Shuhei Matsuo
Assistant Sports Editor
The toughest test in golf is about to begin.
To test the best players in the world, the USGA (US Golf Association) picked the Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y. for this year’s U.S. Open.
Of all four majors in golf, the U.S. Open is known as the toughest one, in terms of the course conditions. What the USGA officials do are brutal – they narrow the fairways, grow the rough long, and make the greens extremely fast.
Many players say the USGA tries to humiliate the best players in the world. In fact, last year’s U.S. Open at the Pinehurst R.C. did not make any player shoot under-par.
Even the winner.
Michael Campbell of New Zealand captured his first major at last year’s U.S. Open with an even-par 280. The rest of the field completed the “nightmare” week with over-par scores.
Pepperdine alumnus Jason Gore is probably the one who had the biggest nightmare that week at Pinehurst. Smiley Gore, who started the final round tied for the 2nd place, could never smile on last year’s Father’s Day because he ended up finishing the tournament T-49 after shooting a 14-over 84 at Sunday’s round.
Retief Goosen, who began the final round with a 3-stroak lead, also had a nightmare with Gore and completed the tournament with T-11 after shooting a final-round 11-over 81.
As you can see from the last year’s U.S. Open, you never know who will win this tournament at any time because one shot can mess the entire tournament.
As Tiger Woods’ caddie, Steve Williams, said, the player who has the toughest mental of the week wins the U.S. Open.
This is definitely not a regular golf tournament: it is a test.
Like last year, two former Waves will participate in this year’s U.S. Open. Former All-American Jason Allred, class of 2002, and the most recent graduate Alex Coe, class of 2006, will be challenging their first U.S. Open at Winged Foot this week.
Coe’s former teammate Michael Putnam, class of 2005, challenged the U.S. Open soon after he graduated in May, 2005, but struggled with the tough course and missed the cut.
If Coe makes the cut at this week’s tournament, he will be the first Wave to make the cut at the U.S. Open as an amateur.
Pepperdine alumni are not the only players that might make big stories this week.
Tiger is making his first appearance at golf tournament since the Masters in April.
The reason was that his father passed away early in May and he took a several weeks off to mourn his “greatest role model.”
Now Tiger is back. The reason why he chose this tournament to come back is probably that he wants to give a victory to the person who taught him how to golf, grow and live on the Father’s Day Sunday.
Even though he hasn’t competed in a while, Tiger chose the perfect tournament to come back for his deceased father.
Is he going to win it?
I don’t know. He is a little bit rusty, but who knows what Tiger Woods is going to do next.
From the Big Five, my favorites are Phil Mickelson and Vijay Singh. Phil has been solid this year so far and Vijay got a momentum with a victory at the last week’s Barclay’s Classic.
Two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen always plays well at U.S. Opens, but it seems like he is in a slump right now.
Ernie Els has gone somewhere. He needs to start winning tournaments again. Otherwise, he will be out of the Big Five and make it to the Big Four.
Other than these guys, I think some of the young stars might have a chance. Of those young players, Luke Donald is my favorite. He is a solid player.
It feels like there is so much going on in the sports world right now. It’s nice to watch the once-every-four-year World Cup or the NBA Finals, but make sure to watch the U.S. Open to see who has the toughest heart in golf this week on Father’s Day.
06-13-2006
