News
Friday, June 13, 2008
Players: A Fair Test
Rees Jones added his touch to the South Course in 2001. (John Mummert/USGA)
(Rees Jones)
By Alex Davidson
San Diego – The South Course at Torrey Pines yielded just 11 sub-par scores Thursday in the first round of the 108th U.S. Open.
Two of the par 5s, the 13th and 18th, were played from forward tees and were reachable in two. The greens were somewhat receptive, though the poa annua grass surfaces got bumpier as the day progressed while running at speeds of 13 or more on the Stimpmeter. Hole locations weren’t the usual PGA Tour fare; none were closer than five paces from an edge.
"Today was the day (to post a score),'' said Joe Ogilvie after shooting level-par 71 on a sun-splashed day on the Pacific coast. “You had 13 and 18 playing very short and very reachable. They had the tees up on every par 3. They certainly had some tough pin placements, but they were kind to us. They kinda said if you're going to get this course, it's today. I don't know what that means. That bodes a little ominous for the rest of the week.”
Maybe it does, but don’t count on it. The golf course might have been receptive to scoring Thursday, but it was still rather difficult. Players walked off the course raving about its inherently fair setup.
With the 156-player field having to make a second tour of the longest major championship course in history, there seemed like no reason to change the recipe. Architect Rees Jones, who renovated the South Course in 2001 and brought it to its current 7,643-yard configuration, couldn’t foresee there being any significant changes for the second round.
“I think they got it just about right,” said Jones Thursday afternoon. “Whatever the USGA did, it’s working. It’s hard, but it’s not too hard. I think it’s separating the good players from those who aren’t playing as well, which is what you want to see.”
Geoff Ogivly, the 2006 U.S. Open champion, figured that the course, for the sake of equity to the field, would play similarly to Thursday. “You want the quality on both sides of the draw,” said Ogilvy after his 2-under 69. “You don't want some crazy pins that are going to be ridiculous when the greens get firm in the afternoon, but playable for the guys in the morning. You don't want any lopsidedness.
“It doesn't matter where they put the tees, but I hope they put the pins in spots that work throughout the day,” Ogilvy said. “I'm sure it will be fine. Mike Davis … every player should go pat him on the back, and pat the USGA on the back for employing him. He set the golf course up where it's enjoyable to play.”
Ogilvy pointed out that the Southern California weather also would be a factor in the Friday setup being similar to Thursday’s. The draw here, it's going to be an equal draw here more than anywhere,” he said. “The weather is going to be like this every day for the next four months, you know. It just doesn't change here.”
“I think they want to give everyone a chance to play,” said England’s Luke Donald, who shot 71. “It was nice to see a change (in the setup) from what we see most weeks. They want to get everyone around and then start sorting it out, I think. The weekend probably will be a different story.”
"This is as good as I've ever seen a U.S. Open golf course set up," said Lee Westwood after his 1-under 70. "Last year for me was a little too tough as well, extreme when you missed the fairways. But it's perfect. I think that if I was on the USGA committee, the golf course would be exactly how I wanted it. They probably want the greens a little bit firmer; there were still a bit of moisture in them this morning. But I don't see any water going on them as the week goes on. With this wind ... it's just going to dry them out and the golf course will be perfect.”
Alex Davidson is a freelance writer whose work has appeared previously on www.usopen.com.
