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
This year's U.S. Open back nine starts off with a 504-yard par-4 over rolling, fascinating inland dunes that won't leave many flat stances into what looks like a fairly benign putting surface surrounded by tight-mow.
The USGA's flyover gives a good look at the green complex, while the Erin Hills flyover in late light really shows off the contours:
I can't help but wonder if Phil will be rooting for a dreadful Thursday forecast at Erin Hills, but otherwise it sounds like he is missing the 2017 U.S. Open to hear his daughter speak at her high school graduation.
Karen Crouse with the exclusive for the New York Times:
He said he had informed Mike Davis, the United States Golf Association’s executive director, on Saturday morning of his plan to withdraw so that alternates in the field can prepare accordingly.
Mickelson said he would hold off on officially withdrawing until a day or two before the tournament started, in case a weather delay or change in the morning commencement ceremony time made it possible for him to be at both."Barring something unforeseen, I won’t be there,” he said after shooting an even-par 72 Saturday in the third round of the Memorial tournament, where he is tied for 19th.
If you want to feel really, really old, check out Bob Harig's ESPN.com story reminding us that it was Amanda, now a class valedictorian soon headed to Brown, who was about to be delivered during the 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst. That was yesterday, practically, no?
Mickelson's caddie, Jim Mackay, carried a beeper in his golf bag, and he pledged he would take off regardless of his situation in the tournament.
Mickelson finished second to Payne Stewart when the late golfer holed a 12-foot par putt on the final hole to edge him by a stroke; had Stewart missed, he and Mickelson would have had an 18-hole playoff to decide the tournament -- on the day Amanda ended up being born. That was the first of his record six runner-up finishes at the U.S. Open.
"Yeah, I go back and, every year at the U.S. Open, I think back about that '99 Open,'' Mickelson said. "The birth of your child, any child, but especially your first child is the most emotional event you can ever experience and share together with your wife."
The best single day in American golf arrives Monday with the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying for the 2017 championship at Erin Hills.
As always, I urge you to check out all of the noted players here, with the USGA also including links to the scoring and even some social media posts related to a few qualifiers.
Make sure to check out Golfweek.com where there will be full coverage as well, with multiple writers dispatched to qualifiers including yours truly at Big Canyon.
Fox Sports 1 will feature a wrap up show Monday night at midnight ET, 9 pm PT.
The sites:
Big Canyon Country Club & Newport Beach Country Club, Newport Beach, Calif.
Jupiter Hills Club (Hills Course), Tequesta, Fla.
Hawks Ridge Golf Club, Ball Ground, Ga.
Woodmont Country Club (North Course), Rockville, Md.
Canoe Brook Country Club (North and South Courses), Summit, N.J.
Brookside Golf & Country Club & Lakes Golf & Country Club, Columbus, Ohio
Springfield Country Club, Springfield, Ohio
Germantown Country Club & Ridgeway Country Club, Memphis, Tenn.
Lakewood Country Club, Dallas, Texas
Tacoma Country & Golf Club, Lakewood, Wash.
Big Canyon Country Club & Newport Beach Country Club Newport Beach, Calif.; 103 players for 5 spots:
Ray Beaufils, 30, of Australia, is a former rugby player who earned conditional status on the Nationwide (now Web.com) Tour in 2010. Beaufils, who resides in Phoenix, Ariz., trained with the Australian Institute of Sport and later appeared on Golf Channel’s “Big Break Greenbrier.” He won the 2013 California State Open with a 4-foot putt on the second playoff hole.
David Berganio Jr., 48, of Granada Hills, Calif., has played in six U.S. Opens. His best finish was a tie for 16th in 1996. Berganio, a two-time U.S. Amateur Public Links champion, advanced to the 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 through both qualifying stages and tied for 28th. Berganio, who was a University of Arizona teammate of 2003 U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk, was provided his first set of clubs by a local priest.
Aaron Dexheimer, 36, of San Diego, Calif., is a commercial salmon fisherman in Alaska during the summer and a caddie at Del Mar Country Club in the winter. He grinded on mini-tours for more than a decade before taking over his father’s fishing operation.
Allen Geiberger Jr., 29, of Palm Desert, Calif., is the son of Al Geiberger, who played in 20 U.S. Opens and tied for second in 1969 and 1976. Al Geiberger, the 1966 PGA champion, became the first player to shoot 59 in a PGA Tour event, the 1977 Danny Thomas Memphis Classic.
Paul Goydos, 52, of Coto de Caza, Calif., has competed in 10 U.S. Opens. His best finish was a tie for 12th in 1999 at Pinehurst No. 2. Goydos has two PGA Tour and four PGA Tour Champions wins, including last year’s Charles Schwab Cup Championship. He began his career on mini-tours and supplemented his income as a substitute teacher.
Stewart Hagestad, 26, of Newport Beach, Calif., won the 2016 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship by defeating Scott Harvey in 37 holes. He produced the largest comeback victory (4 down with 5 holes to play) since a 36-hole Mid-Amateur final was introduced in 2001. Hagestad, the 2016 Metropolitan Golf Association Player of the Year, was the low amateur (tie, 36th) in the 2017 Masters Tournament.
Beau Hossler, 22, of Dallas, Texas, is attempting to qualify for his fourth U.S. Open. He shot a 4-under 68 in the Houston, Texas, local qualifier to advance to sectional play. Hossler, an All-American and two-time Big 12 Conference Player of the Year at the University of Texas, played in the 2011 U.S. Open at age 16 and tied for 29th in 2012. He has competed in 11 USGA championships and was a member of the 2015 USA Walker Cup Team.
Edwin Kuang, 15, of Murrieta, Calif., was the second-youngest competitor in last year’s U.S. Amateur Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club. He shot a 69 to earn co-medalist honors in U.S. Open local qualifying at Andalusia Country Club, in La Quinta, Calif. Kuang is a sophomore on the Murrieta Valley High School team.
Scott McCarron, 51, of La Quinta, Calif., spent four years working in the family clothing business after playing as a collegian at UCLA. He returned to golf in 1992 and won three times on the PGA Tour. He later worked for Golf Channel and Fox as a broadcaster. He has won three PGA Tour Champions events since June 2016. McCarron has played in six U.S. Opens.
Danny Ochoa, 22, of Carlsbad, Calif., miscalculated a jump on his motocross bike eight years ago and broke his humerus bone after his bike landed on top of him. Two metal rods were placed in his left arm, and he was looking at a year of recovery. Ochoa, who is a fifth-year senior on the University of Southern California team, returned in seven months and later placed fifth at the 2010 Callaway Junior World Golf Championships.
Sahith Theegala, 19, of Chino Hills, Calif., reached the quarterfinals of the 2016 U.S. Amateur, losing to eventual champion Curtis Luck, 2 up. Theegala, a sophomore on the Pepperdine University squad, was chosen West Coast Conference Co-Player of the Year and earned first-team All-WCC honors for the second consecutive year in 2017. In February, Theegala won the Collegiate Showcase to earn a spot in the PGA Tour’s Genesis Open and went on to tie for 49th.
Duffy Waldorf, 54, of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., has competed in 13 U.S. Opens, including a tie for ninth in 1994 at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. He has won four PGA Tour events and twice on PGA Tour Champions. He received his nickname Duffy from his grandparents. He tagged along on the golf course and they called him “Little Duffer.”
Jupiter Hills Club (Hills Course) Tequesta, Fla.; 49 players for 3 spots:
Canon Claycomb, 15, of Orlando, Fla., is one of five 15-year-olds in U.S. Open sectional qualifying. He splits time between Bowling Green, Ky., and Florida. He has played on the Greenwood High School team in Bowling Green since fourth grade. He led the team to a second-place finish at the KHSAA state championship last October when he tied for second. Claycomb won the 2015 Teen World Championship at Pinehurst No. 8 with a 54-hole score of 8-under 208.
Sam Horsfield, 20, of England, has played in 13 USGA championships, including the 2015 and 2016 U.S. Opens. Horsfield, who announced on May 22 that he was turning professional, reached the Round of 16 in last year’s U.S. Amateur. 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.
Joaquin Niemann, 18, of Chile, rose to No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking™ this spring. He won the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and the AJGA Sergio Garcia Foundation Junior. Niemann also tied for second in the 2017 Latin America Amateur Championship, losing on the second playoff hole. Niemann advanced to the Round of 16 in the 2016 U.S. Amateur and the Round of 32 in last year’s U.S. Junior Amateur.
Andy Zhang, 19, of the People’s Republic of China, was selected to the 2017 Southeastern Conference All-Freshman Team in his first year at the University of Florida. In 2012, he became the youngest player (age 14) to play in the U.S. Open, held at The Olympic Club. He also competed in the U.S. Amateur and European Masters. Zhang reached match play in all four U.S. Junior Amateurs in which he played, advancing to the quarterfinals in 2014.
Hawks Ridge Golf Club Ball Ground, Ga.; 36 players for 2 spots:
Akshay Bhatia, 15, of Wake Forest, N.C., competed in the inaugural Drive, Chip & Putt Championship at Augusta National Golf Club at age 12 in 2014. He and partner Grayson Wotnosky qualified for this year’s U.S. Amateur Four-Ball and advanced to match play. Bhatia, who is home-schooled, finished seventh in the 2016 North Carolina Amateur. His older sister, Rhea, is a sophomore on the Queens University of Charlotte golf team.
Todd White, 49, of Spartanburg, S.C., won the 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship with partner Nathan Smith and was a member of the winning 2013 USA Walker Cup Team. White has competed in 22 USGA championships, including seven U.S. Amateurs and six Mid-Amateurs. The high school history teacher played in the 1995 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.
Davis Love IV, 23, of Sea Island, Ga., shot 69 at the Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., local qualifier to advance. Love, known as Dru, is a fifth-year senior at the University of Alabama. He played in two spring events after missing the fall season due to injury. His father, Davis III, has competed in 23 U.S. Opens and is attempting to qualify in the Columbus, Ohio, sectional.
The Love's are playing for more than a U.S. Open berth:
I'll play you for 2 truck washes a hole. Also, if we do get in the same one I'm not rooming with you, you snore. https://t.co/9mQxzhqRLj
— Dru Love (@Love4d) May 15, 2017
Woodmont Country Club (North Course) Rockville, Md.; 50 players for 3 spots:
Michael Brennan, 15, of Leesburg, Va., is the youngest player in 2017 U.S. Open sectional qualifying (born 2-9-02). As a freshman on the Tuscarora High School team, he finished fifth in the Virginia 5A State Championship and was the medalist at the Conference 14 and 5A North Region tournaments. Brennan qualified for last year’s Virginia State Amateur.
Chad Collins, 38, of Cloverdale, Ind., has played in two U.S. Opens, tying for 40th in 2014 at Pinehurst No. 2. Collins has played on the PGA, Nationwide, Web.com and NGA Hooters tours. He won twice on the Nationwide Tour (now Web.com) and shot a 60, including a 27 on the outward nine, in the 2013 Utah Championship. He won three NCAA Division III individual titles (1998, 1999, 2001) as a member of the Methodist College team.
Jason Gore, 43, of Valencia, Calif., has competed in four U.S. Opens and played in the final group with Retief Goosen at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2005. Gore, who was a member of the victorious 1997 USA Walker Cup Team, has one PGA Tour and seven Web.com Tour victories.
Billy Hurley III, 34, of Annapolis, Md., has played in two U.S. Opens (2014, 2016), finishing in a tie for 48th in 2014. Hurley graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and was the 2004 Patriot League Player of the Year. He was a member of the winning 2005 USA Walker Cup Team. Hurley rose to the rank of lieutenant and served on U.S. Navy destroyers and cruisers.
Canoe Brook Country Club (North & South Courses) Summit, N.J.; 80 players for 5 spots:
Matthew Dobyns, 39, of Lake Success, N.Y., is attempting to advance through local and sectional qualifying for the second time in four years. He was the lone club professional to play in the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, where he missed the cut by one stroke. Dobyns, the head professional at Fresh Meadow Country Club, won the 2012 and 2015 PGA Professional National Championships.
Mike Dunham, 45, of Concord, Mass., is the goaltending coach for the NHL’s New York Islanders. Dunham, who competed in the 2007 and 2014 U.S. Mid-Amateurs, was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in 1990 and played for five NHL teams. He also played in three Winter Olympic Games and won a silver medal with Team USA in 2002, in Salt Lake City, Utah. His father, Ron, is the director of golf at Teton Pines Country Club, in Wilson, Wyo.
Scott Harvey, 39, of Greensboro, N.C., won the 2014 U.S. Mid-Amateur and was a member of the 2015 USA Walker Cup Team. Harvey, a property manager, was the runner-up to Stewart Hagestad in last year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur and has reached match play in all three U.S. Amateur Four-Balls with partner Todd Mitchell (2015, 2016, 2017).
Jim Herman, 39, of Palm City, Fla., has competed in three U.S. Opens (2010, 2013, 2016). He was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, played on the University of Cincinnati golf team, and started his professional career on the Golden Bear Tour in 2001. Herman, who registered his first PGA Tour win in last year’s Shell Houston Open, served as an assistant pro from 2006-07 at Trump National Golf Club, in Bedminster, N.J., the site of the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open.
Nathan Smith, 38, of Pittsburgh, Pa., is a four-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion who holds the record for the most victories in the championship. He won the 2015 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball title with partner Todd White. Smith, who has played on three USA Walker Cup Teams, works as an investment advisor. He has played in 40 USGA championships, including 16 U.S. Amateurs.
Marc Turnesa, 39, of Jupiter, Fla., is the grandson of Mike Turnesa, who tied for 26th in the 1946 U.S. Open and was one of seven brothers who played golf. Marc, who played in the 2011 U.S. Open, has one victory each on the PGA Tour and Web.com Tour. His great uncle, Willie, won the 1938 and 1948 U.S. Amateurs.
Cameron Wilson, 24, of Rowayton, Conn., has played in two U.S. Opens, including qualifying through both stages as an amateur in 2012. Wilson, who competes on the Web.com Tour, won the 2014 NCAA Division I individual championship, defeating Ollie Schniederjans of Georgia Tech on the third playoff hole. As a senior at Stanford University, he was a first-team All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 Conference selection. He is ambidextrous but plays golf left-handed. His twin sister, McKenzie, was a member of the Stanford sailing team.
Brookside Golf & Country Club & Lakes Golf & Country Club Columbus, Ohio; 120 players for TBD spots:
Keegan Bradley, 30, of Woodstock, Vt., has competed in five U.S. Opens, including a tie for fourth in 2014 at Pinehurst No. 2. Bradley, who won the 2011 PGA Championship, was an all-state ski racer before concentrating on golf. His father, Mark, is a club professional and his aunt, Pat, is a World Golf Hall of Famer who won 31 LPGA titles, including the 1981 U.S. Women’s Open.
Patrick Cantlay, 25, of Long Beach, Calif., was the low amateur in the 2011 U.S. Open when he tied for 21st. Cantlay finished 41st the following year at The Olympic Club. He was sidelined from golf for several years due to injuries and personal tragedy but is back on the PGA Tour in 2017. Cantlay, who lost to Kelly Kraft in the 2011 U.S. Amateur final at Erin Hills, was the Mark H. McCormack Medal recipient as world’s leading amateur and was the nation’s top collegiate golfer at UCLA.
Alex Cejka, 46, of Germany, has played in seven U.S. Opens. He advanced through sectional qualifying to Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014. Cejka’s best finish is a tie for eighth in 2010. At age 9, he and his father escaped from Czechoslovakia before settling in Frankfurt, Germany.
K.J. Choi, 47, of the Republic of Korea, has competed in 13 U.S. Opens. His best finish is a tie for 15th in 2005 at Pinehurst No. 2 and in 2012 at The Olympic Club. Choi, a former competitive power weightlifter, has eight PGA Tour wins, including The Players Championship in 2011.
Stewart Cink, 44, of Duluth, Ga., has competed in 19 U.S. Opens and has seven top-25 finishes. He was third in 2001 at Southern Hills Country Club, in Tulsa, Okla. Cink won the 2009 Open Championship, conducted by The R&A, in a four-hole aggregate playoff with Tom Watson. He took time off from the PGA Tour last year to care for his wife, Lisa, who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Cink fired rounds of 62-61 to earn medalist honors at the Columbus, Ohio, sectional qualifier in 2003.
Erik Compton, 37, of Miami, 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.
Ben Curtis, 40, of Kent, Ohio, has played in seven U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 14th in 2010 at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links. Curtis captured the 2003 Open Championship, conducted by The R&A, in his first start. He has four PGA Tour victories.
Bryson DeChambeau, 23, of Clovis, Calif., has qualified for the U.S. Open through the Columbus, Ohio, sectional the last two years. He shot a second-round 63 one year ago in sectionals and went on to tie for 15th at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. In 2015, he became the fifth player to win the U.S. Amateur and NCAA Division I individual championship in the same year, joining Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Ryan Moore.
Joe Durant, 53, of Pensacola, Fla., has competed in seven U.S. Opens, including a tie for 24th in 2001 at Southern Hills Country Club. He has won four PGA Tour events and twice on PGA Tour Champions. Durant, who played at Huntingdon College, won the 1987 NAIA Championship.
Gavin Hall, 22, of Pittsford, N.Y., is an All-America and All-Big 12 Conference performer at the University of Texas. The Longhorns won this year’s Big 12 title and advanced to their 11th consecutive NCAA Championship. Hall tied for 11th at NCAAs. He was the youngest player in the 2013 U.S. Open field at Merion Golf Club when he qualified through local and sectional play. Hall has competed in three U.S. Amateurs and advanced to match play last year. He also holds the record for lowest score in U.S. Junior Amateur stroke play, a 62 in the second round in 2010.
Tom Lehman, 58, of Scottsdale, Ariz., has played in 18 U.S. Opens and tied for second in 1996 at Oakland Hills Country Club. Lehman owns five PGA Tour victories, including the 1996 Open Championship, held at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club. He has won 10 PGA Tour Champions events, including three senior major titles.
Davis Love III, 53, of Sea Island, Ga., has played in 23 U.S. Opens and owns five top-10 finishes, including a tie for second in 1996. Love has 21 PGA Tour wins, including the 1997 PGA Championship. He served as United States captain for the 2012 and 2016 Ryder Cup Matches. His son, Davis IV, is competing in the Ball Ground, Ga., sectional.
Curtis Luck, 20, of Australia, won the 2016 U.S. Amateur by defeating Brad Dalke, 6 and 4, in the final. He became the third Australian to win the Amateur, joining Walter J. Travis and Nick Flanagan. Luck, who turned professional after competing in the 2017 Masters, helped Australia win the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship and won last year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur and Western Australian Open.
Billy Mayfair, 50, of Scottsdale, Ariz., has played in 14 U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for fifth in 2002 at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course. Mayfair won the 1987 U.S. Amateur and 1986 U.S. Amateur Public Links, becoming the first player to win both titles. He tied for second in the 2016 U.S. Senior Open in his first year of eligibility for the championship.
Geoff Ogilvy, 39, of Australia, won the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club, in Mamaroneck, N.Y., by one stroke over Jim Furyk, Colin Montgomerie and Phil Mickelson. He has competed in 13 U.S. Opens. Ogilvy, who has at least a top-6 finish in all four professional major championships, won the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in 2006 and 2009.
Rod Pampling, 47, of Australia, has played in eight U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 14th at Torrey Pines Golf Course in 2008. He advanced to the 2014 U.S. Open through the Columbus, Ohio, sectional qualifier with rounds of 73 and 65. His wife, Angela, is a clinical psychologist.
Michael Putnam, 34, of University Place, Wash., is attempting to qualify for his fifth U.S. Open. Putnam was chosen 2013 Web.com Tour Player of the Year. He was an All-America player at Pepperdine University and a member of the 2005 USA Walker Cup Team. He lives near Chambers Bay, the site of the 2015 U.S. Open.
Patrick Rodgers, 24, of Avon, Ind., qualified for his first U.S. Open through the Columbus, Ohio, sectional last year. He tied for 46th at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. Rodgers, an All-American at Stanford University, was a member of two USA Walker Cup Teams (2011, 2013) and played in three U.S. Amateurs and two U.S. Junior Amateurs. He was a quarterfinalist in the 2011 U.S. Amateur, held at Erin Hills.
Sam Saunders, 29, of St. Augustine, Fla., is the grandson of 1960 U.S. Open champion Arnold Palmer. In 2015, Saunders was co-medalist in the Columbus, Ohio, sectional qualifier and tied for 50th in the U.S. Open. He also played in the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club.
Scottie Scheffler, 20, of Dallas, Texas, earned first-team All-Big 12 Conference honors and helped the University of Texas win this year’s Big 12 Championship and place second in the NCAA Austin Regional. He tied for third at the NCAA Championship. Scheffler, who won the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur and qualified for his first U.S. Open last year, has competed in 10 USGA championships and reached match play in last year’s U.S. Amateur.
Ollie Schniederjans, 23, of Alpharetta, Ga., has four top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour this season. He won the Web.com Tour’s Air Capital Classic last year. Schniederjans was a three-time All-American and two-time Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year at Georgia Tech. In 2014, he won the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the world’s top amateur. He tied for 42nd in the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay.
Vijay Singh, 54, of Fiji, has played in 18 U.S. Opens and has seven top-10 finishes. His best finish was a tie for third at Pinehurst No. 2 in 1999. Singh, who has won one Masters Tournament and two PGA Championships, tied for 18th in his second U.S. Senior Open at Scioto Country Club, in Columbus, Ohio, last year.
Richard Todd, 31, of Milwaukee, Wis., is in his first year as assistant golf coach at Marquette University. He played at the University at Alabama (2005-08), where he was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection and competed in two NCAA Tournaments. His father, Richard, was a standout Alabama quarterback for coach Bear Bryant in the early 1970s and a longtime starter for the New York Jets.
Springfield Country Club Springfield, Ohio; 77 players for 4 spots:
Zac Blair, 26, of St. George, 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 player at Brigham Young University, has two top-15 finishes on the PGA Tour this season.
Austin Greaser, 16, of Vandalia, Ohio, survived a 9-for-4 playoff in local qualifying when he birdied the first hole at Kearney Hills Golf Club, in Lexington, Ky. Greaser, a sophomore on the Vandalia-Butler High team, made birdies on holes 17 and 18 to shoot a 1-under 71 and get into the playoff. He lives 26 miles from Springfield Country Club.
Kevin Hall, 34, of Cincinnati, Ohio, has been deaf since age 2 due to a bout with meningitis. He attended St. Rita School for the Deaf and started playing golf at age 9. He won the 2004 Big Ten Conference championship and led Ohio State University to the team title. Hall is playing on mini-tours, including the SwingThought and Advocates pro golf tours. He competed in his first PGA Tour event since 2008 in February, when he received the Genesis Open’s Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption.
Luke Kluver, 16, of Norfolk, Neb., is believed to be the first Nebraska high school golfer to reach U.S. Open sectional qualifying since Tom Sieckmann in 1972. Kluver (who will turn 17 on June 3) won the 2016 NSAA Class A state title by making a 15-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole. His mother, Michelle, was All-Big Eight Conference and an NCAA regional qualifier for the University of Nebraska (1993-96).
Sammy Schmitz, 36, of Farmington, Minn., won the 2015 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship and earned an invitation to the 2016 Masters. Schmitz recorded the second known ace on a par 4 in USGA championship history when he holed his tee shot on No. 15 at John’s Island Club’s West Course in the championship match. He works for a health-care services company.
Germantown Country Club & Ridgeway Country Club Memphis, Tenn.; 108 players for TBD spots:
Sam Burns, 20, of Shreveport, La., was voted 2017 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year and helped Louisiana State University win the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional. Burns, who was a first-team All-SEC selection, won the individual regional title. Burns qualified for his first U.S. Open last year and advanced to the Round of 32 in the U.S. Amateur. He won three consecutive Louisiana state high school championships.
Austin Gaugert, 26, of Lake Geneva, Wis., is a substitute teacher for the Lake Geneva School District and an assistant professional at Blackhawk Country Club in Madison. He was an All-Horizon League selection at Valparaiso University, while his father, Jim, and brother, Alex, played at Minnesota and Wisconsin, respectively.
Retief Goosen, 48, of South Africa, won the U.S. Open in 2001 (playoff with Mark Brooks) and 2004 (by two strokes over Phil Mickelson). Goosen, who was struck by lightning as an amateur, has seven wins on the PGA Tour and 14 victories on the PGA European Tour. He has played in 18 U.S. Opens and received a special exemption into the field last year at Oakmont, where he missed the cut.
Jimmy Gunn, 36, of Scotland, caddied at Royal Dornoch and worked as a part-time carpenter before moving to the United States to play on professional mini-tours nine years ago. He aspires to be a professional fisherman. Gunn qualified through local and sectional play to the 2015 U.S. Open, where he tied for 27th at Chambers Bay.
Ian Poulter, 41, of England, has played in 12 U.S. Opens. His best finish is a tie for 12th in 2006. Poulter, who owns 12 PGA European Tour victories, has been a member of four winning European Ryder Cup teams. He tied for second in the 2017 Players Championship.
Steve Stricker, 50, of Madison, Wis., has played in 19 U.S. Opens and has 11 top-25 finishes. Stricker, who was born in Edgerton, Wis., 63 miles from Erin Hills, finished fifth in both 1998 and 1999. He has 12 PGA Tour victories. Stricker was an All-American at the University of Illinois before starting his pro career on the Canadian Professional Golf Tour in 1990. He is fully exempt to play in his first U.S. Senior Open in late June.
Braden Thornberry, 20, of Olive Branch, Miss., won the 2017 NCAA Division I individual title by four strokes with a 72-hole score of 11-under 277. He earned first-team All-Southeastern Conference recognition as a sophomore at the University of Mississippi. He tied for third in the SEC Championship and finished fourth at the NCAA Austin Regional. Thornberry, who won the Jones Cup Invitational in February, will play in the PGA Tour’s FedEx St. Jude Classic.
Brady Watt, 27, of Australia, was a semifinalist in the 2013 U.S. Amateur, where he lost to fellow countryman Oliver Goss. Watt then served as Goss’ caddie in the 36-hole final against Matthew Fitzpatrick. Watt, who has competed on PGA Tour Latinoamerica, qualified for his lone U.S. Open through local and sectional play in 2014. His father, Robin, was a state and national-level softball player in Western Australia.
Lakewood Country Club Dallas, Texas, 58 players for 3 spots:
Philip Barbaree, 18, of Shreveport, La., won the 2015 U.S. Junior Amateur by defeating Andrew Orischak in 37 holes. Barbaree set a championship record for largest comeback, coming from 5 down with eight holes to play. As a freshman, Barbaree helped Louisiana State University win its first ever NCAA regional championship. He was chosen 2015 Rolex Junior Player of the Year after winning the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions.
Bob Estes, 51, of Austin, Texas, has competed in 15 U.S. Opens. His best finish is a tie for 11th in 2005 at Pinehurst No. 2. Estes, who has won four times on the PGA Tour, is fully exempt to play in his first U.S. Senior Open in late June at Salem Country Club.
Landon Fox, 22, of Winfield, Kan., is a pro shop assistant at Quail Ridge Golf Course and an assistant tee-ball instructor/sports official for the Winfield Recreation Center. Fox, who is a member of the Southwestern College team, earned first-team All-Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference honors and tied for third in the conference championship.
Cole Hammer, 17, of Houston, Texas, was the third-youngest player to compete in the U.S. Open when he played at Chambers Bay in 2015. He advanced to the Round of 16 in last year’s U.S. Junior Amateur and reached match play in the 2015 U.S. Amateur. Hammer, who was chosen 2016 Southern Texas PGA Amateur of the Year and had elbow surgery last fall, tied for second in the Azalea Invitational on April 2.
Mike McCoy, 54, of Des Moines, Iowa, has played in 50 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, is scheduled to compete in his fifth consecutive U.S. Senior Open in June.
Shuai Ming Wong, 17, of the People’s Republic of China, captured the 2017 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball with Frankie Capan on May 31 on Pinehurst No. 2, rallying to defeat Clark Collier and Kyle Hudelson, 2 and 1, in the final match. Wong reached the Round of 32 in the 2016 U.S. Junior Amateur, and he also qualified for last year’s U.S. Amateur. Wong, a junior at The John Cooper School, was born in Hong Kong but moved to Beijing at age 6. In 2015, Wong, whose nickname is Ben, won the Shell Houston Open Junior Championship by 12 strokes.
Will Zalatoris, 20, of Plano, Texas, was chosen 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, competing for Wake Forest University. Zalatoris, a junior, tied for fifth at the NCAA Austin Regional to qualify for the NCAA Championship as an individual. Zalatoris won the 2014 U.S. Junior Amateur and reached match play in the last three U.S. Amateurs (2014, Round of 16; 2015, Round of 32; 2016, Round of 64).
Tacoma Country & Golf Club Lakewood, Wash.; 70 players for 4 spots:
Derek Barron, 32, of Tacoma, Wash., is an instructor at Tacoma Firs Golf Center. Barron, who previously worked as a construction foreman, once shot a 13-under 59 in a pro-am at Indian Canyon G.C., in Spokane, Wash. Barron played and worked at Fort Steilacoom Golf Course, just 7 miles from Chambers Bay, the 2015 U.S. Open site. Barron competes as a PGA apprentice.
Tadd Fujikawa, 26, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was the youngest (age 15) to play in a U.S. Open when he qualified to played at Winged Foot Golf Club through both local and sectional play in 2006. At age 16 years and 4 days, he made the 36-hole cut at the Sony Open, the second-youngest player at the time to make the cut in a PGA Tour event. Fujikawa was born three months premature and doctors gave him a 50-50 chance of survival.
Jason Preeo, 38, of Highlands Ranch, Colo., is the head boys’ golf coach at Valor Christian High School and an instructor at MetaGolf Learning Center. He has led the program to five Class 4A state championships. Three of his former players (Ross Macdonald, Josh Seiple, Jake Staiano) are competing in this year’s U.S. Open sectional qualifying. Preeo advanced to the 2010 U.S. Open through local and sectional play and tied for 82nd at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links.
Thanks to all who sent this story and apologies in advance for questioning what I think is a poor bit of headline writing.
Our late, great friend Frank Hannigan always pointed out to me that the New York Times seemed spectacular until they covered a topic near and dear to your heart by exposing their weaknesses or all-out knowledge blind spots.
So while I’d respect the Times and Washington Post’s efforts to scrutinize the goings-on in Washington, the WaPo’s story on sagging business at Trump Ferry Point seemed like a headline reach (“Business sags at Trump’s New York golf course as players stay away"), which didn’t reflect a mostly-balanced piece of reporting from a small sample-size.
After checking with a few folks, it seems the headline overreached in the effort to see if President Donald Trump’s style, stances and overall forceful nature would impact his businesses.
This is certainly something to watch with his overseas properties and more importantly, with corporate sales at tournaments hosted by his courses. And while the story by Drew Harwell and David Fahrenthold presents signs of reduced play, the copy never matches the headline suggesting golfers are withdrawing in mass numbers from Trump Ferry Point rounds.
In reporting a 12% decrease in revenue over the last year, they write:
These records provide an unusual glimpse inside a business unit of the Trump Organization, during the period when Trump was seeking, then winning and then assuming the presidency. Nearly all of Trump’s other business interests are privately held and offer little transparency regarding their revenue and profits.
The reports show that, in the period between April 2016 and March 2017, golfers played 26,127 rounds at the Bronx course. That was a decline of 2,164 rounds — or about 7 percent — from the previous 12-month period.
As the writers concede, “From the records alone, it is impossible to tell whether politics played a role in the business decline at the Trump course.” And credit to them for citing Tom Stine’s assertion that a one-year 12% drop isn’t alarming enough in such a fickle weather market.
The rough summer of 2016 saw a 15% uptick in inclement weather days for Ferry Point according to The Trump Organization when contacted by this website. Also, private outings were limited to free up the tee sheet for residents, also cutting into rounds recorded.
Most interesting, the story does not cite whether play was up, down or flat at other New York City courses where similar weather or other trends could have impacted rounds played.
The 165-yard 9th plays downhill to a green with a false front. Exposed and likely to play tougher than it looks if the wind blows, especially if the breeze is pushing balls toward the back left bunker.
The Erin Hills flyover, shot by the folks at Advexture (their write-up here on the process).
The World Golf Hall of Famer, 1967 Open Champion at Royal Liverpool and runner-up in the 1968 Masters has passed away at 94.
The World Golf Hall of Fame posted this nice note on news of De Vicenzo's passing and also has this page devoted to his career.
Golf Channel broke the news first, with this noted by G.C. Digital:
De Vicenzo enjoyed a decorated playing career, one that included more than 230 worldwide victories across five decades. The pinnacle came in 1967, when he won The Open by two shots over Jack Nicklaus at Royal Liverpool. He also represented Argentina 17 times at the World Cup of Golf and captured the inaugural U.S. Senior Open in 1980 at age 57.
Richard Goldstein's NY Times obit naturally centers around the Masters miscue but also includes much else about De Vicenzo's career.
This was heartening:
De Vicenzo told Sports Illustrated in 2008 that he had earned lucrative appearance fees as a result of the mistake. “I’ve gotten more out of signing the card wrong than if I had signed it correctly,” he said.
“Every now and then,” he added, “I will drop a tear, but I’ve moved on. I got to see the world through golf. No one should feel sorry for me.”
A year ago, John Garrity filed this terrific Golf.com piece on the incident and De Vicenzo's often overlooked career outside of one week in April, 1968.
For a spectacular (and I mean spectacular) look at the 1967 Open won by De Vicenzo, check out this highlight film posted by GolfChannel.com. Yes, it's 53 minutes long, but you'll love having it on in the background while you work.
Brian Keogh at the Irish Golf Desk says elite amateurs can first test Royal Portrush's "new" holes when the course hosts the North of Ireland Amateur Open from July 10-14.
This will be the first chance to see the two new MacKenzie-designed holes set to replace the current finishing holes when Portrush hosts the 2019 Open Championship.
Two new holes have been added to the famous links and play will now finish at what was originally the 16th. After playing the 189-yard (sixth) Harry Colt’s, a stunning par-three perched above White Rocks beach, players turn right into a valley where they will encounter a new challenge.
Holes seven and eight run parallel to the coast, high dunes concealing the shoreline as play sweeps through previously uncharted territory.
Keogh embeds a video showing the two holes off. New sand dune areas have just begun to be developed, but in two years they should look beautiful.
While the greens appeared to confound even the last two teams standing, the 2017 NCAA Men's Division I final and its match play format proved compelling again. Oklahoma edged Oregon in a final that, not surprisingly, came down to the final match between last year's U.S. Amateur runner-up and the same player who carried Oregon to the 2016 title.
Beth Ann Baldry at Golfweek with the Sooners story and the tragedy that befell coach Ryan Hybl and wife Rebecca earlier in the season.
Brentley Romine with the key match details where Oregon put up a great fight.
Ryan Lavner with Sooner anchor Brad Dalke's story. Recruited by OU since he was 12 and a commit by 7th grade, he fulfilled a dream come true and did it with a mix of clutch shotmaking and class in Wednesday's finale.
Lance Ringler looks back on two weeks at Rich Harvest Farms and an NCAA season that saw powerhouses Arizona State and Oklahoma winning titles.
The Golf Channel highlights:
Some images of the winners:
A post shared by Golf Channel (@golfchannel) on May 31, 2017 at 6:01pm PDT
Nick Menta at GolfChannel.com reporting from the Memorial where Jordan Spieth explained the differences between 2015 U.S. Open venue Chambers Bay (where he won) and 2017 host Erin Hills.
From his pre-tourney press conference:
“Chambers Bay, you had big mounds to play off onto the greens. [Erin] is kind of rolling hills. Although, neither one has a tree that I remember on the golf course. It was kind of a new-style American Links type. They both are. But I think they’ll play tremendously different.”
I believe the flyovers highlight what Spieth speaks to, but this is a great distinction to keep in mind. The greens at Erin Hills are more exposed and require way more aerial play than Chambers Bay. Plus, by all accounts the course is lush and we won't see the extreme ground speed we saw in 2015. That should please players and those who prefer a traditional inland U.S. Open "test", but annoy links enthusiasts.
At 492 yards with a huge carry to the fairway and another one to clear a fairway playing over a dune, the 8th has the potential to draw player ire if into the wind. But with a helping wind or not too much breeze, it should be a hole they can handle.
According to the USGA flyover and info page, the green is just 26 yards deep which, given its elevation will play smaller.
And do check out the stunning 8th hole image at the Erin Hills website, though I don't believe we'll see the bunker eyelashes like that in a couple of weeks.
The Erin Hills flyover.
Always one of the classiest days in golf, Greg Norman is the 2017 tournament Honoree and Jerry Tarde received the Journalism Award. Dave Shedloski profiled Norman for Golf World.
Here is the full ceremony posted by Jack Nicklaus on Facebook, with Charlie Meacham's intro of Tarde at the 20:00 mark and Jack Nicklaus's intro of Norman at the 28:00 mark following a short speech by PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.
Hank Haney thinks so and based on the definition of Rule 14-1b (PDF link) that says an “anchor point” "exists when the player intentionally holds a forearm in contact with any part of his body to establish a gripping hand as a stable point around which the other hand may swing the club."
Bernhard Langer would appear to be in violation in this clip:
Just out of curiosity, is this legal @USGA? What exactly is anchoring? Lots of Champions Tour players are questioning this. pic.twitter.com/eG6XmSkJFI
— Hank Haney (@HankHaney) May 31, 2017
What say you?
As we march toward the U.S. Open, get ready for a fun run of ShackHouses with great guests and insights into this mystery venue.
To kick off the next four weeks of pods, we've got Dean And Deluca winner Kevin Kisner in the house to discuss life in Aiken, his big win, this week's Memorial and the dynamics of this month's Zurich Classic where he and longtime buddy Scott Brown nearly pulled off the win.
The show also includes bickering about Tiger's DUI, the Memorial (with picks!) and an early look at U.S. Open odds.
But we're most excited that the guest still has the best non-major moment of the 2016-17 season:
Kisner gave the media a fun moment Tuesday at the Memorial pre-tournament presser:
"You think I'm scared of @djohnsonpga because he hits it 350?"
A post shared by PGA TOUR (@pgatour) on May 30, 2017 at 2:45pm PDT
We also discussed House's pod appearance with Bill Simmons and Bryan Curtis where Tiger chat preceded their Frank Deford show.
As always, you can subscribe on iTunes and or just refresh your device subscription page.
Here is The Ringer's show page.
Same deal with Soundcloud for the show, and Episode 36 is here to listen to right now.
ShackHouse is brought to you by Callaway, makers of the Epic Driver that is now part of Callaway's very groovy Customs program along with Chrome Softs and other fun stuff. Check it out just in time with Father's Day, or, if you just want to enjoy some fun customization practice play with the new Customs features. It's wonderfully addictive!
Here is the Callaway Father's Day Gift Guide.
The show:
ESPN.com's Bob Harig on Jack Nicklaus' extensive comments endorsing a Players move to March, a PGA Championship to May and the end of the golf season by Labor Day weekend.
Interestingly, in the remarks I saw, Mr. Nicklaus suggested much of the decision-making at this point is in PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan's court, not the PGA Of America's.
Harig writes:
That would make The Open the last major championship and would clear the way for the PGA Tour to conclude its season earlier by moving its FedEx Cup playoff series, with the idea of finishing by Labor Day.
"To do that, [Monahan] has many moving parts,'' Nicklaus said. "But he wanted us to know he wasn't going to slight us in any way, he wants to encourage us and promote us.''
Nicklaus noted the "dismal" Tour Championship ratings and endorsed the new order of the majors, including the tighter window for play.
"It would bring the majors a little closer together,'' he said. "April [Masters], May [PGA], June [U.S. Open] and July [The Open]. I think that's good, too.''
In a suggestion that we could end up with only May PGA Championships in Olympic years, Nicklaus said he has discussed swapping out a Memorial for a PGA with the five families.
Nick Menta writing for GolfChannel.com:
If Muirfield were to host a future PGA, that would necessitate either a temporary change of venue for the Memorial or, as Nicklaus brought up himself, “a year off.”
“If we took a year off the Memorial Tournament, I’m not sure I’d want to do that or not. I’m not sure that’s what we want for our brand, our tournament. But whatever is best for the game of golf and however it works, I’m more than happy to about it and try to do it.”
Pressed on the issue of a PGA Championship at Muirfield later on, Nicklaus clarified, “I said we would consider it.”
AP's Doug Ferguson reports on Jack Nicklaus's pre-Memorial remarks on player withdrawals due to injuries.
Asked about Rory McIlroy's entry into the 2017 Memorial only to WD to rest an injured rib, Nicklaus said...
“You think I had any injuries when I played? Do you think Arnold had any injuries when he played? Do you think Gary had any injuries when he played? How many tournaments do you think that we entered that we withdrew from during the course of our career?” Nicklaus said.
He put his forefinger to his thumb to signal zero.
“Never entered if I wasn’t going to play,” Nicklaus said.
After mentioning the money in the game, there was this gem about entourages.
“Would they withdraw back 30 years ago? Probably not, because that wasn’t the norm,” Nicklaus said. “We played through it. We had a ton of injuries and I played through it. But that’s sort of the norm today. And the guys … I made my own decisions. I didn’t have an entourage. I didn’t have a fitness trainer. I didn’t have a nutritionist, whatever you all have, somebody to cut my toenails in the morning.
Zing!
"I didn’t have any of that. I did that myself.
“I think that entourage helps make that decision for the player, telling them, ‘We think physically this is probably not right for you to play.’ And that’s what their job is,” Nicklaus said.
Geoff Shackelford is a Senior Writer for Golfweek magazine, a weekly contributor to Golf Channel's Morning
Copyright © 2022, Geoff Shackelford. All rights reserved.
