"Steve has been a major part in Lee's rise the last three years."

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Lee Westwood not only opened with a 63, he admitted that his initial snub from the Memphis stop was not tied to his UPS sponsorship.

But most impressive is his physical overhaul, and John Huggan profiles the likely U.S. Open favorite with non-clueless bookies in the UK who clearly haven't watched Tiger play in a while.

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NBC Editors May Seek Raise Before Clipping Latest Golf Digest Challenge

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Okay that's not true, but maybe they should since it sounds like a positively excruciating day was had by all.

AP noted...wait, there's an AP game story? Anyway, AP incorrectly reported Wayne Gretzky's score. He posted 100, bested by only Mark Walhberg. Drew Brees fired 102 and readers' choice Peggy Ference took the over, recording 119 from the 7040-yard, par-78 tees.

Alex Myers offered this live blog of the day and clarifies the Gretzky oversight.  Roberto de Vicenzo he is not.

Hindsight Open Underway, Justin Rose Pleas Leading At The Turn

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Now that Memorial winner Justin Rose isn't in the U.S. Open field (but Vijay Singh is!), it's fascinating that people are chiming in to demand change to the system so that such egregious oversights never happen again. Even though Rose had the last year to figure out a way to get in the event, that's not stopping some!
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"Had I really been invited to play in the Swallows?"

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Alan Shipnuck managed to crash the elite gathering where grown men gather to discuss their vegetarian diets, the best Birkenstocks and in general, their desire to foster world peace. Though I'm getting a better idea why SI, the leaflet that it has become, wanted $100 to renew my subscription (and didn't get it!):

Had I really been invited to play in the Swallows? Still, deep down I knew I was unworthy, and I figured Perocchi would either come to his senses or get talked out of inviting me. Months went by without any contact, and slowly my hopes dimmed. Then one day in March, I opened my mailbox to find a beautifully designed invitation. I couldn’t have been more excited had I found one of Willy Wonka’s golden tickets. I read and reread the schedule of events: rounds at Cypress Point, Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill; cookouts by day, ­jacket-and-tie dinners by night. According to the invitation, all events were mandatory to foster “the Swallows spirit.

Well how else are you going to foster Middle East peace?

There was only one problem: The entry fee was $5,500. I have four young kids and a bloated mortgage. Devoting that much of the family budget to three days of golf was out of the question. I called my editor in New York City, who I knew has always had his own fascination with the Swallows. I gingerly explained that I was in need of a corporate sponsorship.
“We’ll pay,” he said, in the tone of a fairy-tale bad guy offering a magic potion, “but you have to write a story about it. ”

Damn editors...

Shipnuck goes on to detail how the Silver Oak set gets Pebble Beach closed for the day so they can brainstorm how to grow the game. I tell you, I was touched. Especially after reading this item from Steve Elling about Open qualifiers having to dodge various outtings the week before the U.S. Open.