I'm back! It is June 11, 2017 at the US Open in Erin Hills, WI. After a year's hiatus and watching Oakmont on TV we are once again blessed to be at the US Open.
After two years I had to refigure out how to maneuver around in the blog. So thought I would play with it and send out a quick preview.
It is beautiful here in Wisconsin. We are so lucky that our daughters own a cabin at Lake Ripley and we get to stay for free! Happy that! We are about 50 miles away from Erin Hills which is great. The good news is that as Grandstand Marshals this year our earliest on-site is 10 am on Sunday. No leaving the warm bed at 5 am.
The weather man is all over the map this week - sun, rain, thunderstorms, clouds. Right now Thursday is the best day and Saturday looking rather wet. But all will be well.
Not having seen the course yet I do not know anything about it other than it looks a lot like Chambers Bay. No trees on the course itself, rolling hills, high grasses for errant shots. It is a whopping 7800 yards with four par 5s over 600 yards. I'm not sure if that favors the long hitters Johnson and McIlroy or the shorter hitters who routinely play longer irons into par 5s. Perhaps the rolling fairways will provide some incredibly long drives. Then again if it rains it could play even longer.
Steve Stricker said he played Erin Hills from the tips about five years ago when "he was younger" and he hit a utility club or fairway wood into four of the nine holes he played. And speaking of Stricker - how cool that he qualified. A Wisconsin native he lives in Madison. It would have been wrong on every level had he not been able to participate in his home state. Best of luck to Steve!
The usual suspects are the favorites. The only real surprise in a list I saw is Alex Noren from Sweden. He's been playing very well in Europe and here. Ranked 8th in the world.
But before we write off everyone else remember that Orville Moody and Andy North won Opens. Andy North won two! And it was the only PGA tournament Orville Moody won. And speaking of Andy North he owns two homes here at Lake Ripley - right next door to some good friends who actually bought their home from him.
Can't wait for tomorrow...the practice days are the most fun. Monday and Tuesday they are loose and having a great time. We will get lots of pictures and maybe an autograph.
Stay tuned...
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