110th U.S. Open running thread

Re: 110th U.S. Open open running thread

I'm interested to see what the winning score ends up being. Last time it was 12-under. Second place was 3-over. No way anyone gets near 12-under this year.

Last year Glover won at Bethpage with 4-under, and in '08 Tiger shot 1-under over 72 holes before the playoff. Those scores seems about right for the winner of a U.S. Open -- somebody managed to figure out how to break par, but just barely. Mike Davis has done a nice job of giving players some options the past two years.

 

Re: 110th U.S. Open open running thread

Love ya, Junkie, but your uber-pragmatism and contrariness gets the better of you this time.

There are certain courses that you as a golfer must play once in your life. Pebble Beach is at the top of that list. It is the lodestone for golf in the United States: not Augusta, not Winged Foot, not Pinecrest, not The Country Club -- Pebble Beach. And yes, $525 is a large matzah ball to bite off. But you do.

I've walked parts of Pebble and Spanish Bay, but have not played either one. I vowed I wouldn't play Pebble until I broke 90. Well, I've done that several times on legit courses (including two that have hosted either PGA Tour or Nationwide events), but haven't ventured forth to tackle Pebble yet. Probably in the next year or so, I will.

Pebble is a course I want to play with buddies. Originally, it was a course I wanted to play with my dad -- who played it before I was born (and parred both No. 7 and 18). But since he's going to be 96 in September, that dream won't happen.

 

Re: 110th U.S. Open open running thread

I could not find a course layout map for Pebble. But I think it was either No. 5

http://www.pebblebeach.com/page.asp?id=1283

or No. 7

http://www.pebblebeach.com/page.asp?id=1283


I'm pretty sure it was No. 5.

 

Re: 110th U.S. Open open running thread

Playing the historic courses is worth it the same way a meal in a three-star restaurant is worth it. You remember it forever. What other sport lets you try the very same challenge as its greatest players. The problem I have on the great courses I've been lucky enough to play (Country Club, Merion, Olympic, St. Andrew's, Ballybunion, Players, to name most but not all) is diffidence. I think "I don't belong here." This is not a swing thought designed for performance.

 

Re: 110th U.S. Open open running thread

Absolutely agree. I got to play St. Andrews about 10 years ago. Cost me 75 pounds (about $150 bucks), which really surprised me. Arrived at 5:00 am to get on wait list, ended up getting the call about 2:00. Couple of locals were glad to host me and shared with me their stories of the place. Invited into one of the pubs along the 18th afterwards for beverages.

The whole experience was magical. I remember standing over the ball on the first tee and my hands were shaking uncontrollably. I couldn't believe I was about to play St. Andrews, face the road hole, and walk the Swilkin Bridge.

I'd plop down $525 bucks to play at Pebble too. In a heartbeat.

 

Re: 110th U.S. Open open running thread

Great story. 100 percent chance I'd have shaky-knee on any famous course like that.

 

Re: 110th U.S. Open open running thread

The players with the lowest win odds:

6-1 Mickelson, Woods
10-1 Westwood
20-1 Els, Harrington
25-1 McIlroy
33-1 Furyk, Poulter, Dustin Johnson, Stricker, Villegas, Donald

Over/under on the low round of the week: 66.5

 

Re: 110th U.S. Open open running thread

I would recommend playing Spyglass as well when you are there, the front nine is fantastic.

 

Re: 110th U.S. Open open running thread

I'm not sure Furyk is long enough for this Pebble, but the odds are certainly right. Stricker hasn't done too much this year. At the Open, Field is usually the best bet for the odds. Six-to-one on Woods? That's ridiculous. Golf bettors must be even less informed than regular bettors.

 

Re: 110th U.S. Open open running thread

MG, I'm thinking anybody is long enough for Pebble. The course sets up at 7,040 yards. I'm not sure you could find a track that short in any tournament on tour. I think the shorter guys will be fine, and a few could probably win.

Pebble's greens are tiny, so the better wedge players might have a big advantage. Zach Johnson, maybe?