Us Open at Merion, what to expect?

[BHoover]

Jack Nicklaus didn't bother to show up for the past champions dinner? If that's true, then it's unfortunate that he couldn't join the 27 other former champions.

I seem to recall him discussing his travel schedule following the Memorial and it involved a lot of time out of the country.

I'm sure that's the case, but still, you would think he might show up especially for the first Open at Merion in 30+ years.  He shows up for the Masters each year.

[BHoover]

The more I think about it, I expect a good wedge player to win.  That's why I'm leaning toward Zach Johnson.

[Rick Shefchik]

From watching on television, I've never seen a U.S. Open course look more British. It's not playing that way, however -- balls are zipping backward like an ordinary Tour stop.

[Matthew Petersen]

Don't recall if it was in this thread or another that we discussed the possibility of players going down the 5th fairway from #2 tee. On the telecast, they said Dustin Johnson hit a drive OB on #2, then played down #5. Certainly made it sound like it was a deliberate choice after going OB.

[Phil McDade]

Is everyone (present company included ) missing the big picture here? The Old Lady is holding up pretty well, despite the recent drenching. Fun to watch these guys try to figure out the greens.

[Dean Stokes]

Is everyone (present company included ) missing the big picture here? The Old Lady is holding up pretty well, despite the recent drenching. Fun to watch these guys try to figure out the greens.

Phil I agree and was going to start a different thread on it. I am still at work looking at the scorecards on the internet and there are a ton of bogeys then A.N. Others on the board. The last four or five holes seem to be a major challenge. It is very early to say because of the weather and ever changing course conditions but I reckon somehwere around level par will be good come SundayMonday or Tuesday evening.

[Phil McDade]

Dean:

Some interesting course stats so far:

-- Both par 5s averaging over par.
-- Three par 4s (1, 8, 10) and the par 3 13th playing under par.
-- Stretch of 3 through 6, and 14 through 18 (esp. 17 and 18) playing quite difficult, with each hole playing at least a 1/4 stroke over par.
-- #5 is playing so far nearly a full stroke over par (4.87); #18 playing 2/3s of a stroke over par.

With the same kind of drenching rains that Bethpage Black saw in '09, and a similar set-up (graduated rough in particular), I'm left with only one conclusion: the USGA should return the Open to Merion East well before BBlack.

[Jud_T]

What to expect?  Surprising insights from Chris Berman, like the gem he just uttered about how the 13th, playing barely over 100 yards, had yet to yield an ace.  The new international all-clear for cocktail hour...

[Dean Stokes]

I will say I like most all commentators, but Berman is annoying and hard to listen to after just an hour. I an wondering what the scores would be if there were no crowds, spotters and grandstands out there? How many lost balls and re tees would there have been already today? Plenty!

[John McCarthy]

How did they treat Sergio?  Anyone throw batteries at him?

[Jud_T]

This gem from Curtis Strange this morning " to me #5 is borderline unfair because of the slope of the green".  Poor babies...

[Anthony Butler]

Having people stand four deep on top of an out bounds Line seems like an idiot move to me... Adam Scott just ricocheted one off someone's shins that ended up a yard OB on 15.

[archie_struthers]

 :


I'm liking the over under at -7 still.....it won't get any easier.   Interesting that #5 , which is probably the hardest hole for us mortals when it is dry , is doing lots of damage even when wet. If it gets harder, look out !

[Jud_T]

Having people stand four deep on top of an out bounds Line seems like an idiot move to me... Adam Scott just ricocheted one off someone's shins that ended up a yard OB on 15.

Poetic justice for using that monstrosity of a "putter"...

[Mark Bourgeois]

This gem from Curtis Strange this morning " to me is borderline unfair because of the slope of the green".  Poor babies...

I love how Merion muzzles the players. You can tell they really want to whine loudly about the logistics and some holes but then they catch themselves and realize they'd sound like chumps.

[Dan Herrmann]

Mark - how do you think Merion is muzzling players?

[Dean Stokes]

A couple of weeks ago a moaned about the coverage of the memorial....only showing one group all day. This today is more like The British Open coverage where there is almost always a shot being played no matter who the golfer. Much better IMO. As for the course - isn't it just a pleasure to watch.....I can only wish I had seen it once just so I have a better appreciation for the slopes and holes - it just makes for better viewing when you have seen or played I think.

[Phil McDade]

Maybe a dumb question (which wouldn't be anything new on my part ), but for the players finishing up this morning, does Merion/USGA go out and re-cut new holes for the Friday round? In other words, will/did Tiger et al finishing up their Thurs. rounds today play to the same holes as everyone else played to Thursday? Is it logistically difficult to do this (cut new holes after the morning finishers today), given that the afternoon start-time players teed off on both 1 and 11?

[BHoover]

Same holes, same tees.  When everybody's done, they then change them for the second round.

One thing that has always intrigued me is whether they re-cut the same hole when a round is interrupted and suspended for darkness.  Does anyone know?  I would have to think that the hole could get rather raggard overnight and after the crew cuts and rolls the greens.

Will they re-cut and/or roll the greens again between the end of Round 1 and the start of Round 2?

[Dan Kelly]

Having never played the course, and having avoided most of the interminable Merion threads here (except the original one that drew me here), the thing that most surprised me about Merion, yesterday, is the size of the greens. Most of them are much bigger than I expected.

Struck me that it's a ball-striker's course off the tees and the fairways, and a putter's course on the greens.

Is that a great formula? Yes.

[Peter Pallotta]

Having never played the course, and having avoided most of the interminable Merion threads here (except the original one that drew me here), the thing that most surprised me about Merion, yesterday, is the size of the greens. Most of them are much bigger than I expected.

Struck me that it's a ball-striker's course off the tees and the fairways, and a putter's course on the greens.

Is that a great formula? Yes.

A really good observation, Dan, and very nicely put. I hadn't thought of it that way out all.

I still don't like seeing fairway bunkers floating in a sea of rough or greens battered and beaten until they get fast enough, but from what I've seen so far this is very good golf and a very fine course.

[Matthew Petersen]

How did they treat Sergio?  Anyone throw batteries at him?

What I heard was that he started so badly-- two balls OB, and quad and a double, that no one was really giving him a hard time.

[Jud_T]

Apparently the USGA's summer intern just bought out the Ardmore Walmart's stock of Fruit of the Loom at the prospect of no one being under par at the end of today's round.  Let's hope the winning score at Pinehurst doesn't get to double digits next year or we may have to simply mothball this site for good...

[BHoover]

As a Howard Stern fan, it's refreshing to hear that "Ba Ba Booey" seems to have supplanted "You da man!" or "Get in the hole!" as the preferred shout of the drunken fan.

I'm also kind of partial to "Mashed potatoes!"

[Jud_T]

What's the over/under on Lefty's round this afternoon?  73?