From way atop the 18th grandstand...
Now the fun begins in earnest...practice is over and perhaps the talking heads will stop over-analyzing the event like it was more important than a presidential election. Oh, I forgot - it is! For the next four days at any rate.
I must say that today was a bit weird...there were more people in attendance than the usual Wednesday. And there were seemingly few players on the course. I talked to hole marshals who stood around with no groups through for an hour. I had a fan ask where the players were - he said the course was a beautiful walk but he came to see players. I heard that Rory and Lee did go off on the front 9 and there was a huge crowd over there but it was time for us to go to work.
I think many players were on the range and putting greens and did not play. Both were very busy. We watched Dustin Johnson hit balls...unbelievable how far he can hit them. And pretty straight too...but can't we all kill them on the range? Interesting that next to him was Luke Donald. While Johnson was bombing them with multiple drivers Luke was perfecting that short iron game which has served him pretty well in recent years. Isn't he #1 or something like that?
I know most players were on site because their cars were there. I saw many of them leave carrying their clothes for tomorrow and most had this bag over their shoulders...a little bigger than a shopping bag...that had a pattern of huge flowers on it and came in bright colors -- pink, dark baby blue, grass green. Seriously? I hope those were trinkets for their wives/girlfriends but they looked a bit weird going to their cars. Of course only one player actually walked where the public was with his bag - Jason Day. And he is bigger and taller than he looks on TV. And some of the pros drive like maniacs...Zach Johnson almost ran me over.
I took a nice young man from Stanford up the putting green. I asked the obvious considering he had on a Stanford pullover and hat - I assume you go to Stanford. He said he was a sophomore...he finished his sophomore year - this morning (Wed)! Had just taken his last final and here he was playing in the US Open. I know I should know his name but I do not...
That's the daily scoop...can't wait to see what happens on Day 1. No doubt lots of thrills, cheers and groans alike. The leaders will compliment the course and the USGA for a fine job...those that shoot high numbers will like say the opposite. After last year I cannot wait to see how the course plays...I think the USGA can't either.
ps - lots of pics to come but they have to be resized...almost blew up the blog trying to post them!
No comments:
Post a Comment