2007 U.S. Senior Fact Sheet

July 5-8, 2007
Whistling Straits,
Kohler, Wis.

PAR AND YARDAGE – The Straits Course at Whistling Straits is set up at 7,068/6,924 yards and par is 36-36—72.

HOLE-BY-HOLE:

COURSE SET UP:

Fairways – ½ inch
Intermediate rough – 1 ½ inches
Primary rough –Step cut approach where possible (dictated by mounds and bunkers) as follows - 4 inches (first cut primary); 6 inches (second cut primary); length of both cuts of primary rough subject to change with on-site review.
Putting greens – USGA stimpmeter reading at 12
Green approaches and closely mown areas – 3/8 to 7/16 inches
Collars around putting greens – 3/8 to 7/16 inches
Native areas – Left in natural condition
The Championship set-up will result in a USGA Course Rating® of 76.6 and a Slope Rating® of 155.

ARCHITECT AND THE COURSE – The Straits Course at Whistling Straits (www.whistlingstraits.com) was designed by Pete Dye and opened in 1998. It is a links-style course located along two-and-half miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, north of Milwaukee. Using land that was previously an Army base, the course has a design that employs wide fescue fairways and sand dune bunkers to complement the windy conditions that are prevalent. All four par-3 holes and four more holes are adjacent to Lake Michigan and play from just above beach level to 80-foot bluffs. To build the course, 13,216 truckloads of sand (approximately 800,000 cubic yards) were brought to the site. A flock of Scottish Blackface sheep roams the courses during the golf season. The number of sheep has increased from six in 1998 to nearly 40 in 2006.

USGA AND WHISTLING STRAITS/DESTINATION KOHLER – This is the first USGA championship to be conducted at Whistling Straits. The U.S. Women’s Open was held at its sister site, Blackwolf Run G.C., in 1998. It was won by Se Ri Pak.

CLUB HISTORY – Whistling Straits and its two golf courses (Straits and Irish) are located on land that was bought from Wisconsin Electric Power Company (WEPCO), which had originally intended to use the site for a nuclear power plant. In the 1950s, for approximately a decade, the site was used by the U.S. Army as an anti-aircraft training facility called Camp Haven. Previously, it had been farmland.

OTHER CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS: The 2004 PGA, won by Vijay Singh, was the club’s first major championship. The first national event was the 1999 PGA Club Professional Championship, which was won by Jeff Freeman of Tamarisk C.C. in Rancho Mirage, Calif. In the future, Whistling Straits will serve as the site for the 2010 and 2015 PGA Championships and the 2020 Ryder Cup Matches.

PLAYERS AT 2004 PGA – Five exempt players competed at the 2004 PGA at Whistling Straits. Loren Roberts was T17th after rounds of 68-72-70-75. Also making the cut were Jay Haas (T37, 68-72-71-77) and Eduardo Romero (T55, 72-73-70-77). Hale Irwin and Mark O’Meara played but did not make the 36-hole cut. However, Irwin aced the 185-yard 7th hole with a 3-iron in the first round.

WISCONSIN AND THE USGA: The USGA has held eight previous championships in the state of Wisconsin, the most recent being the 1998 U.S. Women’s Open at Blackwolf Run G.C. This is the first Senior Open in Wisconsin. In 2008, the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links will be played at Erin Hills G.C. in Delafield on June 17-22, and the U.S. Mid-Amateur will be played at Milwaukee C.C. in River Hills on September 6-11.

2006 CHAMPIONSHIP RE-CAP – Allen Doyle became just the third player to win back-to-back championships with a steely two-stroke victory over Tom Watson at Prairie Dunes C.C. Doyle withstood home-state hero Watson by making three birdies over the final seven holes in the final round, including a 14-footer for birdie on the par-5 17th hole. Doyle was the only player to record four rounds in the 60s, shooting scores of 69-68-67-68. He had only one three-putt green all week, for bogey on the fifth hole on Sunday.

PURSE – The 2007 purse is $2.6 million and the winner receives $470,000.

FORMAT – The championship is played at stroke play over 72 holes. There are 156 players in the championship field, comprised of those advancing from sectional qualifying, and those exempt from sectional qualifying. After 36 holes, the field is cut to the 60 lowest scorers and ties or anyone within 10 strokes of the leader.

PLAYOFF FORMAT – If there is a tie at the end of 72 holes, a three-hole aggregate score playoff, on holes 10, 17 and 18, will follow immediately. If the playoff results in a tie, play will continue hole-by-hole until a champion is determined.

CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY – The U.S. Senior Open was first played in 1980. The 2007 championship is the 28th. A total of 21 players have won the first 26 championships. There have been five playoffs. Twenty-four clubs have hosted the championship with Oakland Hills Country Club in Birmingham Hills, Mich., and Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pa., having served twice as a Senior Open site.

TELEVISION COVERAGE – A total of 14 hours of live television is slated for the 2007 U.S. Senior Open. All times listed are Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). (Air times are subject to change)

A three-hole playoff for the 2007 U.S. Senior Open would be played Sunday, July 8, starting immediately after the completion of 72 holes. NBC would broadcast the playoff in its entirety.

REPEAT AND MULTIPLE WINNERS – Allen Doyle (2005 and 2006), Miller Barber (1982 and 1984, 1985) and Gary Player (1987 and 1988) are the only players with back–to–back Senior Open victories. Hale Irwin (1998 and 2000) and Jack Nicklaus (1991 and 1993), are the only other multiple winners.

TWO TEES – Players start on both the first and 10^th tees during competition on Thursday and Friday, beginning at 7:15 a.m.

WINNERS OF U.S. OPEN & U.S. SENIOR OPEN – With his victory at Riviera Country Club in 1998, Hale Irwin became the seventh man to win both the U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open. Here’s a table detailing these multiple winners:

PAST CHAMPIONS – All past champions are exempt for future Senior Opens.

Note: The champions in italics are not entered in the 2007 field at close of entries on May 23.

IRON MAN – Dale Douglass, 71, who won the Senior Open in 1986 on his first try, has entered the championship for the 22nd consecutive year. That is the second-longest string in Senior Open history, surpassed only by the 25 consecutive starts by Arnold Palmer (1981-2005).

2007 ENTRIES – The USGA received 2,615 entries in 2007. The record is 3,101 in 2002. Sectional qualifying was held at 42 sites nationwide from June 5-18, including June 8 at Pine Hills C.C. in Sheboygan.

WHO CAN ENTER – The Senior Open is open to any professional or amateur with a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 3.4 who turns 50 on or before July 8, 2007. Entries closed on May 23.

MEDIA CONFERENCE WITH ALLEN DOYLE – Defending champion Allen Doyle will meet with all interested credentialed media at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 4, in the Media Center at Whistling Straits.

PLAYER INTERVIEWS – A complete schedule of pre-Championship interviews and times at the Media Center on July 3-4 will be published and distributed prior to Championship week.

WWW.USGA.ORG – Log on to the U.S. Senior Open Web site at www.ussenioropen.com for the latest information prior to or during the Championship.

MOST SENIOR OPEN APPEARANCES: Counting the 2007 Senior Open, following is a chart of the most appearances at the championship.

25 – Arnold Palmer
#22 – Dale Douglass (longest active streak)
19 – Miller Barber
#19 – Gary Player
16 – Chi Chi Rodriguez, Bob Charles, #Larry Laoretti
15 -- Jim Dent
# = counting 2007

TICKETS – A variety of tickets are available beginning at $25 for any one-day grounds tickets for practice days, July 2-4. Daily tickets for championship days (July 5-8) range from $65 to $75 each depending on day. Weekly ticket packages, including all practice rounds are available for $200 in a Season Grounds Ticket Package, or $315 for the premium Independence Club Ticket Package, providing not only access to the championship grounds all seven days, but also access to the ever festive air-conditioned Independence Club Pavilion. Each Independence Club Ticket Package comes with seven designated daily $10 food & beverage coupon good throughout the venue, and for every two ticket Independence Club Ticket Packages purchased, purchaser will receive one VIP parking pass for all seven days of the championship. To order tickets, please visit www.kohlerchampionships.com or call (888) 327-0100.

MEDIA CENTER PHONE NUMBERS – Contact USGA media relations staff members at Whistling Straits during the U.S. Senior by phone at (920) 565-5940 . Staff members on site will be Pete Kowalski , Craig Smith, Rand Jerris, Suzanne Colson, and Nancy Stulack.

USGA MEDIA CONTACTS – For more information, contact Pete Kowalski by cell phone at (908) 216-8435 or at the Senior Open media center at (920) 565-5940.

FUTURE SENIOR OPENS – The 2008 U.S. Senior Open will be conducted at The Broadmoor Golf Club in Colorado Springs, Colo., from July 31-Aug. 3, 2008; at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind., from July 30-Aug. 2, 2009; and at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash., near Seattle, from July 29-Aug. 1, 2010

PLAYERS FULLY EXEMPT FOR THE 2007 U.S. SENIOR OPEN (68)

Key to Player Exemptions --

1.Former winners of the U.S. Senior Open.
2.Winners of the U.S. Open in the last 10 years (1998-2007).
3. Winners of the U.S. Amateur in the last 10 years (1997-2006) and semifinalists from 2006.
4. Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last 10 years (1998-2007).
5. Winners of the British Open in the last 10 years (1997-2006).
6. Winners of the PGA Championship in the last 10 years. (1997-2006).
7.Winners of the PGA Seniors Championship in the last 10 years. (1998-2007).
8Winners of the Senior British Open Championship in the last 3 years (2004-2006).
9.The 25 lowest scorers and ties from the 2006 U.S. Senior Open.
10.From the 2007 U.S. Open, any amateur returning a 72-hole score.
11. The low amateur at the 2006 U.S. Senior Open.
12.From the U.S. Amateur Public Links, U.S. Mid-Amateur and USGA Senior Amateur, the winners from the last two years and the semifinalists from the most recent championships.
13. Playing members of the 2003 and 2005 USA Walker Cup teams and 2004 and 2006 USA World Amateur Teams.
14.Playing members of the five most recent U.S. and European Ryder Cup and Presidents’ Cup teams.
15.The top 30 money leaders from the 2006 Champions Tour money list.
16.The top 50 players on the Champions Tour all-time money list through May 23.
17.The top 20 money leaders on the 2007 Champions Tour money list through May 23.
18.Winners of Champions Tour events in the last three years (2004-2006) and the current calendar year.
19.The leading money winner from the 2006 Senior PGA European Tour Order of Merit
20.Winners of PGA Tour co-sponsored events in the last five years (2002-2006) and during the current calendar year.
21.Any player in his first five years of age eligibility for U.S. Open winners
22.Any player turning 50 in the last calendar year who has won a U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, Masters Tournament, British Open, British Amateur, or PGA Championship (one-time exemption).
23. Playing members of the 2003 and 2005 USA Copa de las Americas teams.
24Special exemptions as selected by the USGA Executive Committee.