The words “U.S. Open at Torrey Pines” will no doubt bring back iconic images of Tiger Woods and his dramatic, five-day grind that basically saved the 2008 championship.
Tiger birdied the 72nd hole and his ensuing celebration left an image that is impossible to forget. No doubt that birdie putt and Tiger’s enthusiastic, screaming celebration will be shown over and over and over by the time the field gets going on Thursday morning out in sunny San Diego.
Tiger took Rocco Mediate to that dreaded 18-hole Monday playoff and even that wasn’t enough as Woods, the overwhelming favorite and Rocco, the overwhelming under-dog, both shot 71. Sadly, Rocco looked totally out of gas on the first playoff hole, floundered his way to a bogey that left Tiger making easy par for his 14th major championship.
Looking back, the South Course played so tough that only Tiger and Rocco finished under par (one-under) and only one man, Lee Westwood, managed to shoot even par for 72 holes.
Robert Karlsson and D.J. Traham finished tied at two-over while Carl Pettersson, John Merrick and Miguel Angel Jimenez tied at three-over.
Thirteen years have passed since that championship and of all the names previously mentioned, only 48-year-old Lee Westwood is in this field.
Tiger’s future is cloudy as he continues his long recovery effort from injuries sustained in his California car wreck.
Rocco is enjoying life on the Champions Tour, as is Karlsson and Miguel-Angel. Neither Trahan, Pettersson or Merrick have Tour cards and certainly not a spot in this year’s championship.
Which brings us to this week at Torrey Pines where perhaps we should ask if the South Course is going to play as tough as it did in 2008?
The weather should be no issue. Looks like a week of sunshine, very, very little chance of rain and just a few clouds in balmy San Diego.
Much has changed at the South Course in 13 years. A lot of trees are gone, including too many of the land’s iconic Torrey pines.
Architect Rees Jones made changes to the course in 2019, including the addition of 10 new tee boxes that cane stretch the course to 7,600 yards.
The most difficult hole in 2008 was the narrow, 501-yard, par-four 12th, which often plays into the wind coming off the Pacific Ocean. Two new bunkers were added in that 2019 redesign, but that’s not all he changed.
A new tee and two new bunkers down the left side have added a new wrinkle to the 612-yard, par-five 13th hole. A new tee has added 37 yards to the par-four 15th hole, as has a new low chipping area front-left of the green, which will collect errant shots.
A new tee has been added to the left of the previous tee on 17, creating a new angle that favors a draw into the fairway. The hole features the shallowest par-four green, 26 yards.
A new irrigation system has helped the USGA grow the dreaded kikuyu rough to five inches.
In all, there’s enough difference to get everyone’s attention.
Which brings us back to the ghost of this year’s event — Tiger Woods.
NBC wanted to involve Woods in the broadcasts but Tiger gave them as resounding “no.”
Whatever happens, it will have to go a long way to equal the drama of that Sunday, then Monday at Torrey Pines in 2008.
6 Comments
baxter cepeda
Gamblers beware. The usga teased everyone with high rough at Olympic for the women’s US Open; Only to shave it quite a bit when they started keeping score. And they kept shaving it.
My guess is 5 under.
Tom Edrington
I think they are good with the graduated rough, you can be okay from the first and second cuts but the third and primary, well, it’s the “Dreaded Kikuyu” isn’t it?
baxter cepeda
I think the usga needs to make those first and second cuts longer to rein in some of that distance. All you hear today is hut it as far as you can. This graduated rough system was great when Mike Davis started it but between technology, analytics, fitness, it’s time to bring back good players Fashion penal golf.
I’d like to see the first cut longer. The second cut not so wide; maybe just a yard wide. And don’t cut anything else. It’s too late now but Torrey also needs more trees; especially Torrey pines.
My kids just played a usga qualifier at friendly hills cc; which works it’s way through hills and canyons. Most holes gave the girls something to fear. Strategy, accuracy, we’re just as important as distance. You would think a US Open would be that and more. But what we will get is bombs away. That’s not golf. Something needs to change. I’m hopeful the usga unveils something this week to bring back medium to short hitters. Otherwise we can eliminate most of the field right now. Again, that’s not golf. That’s long drive.
The usga has a long list of great winners recently but they are all of the same mold: bombers.
Again, that’s not golf.
Tom Edrington
I know a lot of instructors are telling kids to swing as hard as they can, they can work on accuracy later; Length has always been an advantage; Jack was basically the longest among the good players in his day, Tiger had stunning length in his prime; So it’s tough to be the best without length; Our first two major winning of 2021 have good length — Hideki and Phil…..so like it or not, in the men’s game, it’s a huge factor; In the women’s game, truth be known, most can only carry their driver a shade over 210 yards; Inbee is my favorite, I tell the rest of my “old fart” buddies that she’s living proof we can hit it 225 and score quite well; She’s a machine; Length gets Lexi noticed but she hacks it up with the short game. I think Patty Tavatanakit is the best combo of length and a good short game, she’s a really nice iron player as well…..so as your girls get older, get ’em in the gym!
baxter cepeda
Agreed on the last part about the gym. We talk about that all the time. Some action on that regard but more is necessary. That and the cost of tech; and greens books; make me anxious.
As for swinging hard early on in like My daughters good friend has been taught that as well but she lives in the woods. Now She’s like the expert of when fellow players should hit provisionals; cause she’s been there.
I’m still of the Harvey Penick mentality of working back from the holes to make the best golfers; not long drivers whom cheese the game. This is definitely true in the women’s game but I believe eventually it will go back to mattering in the men’s game. Something gonna happen eventually.
For this reason The women’s game is in a much better spot; similar to tennis. Today’s rackets make men’s tennis boring because most points are too short.
Back to golf. In the men’s game technology has made too many courses obsolete to proper strategy; as you know…unless there is serious rough…but then they shave it down.
For the US Open Imo it’s one thing to have graduated rough where the course was designed to play approach shots from; but on a 500 yard par 4 the rough just off the fairway should be waist high inside 200 yards to the hole; especially at a US Open.
Sure players can hit it 400 yards but there should be much more risk then there is now.
It truly is not the same game.
Jack did his thing with wood heads. Tiger won many majors not hitting driver because even then his drives were not nearly as long as guys are now; And make no mistake no one in today’s game could hit it as far as Tiger in his peak using that technology.
Men’s Golf has a technology problem; especially at the elite level. It’s worth noting again most golfers are not hitting the ball any further than they were 2 decades ago. It’s just these elite bombers whom are benefiting while the rest of us have to pay way too much to keep up with the Jones.
It’s a mess really.
Tom Edrington
A lot of big names agree with you Baxter; People talk about how far the ball goes, if they went back to balata balls, these guys would be in a state of shock; When I was young (16-25) I could hit it 270-280 with persimmon, balata, which would make it 330 with this stuff they have now; Nicklaus warned a long time ago that they were letting the ball get out of control….now we see the results.