Rory McIlroy Tops List of Best Golfers Under 25

Rory McIlroy Tops List of Best Golfers Under 25
Rickie Fowler and Emerging Crop of Talented Young Players Could Challenge McIlroy for Years to Come











Mark McLaughlin April 24, 2013 9:20 PM






COMMENTARY


b> | Tianlung Guan, the 14-year-old Chinese phenom, parlayed a historic Masters performance into an invite to this week's Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Guan's showing at Augusta National, where he made no worse than bogey on any hole and went the full four rounds without a three-putt, could arguably propel him near the top of rankings of the world's best young golfers.



But one tournament does not make for a reasonable assessment so I'll hold off on including Guan on my list of Best Golfers Under 25 until he at least obtains a driver's license.

Such an exercise gets tricky when you're evaluating players so early in their careers. It's a good bet that several golfers now toiling under the radar on the Web.com, European or other low profile professional tour will emerge to challenge this list of early arrivals. With that caveat, here goes.

1. Rory McIlroy

No surprise that the Ulsterman stands atop the under-25 set. McIlroy is so dominant among golfers of all ages that being on this list almost belittles his achievements. To put his early career into perspective, Rory won his second major (2012 PGA Championship) five months earlier than Tiger Woods won his second (1999 PGA Championship).

McIlroy, who turns 24 next month, has more PGA Tour wins (six) than every other player under 30 except Dustin Johnson. When you count European Tour victories, he has won 10 times since turning pro at age 18.

While Rory does not have a win since last September, that's hardly cause for panic. Sure, the equipment change to Nike hasn't exactly gone swimmingly but McIlroy has shown signs of form in recent weeks. Don't forget that a young Woods suffered through a similar slump when undergoing his first swing change, winning just once in nearly two years from 1997 to 1999.

The next few years will tell us if McIlroy can win more majors and stay on the rarefied career trajectory of Woods or if he will settle into a more normal rhythm of winning once or twice per year. I'm hoping for the former, if only to keep talk of the Tiger-Rory rivalry alive.



2. Rickie Fowler



Many of you took me to task for my column last month criticizing Fowler's poor game management and lack of wins. There's no debate that he's made a bigger impact on golf than just about anyone since turning pro. The problem is that he started on such a high note - losing a playoff in his second pro start and sinking clutch putt after clutch putt as a captain's pick at the 2010 Ryder Cup - much more was expected than one PGA Tour win in the ensuing two and a half years.



I believe the 24-year-old Fowler will start winning more as he continues to mature. He's still young and having the time of his life riding dirt bikes, hanging with "The Golf Boys" and making fashion statements every week with his pastel Puma wardrobe. I think the fun factor will prevent burnout and allow Fowler to stay in his prime longer than most pros.

Short of a victory, Fowler is having a consistently strong season. He's missed only one cut and has three top 10 finishes in eight starts. His putting is the best it's ever been. Fowler just needs to find a few more greens to let the flat stick make a difference.

3. Matteo Manassero

Manassero, who turned 20 last week, was almost an afterthought playing in the same group as Guan at the Masters. It didn't help that he missed the cut while the 14-year-old squeaked into the weekend.

The young Italian has made his own history, though, becoming the youngest-ever winner on the European Tour when he captured the 2010 Castello Masters as a 17-year-old. Manassero has added another Euro victory in each of the last two seasons and improved his chances of making it four straight years with a win by committing full-time to playing in Europe for the rest of 2013.

For Manassero to elevate his stature, however, he will need to play more here. In 17 U.S. starts since 2010, he's recorded just a single top 10 finish. But as the second youngest member of this list, he's got plenty of time to acquaint himself with the PGA Tour.

4. Russell Henley

Winning has come quickly for the 24-year-old Henley. He first won on the Web.com Tour as an amateur in 2011, added two more Web.com wins last year after turning pro and kicked off his PGA Tour career by winning in his first rookie start at the 2013 Sony Open in Hawaii.

Henley has posted two top 25 finishes since breaking through in Hawaii and is solid in all facets of the game, as shown by his top 5 ranking in the Tour's All-Around category. With his accuracy off the tee, he could be a factor at some of the tougher venues on tap including Quail Hollow, the U.S. Open at Merion and Congressional.

Henley's early success is no fluke. He was a three-time All-America and 2010 College Player of the Year at the University of Georgia as well as low amateur at the 2010 U.S. Open.

5. Jordan Spieth

Select few players have made it onto the PGA Tour without grinding through Q-School or apprenticing on the Web.com or mini-tour circuit. Spieth is poised to join Woods, Phil Mickelson and most recently Bud Cauley in playing their way to Tour membership.

Spieth, 19, has recorded three top 10 finishes in his first seven pro starts, earning enough prize money ($662,398) to gain special temporary Tour membership for the rest of 2013. This status enables him to accept an unlimited number of sponsor's exemptions into tournaments and should allow him to earn enough to gain full-time status by year's end. Spieth, who finished ninth last week at the RBC Heritage, is in this week's field in New Orleans.

Spieth first made headlines by finishing tied for 16th at the HP Byron Nelson Championship as a 16-year-old. The only golfer besides Woods to win multiple U.S. Junior Amateur titles, he led the University of Texas to the 2012 national championship as a freshman before turning pro at the end of the year.

6. Ryo Ishikawa

Ishikawa has built his reputation on tremendous success in his native Japan. The 21-year-old has 12 professional wins on the Japanese Tour, including a maiden victory while only 15.

He has yet to make his mark in the U.S. but it's not for lack of trying. Ishikawa played a full PGA Tour schedule in 2012 -- earning a second place in Puerto Rico and four top 25s -- and plans to do the same this year. He's missed the cut in half of the 54 Tour appearances since 2009 so consistency is an issue that will need to be addressed.

Ishikawa has struggled in 2013 as a typically strong putter has failed to cooperate. On the bright side, he was in contention at last week's RBC Heritage before closing with a wind-blown final round 80.



Mark McLaughlin has reported on the PGA Tour for the New York Post, FoxSports.com, Greensboro News & Record, and Burlington (N.C.) Times-News. He is a past member of the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association. Follow him onTwitter @markmacduke.

Merion Calling All Tin Cups for the U.S. Open

Merion Calling All Tin Cups for the U.S. Open











Travis Mewhirter April 24, 2013 9:33 PM




COMMENTARY | So, you want to be the next Tin Cup, you say? The old guys at the club convinced you to try to slug it out through local and sectional qualifying, beating out thousands for a coveted U.S. Open spot, stand toe to toe with the pros, become the darling of the golfing world, and make one of the most spectacular finishes in major championship history? Well, at 5 p.m. on April 24, all
of the potential Tin Cups were in -- U.S. Open entries were closed.



And this is why we love the Open: anybody can get in. Or, rather, anybody who can consistently put together a 75 and probably fire the occasional 60-something or other can get in. It's the most democratic event on the planet, in any sport, on any professional level. You don't see -- well, aside from the '76 Philadelphia Eagles, who actually did hold open tryouts -- NFL teams opening up roster spots to anybody who can run a sub-five second 40 or throw around weights like dolls. NBA front offices don't just invite any kid who can rain 3-pointers on the blacktop.

The U.S. Open does -- the golf version of that at least.

Last year, when the Open traveled to The Olympic Club in San Francisco, the USGA had to wade through 9,006 entries. It was just the fourth time in the event's history that entries surpassed the 9,000-entry threshold and was only 80 shy of the all-time record, set in 2009 when it was held at Bethpage Black.

For all you hopefuls and reverse-sandbaggers (yes, everybody knows that when you go out there and hack a 96 at your local qualifier, you're not actually a 1.4 handicap or below. Rick Reilly did a fantastic piece on you lot), here's how the Road to Merion, this year's venue, shakes out.

A little more than 94 percent of you will begin your Open quest with local qualifying, an 18-hole test hosted at courses all over the map. Eighteen holes, as everybody knows, is not a lot of holes. You snipe one out of bounds on the third tee and scrape together a triple-bogey and that's probably the end of the road. Hey, there's always next year. But there are always a few scratches or plus-handicappers that invariably play well -- really, really, well -- and it's on to sectionals.

We started with more than 9,000 of you in the local qualifiers. Now at sectionals, that number is already deflated to around 500 (last year's was 550). The good news -- or bad, depending on how you look at it -- with sectionals, is that this stage is 36 holes, meaning there is more time to make up for a bad hole, but also more time to have one.

At sectionals, the local qualifying champs are lumped into a field with those who received exemptions from stage one. This group includes pros from various tours around the globe and "elite amateurs who meet certain performance criteria," as described by the U.S. Open website.

This is where most of our Tin Cups will find themselves in well over their heads. Just take a look at a few of the names from the 16 who qualified from just one sectional qualifying site last year: Davis Love III, Blake Adams, Charlie Wi, D.A. Points, Steve Marino, Scott Piercy. There is a monumental difference from winning the club championship and winning a qualifying spot in the U.S. Open. Here, have a glance at some of the guys who were cut from that same qualifier: J.B. Holmes, Kevin Stadler, Jhonattan Vegas, Jimmy Walker, Ryan Moore, Ben Curtis… you get the idea.

There are always, of course, our U.S. Open darlings, wrought from the local and sectional qualifiers. Beau Hossler showed us that a kid with braces can take on the most elite field in the world after brawling through the qualifiers. Had it not been for a final-round 76, he would have hovered around the top 10 (he finished T29, 6-over).

This is what makes the Open fun. Are we likely to see another Hossler, some anonymous high school teen who climbed the leaderboard after squeaking through qualifiers? Realistically, no. But that's the beauty of the U.S. Open: we won't know. It's the mysterious element it provides, that "who in the world is this guy?" moment on Saturday when the field should have been trimmed down to former major champs and world leaders, that we love.

By June 4 we will have our field. And maybe, just maybe, we'll have a Tin Cup in it.

Travis Mewhirter has been working in the golf industry since 2007, when he was a bag room manager at Piney Branch Golf Club in Carroll County, Maryland, and has been involved, as a player, since 2004. Since then, he has worked at Hayfields Country Club, where the Constellation Energy Classic was formerly held, and has covered golf at the high school, college, and professional levels.

Local Knowledge: 2013 Zurich Classic in New Orleans

Local Knowledge: 2013 Zurich Classic in New Orleans











T.J. Auclair, Interactive Producer April 25, 2013 9:54 AM


Based strictly on location, some PGA Tour stops are just a whole lot more fun than others.

That applies this week, as the PGA Tour visits New Orleans for the Zurich Classic at TPC Louisiana. Jason Dufner returns to the Big Easy (New Orleans) as the defending champion after taking down the Big Easy (Ernie Els) in a playoff a year ago.

The golf will be great to be sure, but there's always a lot going on in NOLA, as TPC Louisiana PGA General Manager Luke Farabaugh explained to us in this week's Local Knowledge.

PGA.com: Luke, thank you for joining us. Let's talk for a minute about your defending champion, Jason Dufner. His victory last year at the Zurich Classic was his first on the PGA Tour. People knew with his talent it was only a matter of time before he broke through. What was it like to have Dufner break through at your event and what was it like to watch him soar after that victory?

Farabaugh:Jason was knocking on the door for a while and to see him break through for his first win here was great. As an Auburn grad myself, I take a lot of pride in Jason's first win happening at my facility. He made a huge 40-foot par putt on the 70th hole and battled Hall of Fame golfer Ernie Els in a playoff. His win here was a huge springboard for the rest of his year as he won the HP Byron Nelson Championship and posted a stout 3-1 record at his first Ryder Cup.


PGA.com: I can't ask you about Dufner without also asking you about "Dufnering." Has there ever been a funnier photo of a golfer?

Farabaugh:It's hard to top any of the Golf Boy stuff but Jason may have done it. Pretty amazing how it went viral with all the other players posting pictures of themselves Dufnering. Bubba Dufnering with the General Lee is a classic.

PGA.com: Certain PGA Tour events are known for certain things. At the Phoenix Open, it's the party atmosphere at the par-3 16th. At the Players Championship, it's the island green on No. 17 at TPC Sawgrass. At the Zurich Classic, hands down, it's the great food. How difficult is it to live in New Orleans and not just eat all day long?!

Farabaugh:I guess there are worse challenges than avoiding the amazing food this town is known for. It's just a part of our culture and way of life in New Orleans that sometimes we take for granted. But there's nothing quite like a dozen chargrilled oysters, boiled crawfish and a cold beer.

PGA.com: Describe for me, if you would, the perfect day in New Orleans. What are we doing (after breakfast at Ralph's at the Park, of course. We remember that's your favorite from last year)? Where are we going?

Farabaugh:Depends on the time of year, but we always have something going on in this town. More than likely I'm jumping on my motorcycle and headed to a local festival. We currently have Jazz Fest for the next two weekends. The French Quarter Fest was a couple of weeks ago and another favorite is the Greek Fest during Memorial Day weekend. Aside from providing another opportunity to eat, these festivals have some great music and provide for some great people watching.

PGA.com: Here's our last question for you, Luke. Which stretch of holes at TPC Louisiana are your favorite and why?

Farabaugh:My favorite stretch is Nos. 4, 5 and 6. It's the toughest part of the course and it requires each players' full attention. No. 4 and No. 6 are extremely long, requiring big drives and long approaches. The main reason why I like these holes is that they require all the shots in the bag. I like to play No. 4 with a fade off the tee and a draw approach, No. 5 with a draw off the tee and a fade approach and a draw off the tee and a fade approach on the sixth. Anytime I go through those holes even par is a great day. Water hazards line the fourth and sixth hole, so we may see an occasional double or triple during the Zurich Classic this year.

This Is Not Your Grandfather's PGA Tour

This Is Not Your Grandfather's PGA Tour











Adam Fonseca May 16, 2013 4:03 PM




COMMENTARY | Drug suspensions. Cheating accusations. On-course name-calling. Lawsuits. Armchair rule officials.

Since January, the PGA Tour has been anything other than boring. With headlines more often seen on tabloid covers than in country clubs, some might say the gentlemanly elements and old-fashioned integrity upon which profession
al golf was founded have been compromised over the past few months. At the very least, lines are being crossed and tempers are being tested.



Professional golf has traditionally been a type of secret society that fans observed from the outside looking in. While it is a spectator sport that allows the general public closer to the action than any of the Big Four, most golfers go about their business with their heads down, arms to their sides and mouths shut. There was never any confusion as to where the lines were drawn between players on the fairway and fans in the gallery.

However, thanks to a series of societal and technological advancements not entirely reserved to observing a sporting event, that line has become blurred.

Most notably is the advent of high-definition television and super-sensitive microphones. Introduced to the world of professional golf coverage to enhance the viewing experience of fans seated comfortably on their sofas and recliners, these devices are seeing and hearing things that have never been witnessed on a golf course. At least, not in the public eye.

Take for example the Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia verbal tussle from the 2013 Players Championship. Regardless of your opinion on whether Woods showcased a subtle form of gamesmanship when pulling a 5-wood from his bag milliseconds before Garcia blocked his approach into the right trees, the real drama did not begin until after the third round. Garcia's comments to reporters swirled quickly among TV broadcasts, Twitter and Facebook within seconds of their utterance. Then, thanks to the modern marvel of television graphics and real-time editing, fans everywhere were shown a side-by-side video comparison of the entire incident that would rival any view from Abraham Zapruder.

The second round of the 2013 Masters tournament provided another example of how this generation's PGA Tour is so unique. Literally minutes after Woods -- who is obviously the subject of many golf fans' focus --took his required drop after finding the water on hole No. 15 at Augusta National, a TV viewer was already contacting tournament officials by telephone (or text message, depending on whom you ask) as to the legality of the drop. By the time Woods arrived to his hotel room that evening, conversations among Augusta's powers-that-be on how to handle the situation had already begun.

Finally, we have the laughable and downright confusing case of Vijay Singh vs. the PGA Tour. Twenty years ago the notion of a professional golfer using an illegal substance to enhance his performance on the course would have been as alien as an adjustable driver. When Doug Barron was suspended in 2009 for violating the PGA Tour's substance abuse policy, most fans believed it would be an isolated incident. Then Vijay Singh indirectly taught everyone about the benefits of deer antler spray earlier this year. Shortly thereafter, a very public lawsuit was filed against the Tour by Singh. I'll go out on a limb and assume players like Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer would have settled the matter in the Men's Grill.

Such is the state of the game in present day. Social media has become the main competition to journalistic reporting; television cameras, the all-seeing watchful eye over golfers playing well enough to see their lenses. In an age where public opinion is able to be viewed and shared more often than ever before, we continue to shape the image of professional sport with every new keystroke. "Viral" may be the most fitting term ever assigned.



No, folks, this is not the same PGA Tour you enjoyed with your father or grandfather years ago. We have made it a different animal altogether.



Adam Fonseca has been writing and blogging about golf since 2005. His work has been featured on numerous digital outlets including the Back9Network and SB Nation. He currently resides in Chicago with his wife.

Dustin Johnson: Withdraws With Sore Back

Dustin Johnson: Withdraws With Sore Back











RotoWire.com Staff May 16, 2013 7:01 PM

Update: Johnson withdrew from the HP Byron Nelson Championship due to a bad back, PGATour.com reports. "Tried to go but have inflammation in my facet joints. Some rest and daily therapy with my physical therapist, then I should be good!!" he told his official Twitter account.

Recommendation: Johnson has been out two of the last three weeks due to an injury to his wrist and back. It's not clear if all the ailments are related, but fantasy owners should watch his health closely in upcoming weeks.

Thompson, Ji share first-round Mobile Bay LPGA lead

Thompson, Ji share first-round Mobile Bay LPGA lead










The Sports Xchange May 16, 2013 8:20 PMThe SportsXchange



MOBILE, Ala. -- Lexi Thompson picked up where she left off in the Mobile Bay LPGA Classic.

The 18-year-old Floridian shot a 7-under-par 65 in the tournament's first round on Thursday to match her final round in the 2012 event at Magnolia Grove and was tied for the lead with Eun-Hee Ji of South Korea.

Last year's closing 65 left Thompson one stroke short ofStacy Lewis' winning tournament total of 17 under par.

"I definitely had it in mind," Thompson said of 2012. "But, you know, it's a whole different year and a new day. I was just going to try to go out and make some birdies. I knew my game was good, so I was just going to try to keep that going.

"It's very important to get off to a good start. I haven't had the best of first days, so to get this one under my belt at 7 under is really important. So I'm just going to try to do what I did today for the next three days and, hopefully, see where it goes."

Thompson teed off in the morning and posted a round that included eight birdies and one bogey. Ji, a former U.S. Women's Open champion, had a bogey-free round with seven birdies in the afternoon.

Jessica Korda was alone at 6-under 66 after a bogey-free round that included four birdies on par-4 and two on par-5 holes.

In a group of seven players at 5-under 67 was Jennifer Johnson, who holed out her fairway shot on the par-4 ninth for a round-ending eagle. Johnson played her last seven holes in 5 under.

Also at 5 under were Nicole Castrale, Mina Harigae, Dewi Claire Schreefel, Thidapa Suwannapura, Hee Young Park and Chella Choi.

Lewis opened with a 2-under 70 that included two bogeys and a double bogey on her final hole, when she had to re-hit her tee shot.

"I didn't really have anything go right today," the world's second-ranked player said. "I had one ball hit the sprinkler and go in the trees and one hit the cart path and go into the trees.

"Just kind of got some bad breaks with lies and really just didn't have any bounces go my way. So I guess to shoot what I did was pretty good."

Haas and Waldorf share lead after first round

Haas and Waldorf share lead after first round











PGA.COM May 24, 2013 5:08 PM

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Jay Haas and Duffy Waldorf matched 66s on Thursday at Bellerive.(Getty Images)


ST. LOUIS -- Jay Haas is familiar with Bellerive Country Club -- and it showed in the first round of the Senior PGA Championship.

Haas, who grew up in nearby Belleville, Ill., and Duffy Waldorf shared the lead Thursday, shooting 5-under 66 in breezy, cool conditions.

The 59-year-old Haas, the winner of the senior golf's most prestigious major championship in 2006 and 2008, had a bogey-free round. The 50-year-old Waldorf had six birdies and one bogey.

"I didn't expect it going out," Haas said about shooting a low round. "I wasn't very sharp today, but managed to ... my misses were in the correct spots and I took advantage of a few good iron shots and just kind of kept it between the ditches, I guess you would say. But I'm very, very pleased."

Haas has 16 Champions Tour victories after winning nine times on the PGA Tour.

Waldorf is winless in 11 career starts on the 50-and-over tour after winning four times on the PGA Tour.

"Tee to green, it was a very good day," Waldorf said. "All in all, I hit the ball really well. I really liked my iron play. I had quite a few birdie putts. I didn't make them all so I feel like I still had some more out there."

Sonny Skinner, the PGA head professional at River Pointe Golf Club in Albany, Ga., was a stroke back along with Japan's Kiyoshi Murota.

"I'm not going to adjust my goals because I did have a good day today," Skinner said. "My main goal coming into this tournament was to just try to stay within each shot and each moment. A lot of times when you're on the outside looking into a big stage like the Champions Tour, it's real easy to get excited and your eyes wandering all over the place at how wonderful it is.

"You lose sight of the fact that, `Hey, I got to play golf.'"


Australia's Peter Senior and Taiwan's Chien-Soon Lu shot 68, and Tom Watson, a two-time Senior PGA champion, was another stroke back in a 12-player group that included Kenny Perry, Fred Funk, Rocco Mediate, Russ Cochran, Dan Forsman, Gil Morgan and Bill Glasson.

Defending champion Roger Chapman opened with a 72. Peter Jacobsen, the 2004 U.S. Senior Open winner at Bellerive, had a 75.

The temperature hovered in the low to mid-60s under overcast conditions. A light but steady rain fell three times in the afternoon, with each shower lasting less than 30 minutes.

Haas finished third in the 2004 U.S. Senior Open at Bellerive. He said he has played about 30 rounds at the country club.

"I'm certainly very excited about shooting 5 under here," Haas said. "Probably my lowest score ever at Bellerive, no matter what age I was."

His uncle, Bob Goalby, the 1968 Masters winner who stills lives in Belleville, followed him on the back nine holes.

"I think he was happy for me," said Haas, who was going to have dinner with Goalby and other family members. "He'll try and get over when he can. The last time he walked nine holes, I don't know when that was."

Haas made his way around the course with a balky back that he said left him in "a little bit" of pain.

Waldorf finished ninth in the 1992 PGA Championship at Bellerive.

Murota had six birdies and a double bogey. Skinner, a two-time winner on what is now the Web.com Tour, had six birdies and two bogeys and hit all 14 fairways in regulation.

DIVOTS: Brian Fogt, the PGA director of instruction at Bellerive Country Club, led off the tournament by hitting the first tee shot. ... The field includes 34 international players representing an event-record 18 countries. France's Marc Farry, who earned a berth when David Frost withdrew, pushed the country total to the record. England leads with seven entrants, followed by Japan (4) and Australia (3). ... The PGA Championship will be held at Bellerive in 2018.

Senior PGA Championship: Thursday notebook

Senior PGA Championship: Thursday notebook












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Paul Trittler is among the eight-player St. Louis contingent this week.(Montana Pritchard/The PGA of America)

PGA.COM May 24, 2013 6:46 PM


ST. LOUIS -- Sonny Skinner drove 12 hours from his home in Sylvester, Ga., to Bellerive Country Club, just outside St. Louis, a journey that he said allowed him time to "clear the mind" while preparing for the 74th Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid.

"You listen to a lot of good music, and it allows you to refocus when you drive those 12 hours," said Skinner, who attended his daughter's high school graduation last Sunday and passed on a late search for a flight. "My game wasn't very good coming in here. I didn't play for seven straight days. That was on purpose, because my game felt sour and flat, and I was not confident."

The truth is Skinner's game was mostly sweet in Thursday's opening round of the most historic and prestigious event in senior golf. The 52-year-old PGA head professional at River Pointe Golf Club in Albany, Ga., posted a 4-under-par 67, featuring six birdies and a pair of bogeys.

It was the best first-round score by a PGA club professional in the Championship since 2003, when Mike San Filippo of Hobe Sound, Fla., turned in a 68. Skinner's performance, coming in his third appearance in the Championship, led a delegation of 42 PGA club professionals on a cool, overcast day that featured periodic drizzle in the afternoon.

It also left Skinner one shot out of the lead, shared by two-time Senior PGA Champion Jay Haas and Duffy Waldorf, who is making his Championship debut.

Mark Mielke, PGA head professional at Mill River Club in Oyster Bay, N.Y., had a 69 in his Championship debut. PGA Life Member San Filippo, playing in his 10th Championship; Jeff Coston of Blaine, Wash.; and Bob Gaus of St. Louis, a PGA teaching professional at Tower Tee Golf Center, each were at 71.

"It's a golf course that rewards you for hitting it in the fairway," said Skinner, the reigning Senior PGA Professional Player of the Year, who hit all 14 fairways Thursday. "That's always been part of my game. Round to round, I've relied upon being able to put it in play."

Skinner salvaged his round with a spectacular par-saving pitch on the 195-yard, par-3 sixth hole. Ranked the second-most difficult hole in the opening round, Skinner hit a 4-iron up into a plugged lie in the left greenside bunker and blasted from there across the green and down a bank.

He then chipped in from 40 yards out.

"I was just trying to make bogey and then I rolled it into the hole for a 3," Skinner said.

Beginning his round on the back nine, Skinner birdied 15, 17, 18, 1, 3 and 4, offsetting bogeys on the 11th and 16th holes.

Skinner's Championship trip was enhanced when his longtime caddie, Paul Yates, put him in touch with PGA Professional Craig Bollman of Edwardsville, Ill., who not only caddied but also has allowed Skinner to stay the week at his home some 50 minutes from Bellerive's gates.

"Paul called me a month ago and said Sonny is coming to St. Louis, and needs help, and asked if I would help him out? I said, 'Sure,' " said Bollman, a PGA teaching professional at GolfTEC-Des Peres in St. Louis, who is making his debut caddying in a tournament. "So, my family welcomed him in and he's an awesome guy."

Bollman said that he and Skinner exchanged several text messages before Skinner arrived Monday night.

"Sonny got in around 7:30, and I had to go to my son's baseball game," said Bollman. "I walked him into the kitchen, said, 'There's dinner, and see you tomorrow.' It's very easy to caddie for Sonny and it was a really great day for me today, too."

Bellerive reminded Mielke, 50, of several New York courses within the Metropolitan PGA Section, which added to his comfort level.

"The golf course set-up is almost exactly like what we play," said Mielke. "There are six tough holes here. I said going in, if I could just par those six holes and maybe make some birdies on some of the other ones, it might be all right."

Mielke had only two pars over his first 10 holes, a string that went birdie-bogey-par-birdie-par-bogey-birdie-birdie-bogey-bogey. He finished with birdies on Nos. 14 and 17.

A FEW TIDBITS ABOUT HAAS'S ROUND: Two-time Senior PGA Champion Jay Haas, who leads after the first round of the 74th Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid, was one of only two players in the field not to make a bogey today at Bellerive Country Club. He had five birdies and shot 66. (Mark Wiebe also did not make a bogey en route to a 1-under-par 70.)

Other highlights of Haas's opening round: • He hit 10 of 14 Fairways • He hit 14 of 18 Greens in Regulation • Haas's uncle, 1968 Masters Champion Bob Goalby, followed Haas on the back nine today. Goalby, 84, played in the 1965 U.S. Open at Bellerive Country Club.

Haas, who was born in St. Louis and grew up in nearby Belleville, Ill., estimates that he has played Bellerive about 30 times. He tied for 62nd in the 1992 PGA Championship at Bellerive and tied for third here in the 2004 U.S. Senior Open.

AND A FEW NOTES ABOUT WALDORF'S DAY: Duffy Waldorf made a strong first impression, shooting 66 today and tying for the lead in his inaugural appearance in the Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid. Starting his round on the 10th hole, Waldorf made three birdies on the back nine, and closed with consecutive birdies on Nos. 7 and 8.

Other highlights of Waldorf's opening round: • He hit 10 of 14 Fairways • He hit 16 of 18 Greens in Regulation • He holed out of a greenside bunker for birdie on the par-3 16th hole

SENIOR NO STRANGER: Peter Senior of Australia, who shot 3-under-par 68 today, is certainly familiar with being near the top of the leaderboard at the Senior PGA Championship presented by Kitchen Aid. In his three previous appearances in the Championship, Senior finished tied for 11th (in 2010), tied for fifth (2011) and tied for fourth (2012).

DÉJÀ VU FOR MUROTA?: Kiyoshi Murota of Japan, tied for third after shooting 67 today, also knows what it's like to come close to capturing the Alfred S. Bourne Trophy. In the 2011 Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., Murota led after each of the first two rounds, was tied for the lead after the third round, and finished third alone, one shot behind Tom Watson and David Eger (Watson won the Championship in a playoff).

Murato was at 4-under par today, even though he made double-bogey 5 on the par-3 sixth hole.


SKINNER'S HOT STREAK: Sonny Skinner hit all 14 Fairways today and parlayed that consistency into a string of good scores. Skinner, a PGA Club Professional from Sylvester, Ga., made six birdies over a span of eight holes (from No. 15 through No. 4), then parred in for 67, one stroke back of Jay Haas and Duffy Waldorf.

Skinner was the low PGA Club Professional in the 2011 Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid, at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Ky.

ST. LOUIS CONNECTIONS: Eight players in the field this week have ties to the St. Louis area. Jay Haas, born in St. Louis and raised in Belleville, Ill., leads the Championship after a 66. St. Louis natives Jay Delsing and Bob Gaus, each making their Championship debuts, came in with a 70 and 71, respectively.

PGA Club Professional JC Anderson, born in Springfield, Ill., and a resident of O'Fallon, Mo., had 76. Former Senior PGA Champion Tom Wargo of Centralia, Ill., the oldest member of the field at age 70, shot 77.

Paul Trittler, a native of St. Louis and PGA director of instruction at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., had 73. Former Bellerive Country Club PGA Head Professional Jerry Tucker of Stuart, Fla., a native of Carbondale, Ill., had 76, while Bellerive PGA Director of Instruction Brian Fogt, who had the honor of hitting the first tee shot of the Championship, struggled to an 81.

UNDER PAR, AT PAR: There were 29 players who broke par today and 45 who finished at even-par 71 or better.

NO. 6 WAS A BEAST: A total of 15 double-bogeys (and three other worse scores) were recorded today at the par-3 sixth hole. There were just seven birdies on the 195-yard hole.

BUT 10 WAS TOUGHER: The 10th hole at Bellerive, a 459-yard par-4, was the most difficult hole in the opening round of the Championship. The 10th played to a stroke average of 4.555, and yielded just two birdies. There were 68 bogeys and 10 double bogeys on the hole.

The top-3 toughest holes today: • No. 10, Par 4, 4.555 stroke average • No. 6, Par 3, 3.513 stroke average • No. 5, Par 4, 4.372 stroke average (only four birdies on this hole)

NO. 4 PLAYED THE EASIEST: The par-5 fourth at Bellerive ranked as the easiest hole today, with 72 birdies and just five bogeys. (There were no double bogeys or worse on the hole.) In fact, there were almost as many birdies as pars (79) on the fourth hole.

BACK WAS MUCH TOUGHER: With a stroke average of 36.57 on the par-35 back nine, it played much harder today than the par-36 front nine, which had a 36.72 stroke average.

HAAS PACES SENIOR PGA CHAMPIONS: Tied for the Championship lead, Jay Haas is also out in front of the other Senior PGA Champions in the field. Here are the first-round scores of the other Senior PGA Champions in the field:

Tom Watson (69) Hale Irwin (70) Mike Reid (72) Roger Chapman (72) Michael Allen (73) John Jacobs (73) Tom Wargo (77)

TOUGH START FOR JAKE: Peter Jacobsen, who captured the 2004 U.S. Senior Open here at Bellerive, struggled today with four bogeys on his second nine and shot 75 (4-over par).

LANGER'S TRAVAILS: Bernhard Langer came into the Championship as the only player with multiple victories (two) on the Champions Tour this year and a 68.86 stroke average on that Tour. But instead of a good start in pursuit of his first Championship title, Langer had consecutive triple-bogeys on Nos. 5 and 6, and had to birdie his final hole just to break 80. Langer's 8-over-par 79 today is three shots worse than his previous high score in this Championship.

MIELKE'S ROLLER COASTER: PGA Club Professional Mark Mielke of East Norwich, N.Y., had only two pars over his first 10 holes. Starting on No. 1, he went birdie-bogey-par-birdie-par-bogey-birdie-birdie-bogey-bogey. Mielke then birdied Nos. 14 and 17 to shoot 2-under-par 69.

SAME FOR FORSMAN: Over his first six holes today, Dan Forsman also found par to be elusive. He bogeyed the first hole, then had three straight birdies, followed by two consecutive bogeys. Forsman ended the round hitting 13 of 14 Fairways and shooting 2-under-par 69.

FAMILIAR FINISH FOR FORSMAN AND COCHRAN: Dan Forsman and Russ Cochran played in the same grouping today and shot the same score (69). They also finished tied for seventh place in the 1992 PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club.

CHAPMAN BEGINS DEFENSE: Defending Senior PGA Champion Roger Chapman of England, made just one birdie in the opening round (at the par-5 eighth hole) and shot 1-over-par 72.

ELKINGTON WITHDRAWS BEFORE ROUND: Steve Elkington, the 1995 PGA Champion, was forced to withdraw before the start of the round today, due to a migraine headache.

HUSTON WITHDRAWS MID-ROUND: John Huston, a seven-time winner on the PGA Tour, withdrew today because of back problems. Huston played the front in 7-over-par 43 before having to stop.

MARATHON MEN: Bobby Wadkins and Bob Gilder are celebrating their own endurance marks this week. Wadkins, a four-time winner on the Champions Tour, is competing in the 1,000th combined start of his career between the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.

Wadkins shot 2-over-par 73 today.

Gilder, a 10-time Champions Tour winner, is competing in his 59th consecutive major championship on the Champions Tour. He shot 77 today.

KITCHENAID KORNER FOR FRIDAY: On Friday at 1 p.m., KitchenAid will welcome Chef Cat Cora to the KitchenAid Fairway Club (adjacent to No. 10 fairway). Cora is a co-host of the Bravo series Around the World in 80 Plates and is also known for her role as an "Iron Chef" on the Food Network series.

At 2:30 p.m., KitchenAid welcomes local St. Louis Chef Kevin Storm of Bellerive Country Club, for a demonstration at the KitchenAid Fairway Club.

Lintelman goes from long shot to limelight

Lintelman goes from long shot to limelight












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(Montana Pritchard/The PGA of America)

PGA.COM May 24, 2013 7:11 PM


ST. LOUIS - Meet Bud Lintelman, folks.

As late as last week, the 53-year-old PGA Professional from Purcellville, Va., was the 15th alternate for this week's 74th Senior PGA Championship presented by KitchenAid at Bellerive Country Club.

By Sunday, he was the fifth alternate. When he became the fourth alternate on Tuesday morning, Lintelman decided he'd better make the trip to St. Louis just in case a few more guys dropped out and he'd somehow sneak into his first ever Champions Tour event - a major no less.

And it's a good thing he did because now Lintelman has an amazing story to tell for the rest of his life.

If he had decided not to travel to St. Louis, there's a chance he'd be in Oklahoma helping out with the tornado clean-up.

About three months ago, Lintelman left a job as a club professional to work for Interstate Restoration, a privately owned, for-profit, national disaster recovery service company.

"We assist in hurricane situations, fires, water losses, tornadoes and stuff like that," he said. "What happened in Oklahoma was devastating. My prayers go out to them for sure. We did have people on the ground there, but I'm not sure if we're doing any work there. But our heart goes out to those people."

Just to get the particulars out of the way, Lintelman did get a spot in the field and he missed the cut big time with rounds of 80-83 for a 21-over-par 163 total. Sure, the competitor in Lintelman will tell you he sure wishes he'd played better.

"I played like an 18-handicapper," Lintelman said. "It was a little embarrassing, but I'm going to keep my head high because I know I'm a little better than what I was showing out there this week."

He'll be smiling from ear-to-ear for a while too, though, because the fact that he got in the field doesn't even begin to tell his story.

Imagine for a second, if you can, the range of emotions Lintelman experienced this week. He was the 15th alternate at this time a week ago. A few days later, that number trickles down. He makes the trip to St. Louis with the hopes that he'll get his first start on the Champions Tour - in the most historic and prestigious of majors for those 50 and over.

Got all that? Now, imagine arriving at the golf course shortly after 6:00 a.m. on the morning of the first round, like Lintelman did, hanging around on the practice green in between the first and 10th tees with his girlfriend Lynne LaFond DeLuca, who flew in from Los Angeles to offer her support, ready to tee off at a moment's notice if his name was called.

"I was teasing Lynne as I watched Loren Roberts chip," Lintelman said. "I said, 'Lynne, I don't know if Loren knows this, but he just gave me a chipping lesson.' I was kidding around here all morning while I was watching the tour veterans get ready to play. As I was kidding, I said to Lynne, 'I wonder if Tom Watsonknows I'm going to be in his group this afternoon.'"

Good one, jokester.

The entire first wave teed off. Nothing.

So Lintelman did what any sensible person would do. He went back to the parking lot with DeLuca to take a break from waiting around. After a few minutes, DeLuca suggested he should go hit some balls on the driving range.

"I said, 'I don't know if I need to hit any golf balls, I'm not even going to play,'" Lintelman said. "But, she convinced me to do it. I went down to the range and started hitting a few balls."

While he did that, DeLuca snuck over to the tournament office to see if maybe, just maybe, his number had come up.

It did. Steve Elkington, citing a migraine, had just withdrawn. But, there was more and DeLuca couldn't wait to get to the range to deliver the news.


"Well, you're in, but that's not it," DeLuca told Lintelman, "You're playing with Tom Watson."

No way.

Lintelman played the first two rounds of his very first Champions Tour event and very first major championship with Tom Watson, an eight-time major winner, and Peter Jacobsen.

"It was really just a great dream come true," Lintelman said shortly after signing for his second round, 83. "I hope I handled myself professionally out there."

It sure wasn't easy, DeLuca said.

"Bud probably wouldn't admit this, but he thought he might pass out the first six holes," she said. "We found out he was in at around 11:00 a.m. on Thursday. They didn't tee off until 1:05, so he had plenty of time to think about it."

"This whole thing has been a little overwhelming, to be honest," Lintelman said. "The course is hard enough. If you play this course on a Tuesday and there's no tournament, it's a hard golf course. To go out there and perform well when there's nothing on the line is hard. But then you throw in the fact that this is a major championship, the galleries, my first Champions Tour event and two superstars as my playing partners, then, yeah, I hardly remember a shot from my first nine holes.

"I was actually almost a little light-headed. I four-putted my second hole, which blows your mind a little bit. I felt like I could compose myself a little bit and played some good holes out there."

Throughout the two rounds, Lintelman hit some good shots. In fact, he had two birdies in the second round, including a long-range putt on the 17th hole. He bantered up and down the fairways with Watson and Jacobsen and, when all was said and done, he received heartfelt handshakes and pats on the back from both players.

Lintelman also got a kick out of the folks who wondered out loud in the gallery, "What is that guy doing with his head when he tees off?"

DeLuca said she loves Lintelman's "fierce sense of humor." When asked what the deal was with that thing he does with his head when he tees off, Lintelman, funny man that he is, asked: "What are you talking about?"

Immediately after address, and just before he pulls the club back, Lintelman turns his head almost as if he's looking behind him. It's different, but it serves a purpose.

"I look away so I can find it in the fairway is what my slogan is," he said. "The truth is, I had the driver yips years ago - probably 10 years ago - and my teacher David Newsom at the River Creek Club in Leesburg (Va.) got me to look back to take the anxiety out of the swing. It also helped my physically in regard to how I turn my shoulders. It gives me a little better rotation and took that mental block off, if you will, and allowed me to swing through the shot. I started it as a practice drill, but then stayed with it.

"To be honest, when I got out here I tried to take every opportunity I could to do it in front of people to get comfortable because I've never really done it in front of a lot of people. I've done it in state opens and club professional championships and things of that sort, but never anything of this magnitude. It really didn't bother me. I actually drove the ball pretty darn good."

All in all, though short, it was a week of "pinch me" proportions for Lintelman.

So what was that all about, telling DeLuca, "I wonder if Tom Watson knows I'm going to be in his group this afternoon?"

A premonition?

"I guess I said it because I knew he was in the feature pairing for the afternoon wave and he's one of my favorite players of all time," Lintelman said. "My mother - Watson is her favorite golfer ever. Ever since I was a kid, my mother has loved this guy and I've always loved him. What a story."

It sure is. And it's one Lintelman will be able to tell for as long as he lives.



By: T.J. Auclair, PGA.com

Woods-Garcia meet face-to-face at Merion

Woods-Garcia meet face-to-face at Merion










The Sports Xchange June 10, 2013 5:00 PMThe SportsXchange



Sergio Garcia spoke face-to-face with Tiger Woods Monday for the first time since he made a "fried chicken" comment about Woods on May 21.

Garcia and Woods shook hands while briefly speaking to each other on the driving range at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.

Garcia made the comments during a European Tour function near London. He previously apologized and Woods said two weeks ago he was moving on from the incident.

When asked about his exchange with Garcia, Woods said, "I'm not going there," according to ESPN.

Woods will be part of a press conference at Merion on Tuesday, site of this weekend's U.S. Open.

A feud between the two players brewed during the third round of the Players Championship in May, when Garcia implied that Woods distracted him during a shot.

Garcia later made racially-sensitive comments about Woods when he was asked if he would have dinner with Woods during the U.S. Open.

"We'll have him 'round every night. We will serve fried chicken," Garcia said.

Woods responded on Twitter that the remarks were "wrong, hurtful and inappropriate."

Garcia tried to reach out to Woods at the BMW Championship three weeks ago, telling reporters he wanted to speak with him about the comments.

"We talked to his manager and asked him if he wanted us to call Tiger, or wait for Merion and do it there face to face," Garcia said. "And they said they would rather do it there. There's nothing we can do, so we'll wait until we get there and we'll talk."

Garcia is also scheduled to speak at Tuesday's press conference.

Woods plays 13 holes at Merion on quiet Sunday

Woods plays 13 holes at Merion on quiet Sunday











PGA.COM June 10, 2013 6:24 PM

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Tiger Woods played 13 holes at Merion Sunday on a sunny, peaceful day of practice.(Getty Images)


By Doug Ferguson, AP Golf Writer

ARDMORE, Pa. -- Merion Golf Club opened the gates Sunday to fans who wanted to buy U.S. Open merchandise. Some of them got a free glimpse of Tiger Woods. But not for long.

Woods played 13 holes under hazy sunshine, far different conditions from what he saw two weeks ago in the wind and rain that made the shortest U.S. Open course in nine years feel much longer. He was among a scattering of players who spent a lazy afternoon getting to know a golf course that last held a major championship 32 years ago.

But while no one in the field played in that 1981 U.S. Open that David Graham won with a flawless final round, Kevin Chappell is among those getting reacquainted.

Chappell played four competitive rounds in 2005 during the U.S. Amateur, the litmus test for the USGA to make sureMerion was still current with the modern game. He lost in the third round that year, and while the surroundings look different with the grandstands and hospitality areas, one thing hasn't changed.

"It's a tour event on steroids," Chappell said.

Merion is 6,996 yards on the scorecard, making it the first major championship under 7,000 yards since Shinnecock Hills (also 6,996 yards) for the 2004 U.S. Open. But the yardage can be deceiving. One of the par 5s is 628 yards, and Geoff Ogilvy figured there would be dozens of players who struggle to reach the green in three shots, much less get home in two. Another par 5 has been shifted to the right, bringing out-of-bounds close to the edge of the fairway.

It has a par 3 of only 115 yards -- the other par 3s all are over 240 yards.

And perhaps the biggest change from most recent U.S. Opens is the rough. It's long and thick.

"The rough is longer than we've seen," said Ogilvy, who had never seen Merion until arriving this weekend. "You can't make grass grow in four days, but you can cut. Although I don't think they will."

USGA Executive Director Mike Davis was making the rounds Sunday afternoon, checking on a course that received about 3 inches of rain Friday, so much that the creek near the par-4 11th green was starting to creep over the rock wall. It was back to normal Sunday, though the forecast is suspect for a big part of the coming week.

Chappell played 18 holes with former Masters champion Zach Johnson and Tim Clark, and he couldn't help but notice how many of the fairways have shifted to move closer to the trouble. Then, he clarified what he meant by "trouble."

"Closer to the boundary stakes," he said.


Some of the fans leaned against the railing by the road on the left side of the 15th hole, so close to the fairway that they could have a personal conversation with Hunter Mahan, and even applaud his short iron to about 12 feet.

Merion has a lot of meat early in the round, particularly the opening six holes. What follows is a seven-hole stretch of par 3s and par 4s, the longest at 403 yards, which is short by today's standards. It's where the birdies are to be made, assuming the ball is placed in the correct part of the fairway. And then comes the strong finish.

Mahan opted for a driver off the 15th hole -- it's about 290 yards to cover the bunkers dotting the right side, so he picked out a tall fir tree just left of them. It was an aggressive play, and that's that Chappell expects to see from several players. But not all of them.

"There will be a big discrepancy in play," Chappell said. "You can challenge some of these holes if you want to."

The winning score at Merion has improved each of the previous four U.S. Opens. Olin Dutra won at 293 in 1934, followed by Ben Hogan at 287 in 1950, Lee Trevino at 280 in 1971 and Graham at 273 in 1981.

Chappell can see something along the lines of 10 under par if the week gets enough rain to make the greens soft. Yes, Merion can hold its own against the best in the world.

"There's too many wedges," he said, referring to the middle stretch of the golf course.

Ogilvy was walking up the 12th fairway when he pointed to the thick grass framing the landing areas and said, "There won't be any scoring records this week."

There was rain early in the week at Olympia Fields in 2003, which softened the course. Vijay Singh shot 63 in the second round. Jim Furyk was at 10-under 200 to set the 54-hole record at the time, and despite bogeys on the last two holes, his 272 tied what was then the U.S. Open record. It was soft at Congressional in 2011 when Rory McIlroy set the new standard, finishing on 16-under 268.

"I think there will be low rounds, but I don't think the total will be low," Ogilvy said.

There's no telling what this week will bring at Merion, though Ogilvy figured it would start from the tee.

"It takes a lot of practice to work out some of these lines," he said. "On 10 of the holes (minus the par 3s), you've got to be comfortable. There's no specific clue where to hit it. You have to know it. Off the tee, it's quite awkward. Someone who drives it the best this week will fare quite well -- not the straightest, but the best."

Furyk, Phil Mickelson and Steve Stricker played Merion in the 1989 U.S. Amateur. Chappell, defending U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson and New Orleans winner Billy Horschel were among those at the 2005 U.S. Amateur, while Morgan Hoffmann and Rickie Fowler played Merion in the 2009 Walker Cup.

The biggest difference? Except for one qualifying round at the U.S. Amateur, that was match play. The worst anyone could do was to lose a hole. Starting Thursday, they have to count every stroke on every hole.

Tight neighborhood getting used to U.S. Open

Tight neighborhood getting used to U.S. Open











PGA.COM June 10, 2013 6:47 PM

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(Getty Images)


By MaryClaire Dale, Associated Press

ARDMORE, Pa. -- As tee time for the 2013 U.S. Open nears, the quaint Philadelphia suburb of Ardmore looks like a swanky tent city.

Huge white hospitality tents cover sprawling front lawns onGolf House Road, College Avenue and other streets that hem in the famously tight Merion Golf Club course.

''I think everyone's excited. As a neighbor it's very inconvenient, but it's a chance to be part of a tradition and to watch it firsthand,'' said Wally Smerconish, a developer renting his tennis court near the 14th tee to the U.S. Golf Association, which plans to put 30 tables there for corporate sponsorships.

Merion, a national Historic Landmark, is hosting the U.S. Open for the first time since 1981. The club has held two U.S. Amateurs and the team-oriented Walker Cup in the years since, but they were far less frenzied events.

''Two thousand people on the course is a nice walk in the park with a cocktail,'' Smerconish said. ''Thirty thousand people on the course is a logistical challenge for these guys, I'm sure.''

Local officials have been planning for several years, with ready cooperation from neighbors, local retailers and nearby Haverford College, which is lending land near its baseball fields for hospitality tents. In return, the USGA sent the college 100 passes for the four-day tournament; they were distributed by lottery to alumni, students, staff and others.

Local road closures are an issue, although neighbors who have to make it home each night have been given passes to get onto their streets. Some have rented out their homes to golfers and their entourages for amounts rumored to reach six figures, according to one local real estate agent, who, like many, didn't want the inconvenience of leaving town.


''Unless it's a number that would make me faint, I'm not doing it,'' said Linda ''Z,'' who had her last legally changed to that abbreviation, the name she uses selling high-end properties on Philadelphia's Main Line.

Beyond the neighborhood, thousands of other fans will be arriving at the local train stop or via shuttles from Villanova University.

''I'm interested to see how far they hit the ball, compared to how far I hit it,'' said Fran Steffler, 57, of Philadelphia, who endured a walk in pouring rain Friday to reach the merchandise tent, where he and a friend bought souvenirs. They have passes for Thursday, which they ordered a year ago.

Steffler marveled at the famous course as he walked down a wet Golf House Road.

''It looks tough,'' he sighed. ''Tight fairways. High rough. Bunkers that I wouldn't want to be in.''

As the heavy rain resumed Monday, the Rev. Ryan Whitley was ushering children into a daycare center at nearby St. George's Episcopal Church, which is adding to its collection plate by renting out its parking lot for security officials.

Given that interruption, the church plans an outdoor service Sunday morning at a local park. No word if any golfers will be there seeking divine help before the last round. But Whitley will be cheering for Bill Haas, a fellow Demon Deacon from Wake Forest University.

Whoever's left on the course will have to battle not just nerves, but sudden bursts of music from the bell tower at St. George's, which rings every 30 minutes.

''It's just going to be part of the ambiance at the U.S. Open,'' Whitley said.

A Lesson Learned: Preparation is key

A Lesson Learned: Preparation is key











Mark Sheftic, PGA June 17, 2013 12:31 PM


My first thoughts at the end of the 113th U.S. Open were pretty much: "Wow, I can't believe how great this was," and "Wow, I can't believe it's over." For years, we have been anticipating, preparing and awaiting this past week - and quite honestly, it could not have gone much better.

Even with the weather we had leading up to the week, and a couple of stops on Thursday, we were able to have the players and the course as ready as it could be as soon as conditions allowed for them to play. Logistically, it could have been quite a challenge but everyone involved with the tournament did everything they could - and needed to - to make sure things worked exactly as they had to in order to give every golfer their best chance to succeed and every fan their best chance to enjoy the championship.

And that leads to this week's "A Lesson Learned." There really is no substitute for proper preparation.

Some players arrived earlier this month to check out the course and I made a concerted note to follow them around on their practice rounds. As an instructor and a competitive player, anything I can learn from the world's top players will only benefit my students and my own game. What I found most striking was the amount of time they spent on the tee boxes and the putting greens. And for these players, it wasn't merely about finding comfortable distances to approach from or the best places to putt from - but also finding the best sightlines of each tee box as they prepared to hit - and learning the nuances of the greens, including the slopes and how the grain would run.

I watched one putting coach work with a player for quite a bit, hitting several putts on nearly every quadrant of every green and discussing practically every putt's movement, speed and flow of the grain. That coach told me after their session, "I think we have these greens down. We are ready." Not every coach and player can feel that confident before a tournament. But wouldn't it be great if you prepared in such a way that would give you that same confidence for a big match?


Incidentally, that putting coach was David Orr and he was working with the new 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose. Ready, indeed!

So I encourage all golfers to not only prepare, but to take that added level of preparation when you are getting ready. You may know where you want your drive to end up, but do you know where you should be looking off the tee in order to have your ball get to that point? Are you aware of not only the best places to approach a particular hole location from - but also the worst place on the green for that same putt?

More than likely, you're not able to hit multiple shots off a tee box or take several practice putts on each green. (Hey, "While We're Young!") But you can still take a yardage book and make notes indicating these type observations so when it's crunch time, you are as prepared as can be.

Speaking of crunch time, I have to give a quick tip of the cap to Merion's PGA Head Professional Scott Nye, Merion's General Manager Christine Pooler and Matt Shaffer, our Director of Golf Course Operations. Their dedication to this event and to Merion was a big reason this U.S. Open will go down as one of the all-time great championships. And as anyone in golf knows, the members and volunteers were critical to hosting thischampionship. No matter what Mother Nature threw at them, everyone stepped and did what needed to be done. As a whole, we were ready for any and every variable. In short, we, like Justin Rose, were prepared.

This coming week, I'm preparing for the 2013 PGA Professional National Championship, the ultimate championship for PGA Professionals. I will be arriving in central Oregon early enough to get plenty of practice rounds - and I know that my notes will include additional preparations that I learned while watching the Tour's top players this week. It will only benefit my game, I'm sure it will benefit yours.

Finally, I have to make a quick note about my experience with champion Justin Rose. When Justin came in two weeks ago for some practice time, as noted, he spent the majority of his time on tee boxes and greens. He also spent significant time with the assistant professionals and staff here. Not to ask questions, not to ask for favors - but simply to say, "Thank You." He even went out of his way, would not leave, until he had a chance to show his gratitude to those who were helping conduct the championship. Every golfer from Tour player, club professional, aspiring collegiate golfer or weekend warrior - could learn from Justin Rose.

Mark Sheftic is a PGA Teaching Professional at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, PA. Sheftic was the 2012 Philadelphia Section Teacher of the Year and is an accomplished player, having earned his way into two PGA Championships. You can learn more about Mark at his website:markshefticgolf.com

Merion proves itself as little course that could

Merion proves itself as little course that could











PGA.COM June 17, 2013 5:44 PM

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Merion crowned a worthy champion in Justin Rose.(Getty Images)


By Jim Litke, Associated Press

ARDMORE, Pa. -- Merion Golf Club did more than just hold its own.

Called too short, too cramped and too much of a pushover when the U.S. Open teed off, it nearly stole the show by the end.

It crowned a worthy champion in Justin Rose, slid a banana peel beneath Phil Mickelson and sent Tiger Woods packing.

It forced every player in the field to pull every club in the bag at one time or another, and left nearly all of them second-guessing throughout. There were more bogeys and bent clubs, hosel rockets and self-inflicted head slaps in the first two hours of the final round than you see some seasons in all four majors combined.

Between the limited space for the galleries and corporate tents, the payoffs to neighbors and Merion members for commandeering their lawns and clubhouse, the U.S. Golf Association may leave with a smaller haul than usual. But if it came here in search of grand theater, the USGA got a steal.

''At the start of the week, everyone thought we were going to rip it up,'' Jason Day recalled ruefully, after tying with Mickelson for runner-up at 3 over, ''but I just knew that somewhere around even par was going to win it.''

Advances in technology and better-conditioned athletes have made the ball fly farther and were supposed to make 7,000-yard courses obsolete.

Mother Nature dumped buckets of rain through most of the four days to further soften up Merion's first line of defense -- its devilishly sloped fairways and undulating greens.

But like every one of the game's great venues -- old and new -- Merion struck back by getting into the players' heads. Its quirky sightlines and blind shots left golfers doubting their aim even as they pulled the club back.

The mix of tough holes and easy ones -- in the last round, one par 3 required a driver, another par 3 a wedge -- toyed with their nerves and lulled the players into relaxing at all the wrong moments.

''I found that was the toughest thing,'' said Rose, whose winning score was 1 over.

''Because you could make birdies, you could get ahead of the card, around the middle of the course you could be 1 or 2 under. No round was safe until you played 18 holes. I think we learned that yesterday, the way I finished. I finished bogey, bogey. (Charl) Schwartzel, bogey, bogey. Luke (Donald), bogey, double bogey. Hunter (Mahan), bogey, bogey.''


Because of the treacherous course setup at some places, the USGA has said its goal is to identify the best players, not embarrass them.

If so, despite the high scores and sometimes-amateurish shots, nearly every player in the field walked off looking more respectable for all the struggling -- and none more-so than Rose.

The resolute Englishman was supposed to be golf's next big thing after finishing fourth in the 1998 British Open as a 17-year-old. Instead, soon after launching his pro career, Rose missed 21 straight cuts and lost his father.

When he tapped in for par at No. 18, he looked up at the sky in tribute to his father, kissed the golf ball he pulled from the cup, doffed his cap briefly and then waited to see whether Mickelson, playing in the final group behind him, could birdie a hole that hadn't yielded even one the last two days.

But in a nice bit of serendipity, a few moments earlier as he stood in the 18th fairway, Rose was only five paces behind the bronze plaque embedded there to recall the famous 1-iron that Ben Hogan hit here in 1950 to earn a spot in a playoff he won the next day.

Six decades later, for all the things that have changed in the game, the demands on a champion were the same: one solidly struck iron shot, two putts.

''It's hard not to play Merion and envision yourself hitting the shot that Hogan did,'' Rose recalled. ''And even in the moment today, that was not lost on me. When I walked over the hill and saw my drive sitting perfectly in the middle of the fairway, with the sun coming out, it was kind of almost fitting. ...

''So I felt like I did myself justice,'' he added, ''and probably put enough of a good swing where Ben Hogan might have thought it was a decent shot, too.''

Endorsements flowed in from other quarters, too. Rose, Mickelson, Woods, Day and just about every other contender interviewed Sunday said they would welcome the chance to come back for another major, stand in Hogan's spikes and see if they measured up.

Many in the golf community viewed this visit to Merion as a referendum of sorts on whether some of the game's other grand old venues -- perhaps Chicago Golf Club, Riviera and The Country Club -- would get the chance to face the test of time as well.

Standing alongside the 18th green just ahead of the trophy presentation, Tom O'Toole, chairman of the USGA's championship committee, wasn't prepared to commit to any site beyond those already awarded through 2020.

''The question with Merion was always whether the other things that go into staging an Open -- infrastructure, logistics, those things mostly -- would work out. It took a lot of creativity,'' he said.

''The naysayers dominated the early part of that conversation,'' O'Toole added. ''But they've gone by the wayside now.''