The 2005 U.S. Open; Pinehurst #2, Pinhurst N.C.

[cmw00]

http://www.usopen.com


Oh boy next week is the week, might aswell start the hype now!!!

Go Singh!!!! :D



Weather Benefits Course As Championship Nears


By Alex Miceli

Several days remain before the world’s best players will descend on Pinehurst No. 2 for the 2005 U.S. Open.

After weeks of cool weather Mother Nature decided to turn up the heat. Since Saturday, the Bermuda grass, which needs warm temperatures to grow, is beginning to sprout to the 3 inches in depth that the USGA prefers for the Open.

“Everything I was hoping for has come to fruition and we got every break we needed,” said Paul Jett, the superintendent for the No. 2 course.

The rough height has been a major topic of discussion the past two months. But much like 1999, the last time Pinehurst hosted the Open, the issue is no longer a problem. Jett said his staff is mowing 95 percent of the rough at 3 inches. Warm temperatures are predicted for the rest of this week, which means the only discussion about the rough will be how the golfers will negotiate it at next week’s Open.

“[Short-game guru] Dave Pelz was in over the weekend with Phil Mickelson and he commented how much thicker the rough was then in 1999,” said Jett. “The rest of the golf course is where it should be.”

One issue that is still outstanding, but not a major concern for Jett, is the replacement turf around the greens. The warm weather is benefiting those areas as well, but work still will be done in the final few days leading up to the championship.

“We’ve put down a lot of young grass and asked it to do things it doesn’t like to do with as short as we’re mowing it,” said Jett in regard to the near acre of replacement sod that was added to the course last month. “We’re working on smoothing it out and making it as good as it can be and I think there will be very few issues with it. I think it will look kind of funny on TV, but I think it will play just fine.”

The fun will soon begin as 156 players begin filing into the Sandhills region of North Carolina and experience the Donald Ross layout.

Alex Miceli is a free-lance writer whose work has appeared previously on www.usopen.com.

[cmw00]

Tracking Tiger: Woods Drops By to Play on No. 2, Attracts a Crowd

By Ryan C. Tuck: Special to The Pilot

Most golfers might expect that a 7 a.m. Monday tee time would be perfect for a quiet, undisturbed round of golf — unless your name is Tiger Woods.

By the time word spread early Monday that the world’s most scrutinized golfer had flown in to begin preparing for next week’s U.S. Open, throngs of awed spectators and golf enthusiasts lined the fairways and greens of the back nine at Pinehurst Resort’s famed No. 2 course, trying to catch a glimpse of the two-time Open champ.

Donning khaki shorts and his signature white Nike polo shirt, Woods blazed through two rounds, posting scores of 69 and 70, according to his caddy for the round, Thomas Trinchitella.

“It’s unbelievable since I play the same course he does, but not the same way,” said Matthew Marder, a big fan of Woods and a member of the Pinehurst Country Club, as he watched Woods par the 18th hole. “I’m learning some things from him.”

Marder caught up with Woods for the second 18 after hearing that he was on the course.

Thirteen-year-old Bradley Chandler was out with Woods all morning, snapping pictures and enjoying being so close to one of his favorite players.

“It’s real nice not to have a 40,000-person gallery or to be restricted by ropes,” said Chandler, a competitive golfer who considers himself a mix of Woods and his favorite golfer Phil Mickelson.

Chandler and others followed Mickelson over the weekend. The 1999 Open runner-up has been playing the course since Friday.

There also have been rumored spottings of Charles Howell III and Lee Janzen.

While Chandler said he would like to have Woods’ career wins total, he believes Mickelson is the most on top of his game coming into next week’s Championship and the most likely to win.

“A short game helps a lot on this course and (Mickelson) has a really great short game,” he said.

Ramon Capinpin and his children Josephine, 17, and Ramon Jr., 15, might disagree with that prediction.

“What luck! We got to see Tiger Woods,” Ramon Capinpin said after watching Woods and his unidentified partner, who was not a professional golfer, leave the course. The three had just stopped at the course on their way back from New Jersey and were hoping to spot a “famous golfer.”

“We thought we’d probably see Lee Janzen or Retief Goosen,” Capinpin said. “But the greenskeeper said, ‘Don’t tell anyone, but Tiger Woods is here.’”

Capinpin said his kids didn’t want to come, asking him to get only a souvenir so they could get back to their home in Florida.

“I’m speechless,” Josephine Capinpin said afterward.

And though Wake County resident Shay Collins had plenty to say after catching his favorite golfer’s second round, he was just as awe-struck as the Capinpins.

“I’ve seen him in every tourney since he was an amateur on TV ... it was unreal watching the guy,” Collins said. He said he had just come down to Pinehurst with his father for an early Father’s Day present.

Collins even snapped a picture with his cell phone of Woods teeing off on the back nine.

“It was unbelievable,” he said.

Many of the other spectators — who numbered about 40 by the time Woods made his approach on the 18th — snapped photos and jotted down notes as they tried to get as close as they could without disrupting Woods.

Trinchitella and Jeff Johnson, who caddied for Woods’ partner, said Woods seemed very comfortable on the course where he came within two strokes of victory in 1999.

“He was very laid back,” Trinchitella said. “He talked a lot about the greens.”

Trinchitella said the caddies were told that they would be caddying for United States Golf Association members that morning, so they were shocked to find out it really would be Woods.

Trinchitella said while he was honored to caddy for Woods, he is not the most important person he has ever caddied for. He carried former President George H. W. Bush’s clubs two years ago when the elder Bush came to Pinehurst.

“Tiger’s got a better game,” Trinchitella said when asked to describe the difference between Woods and the former president.

He added that the president also was very laid back while on the course.

“You gotta be laid back when you’re playing the best golf course in the world,” Johnson chimed in.

Both caddies said they likely would just be spectators during the Open week, although many of them hold out hope that someone they know might qualify.

“You don’t work for a week, but you get to hang out with the pros,” Trinchitella said of the caddy’s experience during the Open.

Though Woods declined to make any public comments or give autographs, people who watched him said he seemed calm and confident.

Benji Bayne, a caddy who watched Woods’ morning rounds, said this year’s Master’s champion was “strictly business” and very calm.

Ryan Jett, 12, son of course superintendent Paul Jett, said he learned a lot watching Woods.

Asked to describe the experience of seeing one of the world’s top golfers from 100 feet away, Ryan said: “It was awesome.”

[apolinar]

If any of you go, say "hi" to me at the "check in tent" that is just outside the exit of the merchandise pavilion. I'll be working this Sunday Morning, and during the practice rounds Monday thru wednesday from 11:45 to 3:45 each day. (I store people's souveniers in case they don't want to carry it all day while watching the action).. I can't wait to be out there in the midday heat under a saran wrap roof. Hooray. It wouldn't be volunteering if you didn't suffer somehow.

[cmw00]

Well its underway. Lots of people predicting a high winning score on sunday..... :roll:

Why oh why does the USGA try and ruin the greatest courses in the world?

[Mona]

I have a couple of co-workers that made it to the practice rounds the past few days. They roasted but had a great time. It is very exciting for NC...even for non-golfers like me. :)

[cmw00]

Wow Oline Brown a sectional qualifier is at the top at the end of round one. Hes on the golf channel right now talking abou thow he almost withdrew after his first round of his qualifier. Bet he's glad he didn't......

[cmw00]

Well we have a good finish shaping up! Vijay's making a charge, Reteif is faltering alittle, the 2 long shots thats been doing well all week are struggling. Couple other guys at the top playing good...


this is gonna be great!

[cmw00]

Well, Tiger can't putt and his giving it to Michael Campbell. So is not going to be as exciting as I'd hoped. But it'll be nice if the relative unknown player can win the toughest golf tourney in the world!

[raleighcanesfan]

Great tourney. I totally agree that for the US Open, the course should be tough. Can't wait to hear the players whine about how tough it was. Boohoo!

So glad one of the unknowns won, although I was rooting for Gore. Loved the story about him telling Goose, "Let's bet 10 bucks on number 16 to make it interesting!"

[nccanes]

Very entertaining Open. Looks like Pinehurst was a great host again.

I was pulling for Gore as well, but was really hoping he'd end up winning at least a nice chunk of prize money. I think he ended up winning around 20k.

[tommy]

My man Retief kinda fell apart there, as did Gore... I was kinda pulling for tiger, which I don't usually do...

[Mona]

I didn't really watch it because I am not a golfer but from what I saw of Gore he seemed like a great guy with a great attitude. :) I still think it was really cool that the eyes of the world were on Moore County. :D

[cmw00]

I hope this event jump starts (rejump starts) Campbell's and Gore's careers. I also laughed about Gore asking Reteif on the 16th tee if he wanted put $10 on the last 3 holes to make them interesting.

I totally agree that for the US Open, the course should be tough. Can't wait to hear the players whine about how tough it was. Boohoo!

I can understand narrowing the fairways, and making the rough very high. But the let the greens get out of hand. Golfers were hitting good accurate shots and really geting screwed over by the extremly fast greens. The USGA doesn't do the players fairly in this regard I feel. The only way to get on a green was to leave yourself a very long putt, which there was a good probability of putting the ball slap off the green. This just isn't fair.

The should reward accuracy, by making the greens receptive enough to hold great golf shots!

[nccanes]

I get what you're saying CMW, but that's what the Open is about. The player universally are calling it a good, fair, extremely tough course. They expect the Open to be a unique test.

[Canesluver]

And, too ... you can't say it's "un-fair" when everybody is playing the same course. That's what the practice rounds are for -- figuring out how to adjust you game to match the course.

It's what I like about golf -- that sometimes you have someone win a tourney just out-of-the-blue. It keeps me interested.

[apolinar]

Well, I can say it plays differently when you are there. Watching and actually feeling the stress all the players were under was incredible. It almost made Goosen and Gore's blow up seem inevitable. The star of the week was the course. The USGA set it up perfect, in my eyes, when the winner wins by shooting par. It was also great getting fashion tips from Sergio Garcia just by looking at his getups. One of my most memorable weeks in the Carolinas. Second to the canes' stanley cup run of course.

[cmw00]

I can see it both ways I guess. It was no way as bad as last year at Shinnecock which was a joke. There is a 9 hole Donald Ross "design" course 10 minutes from me, that I walk regularly. The greens are very similar to Pinehurst. I'v putted into bunkers, rough, and well off the greens numerous times :beatup:

[apolinar]

If you look at this pic, on Sergio's right shoulder is a young man with scruffy hair, a red cap, and a red shirt with stripes. That's my stepson Matthew. If you look over sergio's left shoulder, you'll see the rim of a beige hat. That's me. I'm so short you can't even see my face over sergio's shoulder!!!! Oh well, I guess I wasn't made for fame and fortune as a golf spectator. :cry:

http://cache.gettyimages.com/comp/53103203.jpg?x=x&dasite=MS_GINS&ef=2&ev=1&dareq=E2399169AC85D6DED2E72DB43C85B445AFE367A7C677 6B20621B2AC3A62513D3

[Mona]

Gosh the crowds sure look close when they are teeing off.. :eek2:

[cmw00]

Actually looks like Ol'Sergio is in the rough. But the players and people are almost as close when they are teeing off. Also any time the players hit into the fans as sergio has done here. :beatup:

[apolinar]

Sergio's shot came within five people of hitting me when he hit the rough on the 1st hole. He hit that person on the foot but they were ok. It helped improve his lie on the rough since we trampled down the grass for him. His shot from this picture ended up 15 feet from the flag.

[cmw00]

Sergio's shot came within five people of hitting me when he hit the rough on the 1st hole. He hit that person on the foot but they were ok. It helped improve his lie on the rough since we trampled down the grass for him. His shot from this picture ended up 15 feet from the flag.

Sergios's army?

[apolinar]

Hey! I just noticed you can see my carolina hurricanes watch on Sergio's Left hip! (I was 10 feet away so don't get any ideas)

[puck_it]

he pick pocketed you :eek:

[cmw00]

he pick pocketed you :eek:

you can't trust those spainiards....

anyways, anybody watching the Women's US Open???