It's tournament time! The best golfers in the world head to San Francisco for the U.S. Open at famed Olympic Club. Here's a tournament primer to get you prepared for the week.
The course: If you ever have the opportunity to attend a U.S. Open, make it one at Olympic Club. Seriously, how can you not love a course that has picturesque San Francisco as its backdrop?
Like the city, Olympic has some incredible undulations that make it an incredibly tough Open track. But the funny thing it's actually softened a bit, after the course was completely redesigned from tee to green.
Even though the conditions have changed, it still has a serious edge that starts on the first hole, a 520-yard par-4 that sets the tone for a six-hole stretch that's considered to be the most difficult on the course. What you'll notice about Olympic from the moment you arrive on the grounds is the severely sloping fairways and greens. It looks crazy on TV, but when you see it in person it's an entirely different story.
The back nine has a number of notable holes, including the par-3 13th (which measure 199 yards), a hole that could play as one of the most difficult on the course, after USGA officials decided to shave the grass on the left side of the hole. The par-5 16th will also be in the spotlight. At 670 yards, it's the longest hole in U.S. Open history and could be a legitimate three-shotter for everyone in the field ... including Bubba Watson.
Following the longest par-5 in tournament history is the par-5 17th, an underrated hole that features a green that slopes strongly from left to right and back to front. You don't want to be long or right on your approach.
And then there's the par-4 18th, a 344-yarder that's the signature hole on the course. The approach is semi-blind because you're hitting to an elevated green, but there's a definite chance to make birdie if you hit the fairway.
The schedule: The tournament runs Thursday-Sunday. It'll be broadcast on the ESPN from 12 to 3 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday and Friday; and on NBC from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The field: Everyone, and I mean everyone, is in the field at Olympic Club. That includes Nos. 1-10 in the Official World Golf Rankings, which is the norm at every major. If you need us to be more specific, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Bubba Watson, Lee Westwood and Matt Kuchar are just a few of the notable names in the field. It doesn't get any better than this, friends.
The video: Check out some of the memorable moments from the U.S. Open's history.
Your turn. Who are your picks for this week? Swing away!
No comments:
Post a Comment