The US Open - Fun with the Pairings ...

[Mike Benham]

Here they are, go through and make your comments ...

Thursday-Friday
First Hole-10th Hole

7 a.m.-12:30 p.m. — Ken Duke, Sam Walker, Johnson Wagner
7:11 a.m.-12:41 p.m. — Craig Kanada, Jon Mills, Tom Gillis
7:22 a.m.-12:52 p.m. — Allen Doyle, Olin Browne, Tom Byrum
7:33 a.m.-1:03 p.m. — Nick Dougherty, a-Trip Kuehne, Ricky Barnes
7:44 a.m-1:14 p.m. — Ryuji Imada, Vaughn Taylor, Michael Campbell
7:55 a.m.-1:25 p.m. — Jose Maria Olazabal, Sergio Garcia, Pablo Martin
8:06 a.m.-1:36 p.m. — Tiger Woods, a-Richie Ramsay, Geoff Ogilvy
8:17 a.m.-1:47 p.m. — Justin Leonard, Rory Sabbatini, Jerry Kelly
8:28 a.m.-1:58 p.m. — Retief Goosen, Luke Donald, Angel Cabrera
8:39 a.m.-2:09 p.m. — Bob Estes, Johan Edfors, Ryan Palmer
8:50 a.m.-2:20 p.m. — Woody Austin, Mathew Goggin, Pat Perez
9:01 a.m.-2:31 p.m. — Jason Allen, Mike Small, Geoffrey Sisk
9:12 a.m.-2:42 p.m. — Michael Berg, a-Jason Kokrak, Kyle Dobbs

Thursday-Friday
10th Hole-First Hole

7 a.m.-12:30 p.m. — Michael Putnam, a-Rhys Davies, Lee Williams
7:11 a.m.-12:41 p.m. — Boo Weekley, Nobuhiro Masuda, Bubba Watson
7:22 a.m.-12:52 p.m. — a-John Kelly, Graeme McDowell, Kirk Triplett
7:33 a.m.-1:03 p.m. — Colin Montgomerie, Chris DiMarco, Tim Clark
7:44 a.m.-1:14 p.m. — Ernie Els, Zach Johnson, Padraig Harrington
7:55 a.m.-1:25 p.m. — Thomas Bjorn, Ben Curtis, Stephen Ames
8:06 a.m.-1:36 p.m. — K.J. Choi, David Toms, Mike Weir
8:17 a.m.-1:47 p.m. — Stuart Appleby, Scott Verplank, Robert Allenby
8:28 a.m.-1:58 p.m. — Todd Hamilton, John Rollins, Anders Hansen
8:39 a.m.-2:09 p.m. — Niclas Fasth, Arron Oberholser, Nathan Green
8:50 a.m.-2:20 p.m. — Nick Watney, Peter Hanson, Harrison Frazar
9:01 a.m.-2:31 p.m. — a-Phillip Pettitt Jr., Warren Pineo, John Koskinen
9:12 a.m.-2:42 p.m. — Andy Matthews, a-Jeff Golden, Michael Block
9:12 a.m.-2:42 p.m. — a-Alex Coe, Brad Fritsch, Benjamin Hayes

Thursday-Friday
First Hole-10th Hole

12:30 p.m.-7 a.m. — Jeff Brehaut, Andrew Buckle, Darron Stiles
12:41 p.m. — 7:11 a.m. — Martin Laird, a-Alex Prugh, Todd Fischer
12:52 p.m.-7:22 a.m. — Joe Durant, Steve Stricker, Joey Sindelar
1:03 p.m.-7:33 a.m. — Trevor Immlman, Stewart Cink, Paul Casey
1:14 p.m.-7:44 a.m. — Vijay Singh, Davis Love III, Henrik Stenson
1:25 p.m.-7:55 a.m. — Jeff Sluman, Fred Funk, Toru Taniguchi
1:36 p.m.-8:06 a.m. — Camilo Villegas, Lucas Glover, Aaron Baddeley
1:47 p.m.-8:17 a.m. — David Howell, J.J. Henry, Rod Pampling
1:58 p.m.-8:28 a.m. — Lee Westwood, Chad Campbell, Carl Pettersson
2:09 p.m.-8:39 a.m. — Brett Quigley, Anthony Wall, Hunter Mahan
2:20 p.m.-8:50 a.m. — Kevin Sutherland, Soren Kjeldsen, Eric Axley
2:31 p.m.-9:01 a.m. — Joe Daley, a-Martin Ureta, Miguel Rodriguez
2:42 p.m.-9:12 a.m. — a-Chris Condello, Adam Speirs, Jacob Rogers

Thursday-Friday
10th Hole-First Hole

12:30 p.m.-7 a.m. — Jason Dufner, Darren Fichardt, Chris Stroud
12:41 p.m.-7:11 a.m. — Brandt Snedeker, Christian Cevaer, Stephen Marino
12:52 p.m.-7:22 a.m. — Shaun Micheel, Charl Schwartzel, Tom Pernice Jr.
1:03 p.m.-7:33 a.m. — Nick O'Hern, Brett Wetterich, Robert Karlsson
1:14 p.m.-7:44 a.m. — Kaname Yokoo, Paul Goydos, Kenneth Ferrie
1:25 p.m.-7:55 a.m. — Ian Poulter, Ryan Moore, Shingo Katayama
1:36 p.m.-8:06 a.m. — Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, Jim Furyk
1:47 p.m.-8:17 a.m. — Lee Janzen, Steve Elkington, Rich Beem
1:58 p.m. -8:28 a.m. — Charles Howell III, Justin Rose, Sean O'Hair
2:09 p.m.-8:39 a.m. — Anthony Kim, Jeev Milkha Singh, Dean Wilson
2:20 p.m.-8:50 a.m. — Tim Petrovic, Marcus Fraser, Tripp Isenhour
2:31 p.m.-9:01 a.m. — D.J. Brigman, a-Richard Lee, George McNeill
2:42 p.m.-9:12 a.m. — Frank Bensel, Todd Rossetti, a-Mark Harrell
2:42 p.m.-9:12 a.m. — Andy Bare, Dustin White, a-Ryan Baca

[George Pazin]

Man, I could've sworn I was supposed to be carrying Huck's bag, but I can't find him anywhere on that list.

[Mike Benham]

Answer:   Jeff Sluman, Fred Funk, Toru Taniguchi

Question:  Who is 5'7", 5'8" and 5'5"

[Lloyd_Cole]

7:55 a.m.-1:25 p.m. — Thomas Bjorn, Ben Curtis, Stephen Ames

Could be amusing given that Ames doesn't seem to have the greatest tact...

[Brad Tufts]

Boo, Nobu, Bubba....

Mickelson, Furyk, Scott.....2,3,4 in world

Villegas, Glover, Badds....young guns

Howell, Rose, O'Hair...young guns who have been around for a while but haven't really dominated?

Of course...Tiger, Ogilvy, Ramsay...Open Champ, US Open champ, US Am champ.

Olazabal, Garcia, Pablo Martin...all Spaniards.

Allenby and Appleby...best friends and often confused with each other b/c of their names.

[Jon Spaulding]

Lee Janzen, Steve Elkington, Rich Beem....all currently residing in the "where are they now category" along with the loudest band from England.

[Phil McDade]

Is Matthew Goggin a hot-head? Because he's paired with two others....

Will Martin be the low Spainard of his group? He's played well lately...

The Bjorn-Curtis pairing is the stuff of genius....

Furyk will be the low golfer of his group, by at least two strokes...

[paul cowley]

Love by two.

[Mark Bourgeois]

Love by two.

You homer!

Mike Benham: stand up when you say that! Oh, you are standing?

Is Goggin a luny hothead, too?

[JNC Lyon]

Dougherty, Trip Keuhne, ricky Barnes: The "Should've Been" Group.

Perez and Austin in the same group?!?!?!

[John_Conley]

I know Jeff Golden.  I don't know who he's playing with.  I think that's by design.

Condello is another local.  Ditto his group.  Never heard of these guys.  

Ricky Barnes and Dougherty won the Am, right?  Trip hasn't.  Yet.  Maybe this will be karma.

[Robert_Ball]

7 a.m.-12:30 p.m. — Michael Putnam, a-Rhys Davies, Lee Williams

2005 Walker Cup rematch

[Phil_the_Author]

8:50 a.m.-2:20 p.m. — Woody Austin, Mathew Goggin, Pat Perez

The who will get pissed off and throw a club first group.

[Mike Benham]

Answer:   Jeff Sluman, Fred Funk, Toru Taniguchi

Question:  Who is 5'7", 5'8" and 5'5"

None of these players are considered long either, 279.8, 272.8 and 267.63 respectively.

But Funk, with his 78% driving accuracy, might be considered a favorite if his iron play and putting hold up.

[Tyler Kearns]

I know Jeff Golden.  I don't know who he's playing with.  I think that's by design.

Condello is another local.  Ditto his group.  Never heard of these guys.  

John,

Adam Speirs (in Condello's group) is an old friend of mine, we used to play junior and amateur golf against each other. This is the 2nd time he has qualified for the US Open, and is currently a member of the Canadian Tour. It is weird seeing three guys (all Canucks) that I have played against in competition. Amazing how different our games have diverged in 10 years!!

TK

[Matt_Cohn]

Montgomerie, DiMarco, Clark: the "most valiant perennial runners-up" grouping.

[rboyce]

Howell, Rose, O'Hair - The thin threesome.

[George Pazin]

Howell, Rose, O'Hair - The thin threesome.

Aren't they also all 3 former Leadbetter pupils now working with someone else?

[John_Cullum]

7:11 a.m.-12:41 p.m. — Boo Weekley, Nobuhiro Masuda, Bubba Watson


Bubba and Boo to teach Nobu to speak English

[John_Cullum]

1:14 p.m.-7:44 a.m. — Vijay Singh, Davis Love III, Henrik Stenson

The Thursday afternoon TV pairing

[John_Cullum]

8:06 a.m.-1:36 p.m. — Tiger Woods, a-Richie Ramsay, Geoff Ogilvy

The Friday afternnon TV Pairing

[Tom Birkert]

In John Feinstein's book about the US Open he talks about how the USGA like to put what they consider an "arsehole" group out, where they pair together unpopular players and how they try to inject a bit of humour into some of the pairings.

I'd have liked to put Rory Sabbatini with Ben Crane and Berhard Langer had they qualified...