach. In 2019, Bhatia made his PGA Tour debut at the Valspar Championship and tied for 42nd in his first Web.com Tour event. Bhatia, whose sister, Rhea, competed as a member of the Queens University of Charlotte women’s golf team, aced the 17th hole at Pinehurst No. 2 at age 12.
Jamie Broce, 42, of Indianapolis, Ind., recently competed his second season as head golf coach at IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis). Broce spent the previous five years at the University of Toledo and was an assistant at Indiana University. As a player, he earned All-America recognition at Ball State University. He qualified for the 2014 PGA Championship.
Bobby Clampett, 59, of Bonita Springs, Calif., shot a 68 in Naples, Fla., local qualifying and survived a 6-for-5 playoff to advance. Clampett, who was born in Monterey, Calif. and attended the Stevenson School, has played in seven U.S. Opens, including a tie for third in 1982 behind Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Clampett, who works as a TV golf analyst, won the California State Amateur in 1978 and 1980, both at Pebble Beach.
Cole Hammer, 19, of Houston, Texas, was the third-youngest player to compete in a U.S. Open when he played at Chambers Bay in 2015. Hammer advanced to the semifinals of the 2018 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach and reached the semifinals of last year’s U.S. Junior Amateur. Hammer, who won the 2018 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball with partner Garrett Barber, has played in nine USGA championships. Hammer, who is a freshman at the University of Texas, tied for third in the Big 12 Conference Championship and tied for first in the NCAA Austin Regional.
Max Homa, 28, of Valencia, Calif., won his first PGA Tour event, the Wells Fargo Championship, on May 5. He is attempting to qualify for his second U.S. Open, having played in 2013 at Merion Golf Club. Homa, an All-American who won the NCAA individual title at the University of California-Berkeley, has two Web.com Tour victories. He was a member of the winning 2013 USA Walker Cup Team and reached the quarterfinals of the 2010 U.S. Amateur.
Collin Morikawa, 22, of La Canada Flintridge, Calif., was named the 2019 Pac-12 Conference Golfer of the Year after winning the Pac-12 individual championship as a member of the University of California-Berkeley team. He was chosen All-Pac-12 first team for the fourth consecutive year and tied for sixth in the 2019 NCAA individual championship. Morikawa helped the USA win the 2017 Walker Cup Match. Morikawa, Maverick McNealy and Doug Ghim became the first trio of USA players to record perfect 4-0 Walker Cup records.
Steve Stricker, 52, of Madison, Wis., has played in 20 U.S. Opens and has 13 top-25 finishes. He advanced through sectional qualifying in 2017 and 2018 and tied for 16th and 20th, respectively. He best finish was fifth in both 1998 and 1999. Stricker, who has 12 PGA Tour victories, was an All-American at the University of Illinois before starting his pro career in 1990. He is fully exempt to play in his first U.S. Senior Open at the Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame, June 27-30.
Braden Thornberry, 22, of Olive Branch, Miss., won the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the world’s top-ranked amateur. He is in his first year as a professional and has competed on the PGA Tour and Web.com Tour. Thornberry was a member of the victorious 2017 USA Walker Cup Team. He won the 2017 NCAA Division I individual title as a sophomore at the University of Mississippi. He received the Fred Haskins Award as the top college golfer and earned All-America and All-Southeastern Conference recognition.
Springfield Country Club
Springfield, Ohio
Zac Blair, 28, of Orem, Utah, qualified for his lone U.S. Open through both local and sectional play. He tied for 40th at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014. Blair, an All-America selection at Brigham Young University, has posted two top-10 finishes on the Web.com Tour and made one start on the PGA Tour this season.
Will Grimmer, 22, of Cincinnati, Ohio, has competed in two U.S. Opens (2014, 2018). He tied for 66th last year at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club and advanced after earning medalist honors (66-69) in the Springfield, Ohio, sectional. Grimmer, a senior at Ohio State University, is a two-time All-Big Ten Conference selection. He helped the Buckeyes finish second in the 2019 NCAA Myrtle Beach Regional.
Dylan Meyer, 23, of Evansville, Ind., advanced to his first U.S. Open through the Springfield, Ohio, sectional last year. He tied for 20th at Shinnecock Hills. Meyer, who competes on the Web.com Tour, helped the University of Illinois claim its fourth consecutive Big Ten Conference Championship in 2018. He tied for fourth individually in the NCAA Championship after finishing tied for sixth the previous year. Meyer, who reached the quarterfinals of the 2016 U.S. Amateur, was the 2017 Big Ten Player of the Year when he won the conference individual title.
Wine Valley Golf Club
Walla Walla, Wash.
Wil Collins, 40, of Rapid City, S.D., is attempting to advance to the U.S. Open through both local and sectional qualifying for the third time. Collins, who qualified in 2005 and 2013 through both stages, has competed on the PGA Tour, Web.com Tour and PGA Tour Canada. He won the 2001 Ben Hogan Award as college golf’s top player while at the University of New Mexico.
Joe Highsmith, 19, of Lakewood, Wash., was chosen 2019 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year as a member of the Pepperdine University team. Highsmith, who was also a first team All-WCC selection, tied for eighth at the conference championship, was fourth in the NCAA Austin Regional and tied for 24th in the NCAA Championship. He reached the quarterfinals of last year’s U.S. Junior Amateur and qualified for the U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach Golf Links.
John Murdock, 22, of Laramie, Wyo., advanced to U.S. Open sectionals for the second consecutive year with a 70 in the Fort Collins, Colo., local qualifier. Murdock, who has played the classical violin since third grade, tied for fifth in the 2019 Mountain West Conference Championship as a senior for the University of Wyoming. He was a four-time all-state high school selection at Laramie High.
Kevin Stadler, 39, of Denver, Colo., is the son of 1982 Masters champion Craig Stadler, who competed in 18 U.S. Opens. Kevin has played in three U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 63rd in 2014 at Pinehurst No. 2. He has won on the PGA Tour (2014 Waste Management Phoenix Open) and the PGA European, Nationwide (now Web.com) and Challenge tours.
Sam Tidd, 19, of Meridian, Idaho, is a freshman on the University of Oklahoma golf team. He and partner Carson Barry have competed in two U.S. Amateur Four-Balls and were semifinalists in 2018. Tidd captured the 2017 5A state high school championship and was runner-up the following year. Tidd helped Rocky Mountain High claim two Idaho 5A state titles.
Tiger Woods appeared to calm those concerned after his PGA missed cut at Bethpage with birdies on 7 of the first 12 at Muirfield Village en route to a 2019 Memorial final round 67 and T9.
From Steve DiMeglio’s story for Golfweek and from Woods bagman Joe LaCava.
“First 12 holes were an absolute clinic,” said Joe LaCava, Woods’ caddie. He still hit some decent shots coming in. It wasn’t like he played poorly, he just didn’t get anything out of it the last five or six holes.
“He’s certainly going in the right direction with good momentum. I thought the iron play was top-notch today. Definitely some good momentum and positive vibes from both (weekend) days. The quality of shots on a scale of one to 10, I would say were a nine.”
Driving was a strength for the week, reports Bob Harig in his assessment for ESPN.com.
Woods hit 12 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens Sunday, needing just 26 putts. For the week, he ranked ninth in strokes gained, approach to the green and 10th in strokes gained tee to green. For the week, he hit 75 percent of the fairways.
Jack Nicklaus watching Gary Nicklaus in the 2018 U.S. Amateur, fifth hole
At last summer’s U.S. Amateur, I had the surreal experience of watching Jack Nicklaus watch his son play the hole he designed at the course where he’d won the 1961 U.S. Amateur and 1971 U.S. Open. There was a nice wait that day at Pebble Beach’s fifth, so I tried asking the architect if he was pleased with how it was playing. However, he was in full spectating mode and managed to something to the effect of “its done its job.”
The hole was added in 1998 and was a huge upgrade over the old 5th, a dreadful affair routed uphill because the oceanside property could not be acquired. The new hole plays slightly downhill with Stillwater Cove to the.
The green slopes away from the player, and you’ll notice in the flyover, has already shrunk a bit since the original creation (note the placement of irrigation heads).
The par-5 6th introduces the player to a magnificent meeting of land and sea, maybe one underrated a bit given how often this hole is forgotten in discussions of the best holes at Pebble Beach. The sixth is particularly interesting in the U.S. Open when the firmness heightens the design features off the tee. There has been a tendency of players to bail out way left here in recent events, including the U.S. Amateur, so we’ll see what the modern athletes do here (or what setup measures are taken).
Note in the flyover the juicy back right and back left hole locations lost due to green shrinkage over the years.
While we’ll get to the loss of a double fairway at the ninth and two greens offering maybe two palatable hole locations, a case could be made for the third as Pebble Beach’s most architecturally adulterated.
When I first played the course in the early 1990s and attended a U.S. Open there in 1992, the third was always the hole to hold up as an example of Pebble Beach’s inland holes asking top-notch strategic questions. This was before the out-of-scale, out-of-character righthand fairway bunkers were installed by the Palmer design group and today’s athletes began traveling with resistance bands.
Back in the good old days, players were free to bail out away from the corner bunker, trees and barranca. Such a tee shot left a hanging lie in rough to a green best approached from the left side. A flyer might go out-of-bounds.
Best of all, there were rewards for to turning a ball over, shortening the hole, and improving the angle of approach.
The combination of the landing area dynamics and the degradation of the barranca may change the approach at this year’s U.S. Open. Bomb-and-gougers face little trouble just cutting the corner, a play we saw in the U.S. Amateur when tees were at the 404 yardage. Even if the player finds rough, they are approaching from the best angle, lob wedge in hand and yardage under 100 yards.
But hey, enjoy the flyover…
The short par-4 4th is not a hole to drive but it can be a fascinating tee shot thanks to the fairway bunkering and conditions. The green has shrunk a bit over the years and lost a little shape as this 1929 to 2010 comparison shows. The surface is steeply pitched back to front, making it one of the more difficult to navigate from above the hole. Tree diseases have taken out many of the tall woody view-obstructors down the right side, unlocking wonderful views and more influence from the elements off Carmel Bay.
During last year’s U.S. Amateur, I asked Jack Nicklaus if he ever tried to drive the fourth in his youth and he looked at me as if I’d ordered an Arnold Palmer. He did later confess to trying in practice, but made clear it’s an idiotic play in any era, any conditions.
The countdown to Pebble Beach commences with two-a-days!
So here goes, the par-4 first, with a fairway narrowed and two trees lost this winter at the corner of the dogleg since this flyover was shot. Even then, the design elements here will still lead to a lot of irons off the first tee. In these crazy times, we might see a few players bomb-and-gouge a driver here, though I don’t know if the risk is worth it, particularly with an annoying cart path too close to play and potentially sending a ball in a less-than-appealing direction.
The second is reduced to a par-4 in the U.S. Open, but in firmer-than-February conditions with afternoon breezes, was still a short iron approach during last summer’s U.S. Amateur. The barranca is raked like a bunker these days, prompting some players to take daring goes at the green last summer from the rough or fairway bunkers. But that was match play.
The second green is tiny and one of the more deceptively difficult to read on the course.
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
