Fleisher DQ Former Senior Open champion Bruce Fleisher was disqualified after failing to sign his scorecard before leaving the scoring area. Now you know. Argentine Combo Third-round leader Eduardo Romero said he heard from countryman and 2007 U.S. Open Champion Angel Cabrera after Friday's second round, urging him to win the Senior Open on Sunday to complete the Argentina two-step. "It would be a great combo for us,
for Argentina, for everyone,"
said Romero, who helped sponsor Cabrera in America. Romero
said his friend had one other piece of advice for Sunday's final round. "Go find the Argentine restaurant in town, have a big steak, get some sleep and practice lots before your round tomorrow. If I play like this, I think I've got it." Getting It Right "They got it right today. They had some good pins and it wasn't impossible like yesterday."
Romero In Driver's Seat Romero, shooting 5-under 65, dropped to 9-under total for the championship. He's bidding to become the first Argentinean Senior Open champion since Roberto De Vicenzo won the inaugural event. "I think so, I think so, I think so," said Romero when asked if winning Sunday would be his biggest career win. "It's my dream to win this event." Romero has posted had three sub-par rounds. He credited it to his confidence on the green. "I start two months ago with a belly putter," he said in broken English. "When I get to green, it's gone from a two- to a one-putt now." Funk had a masterful par save on the final hole after deciding to lay up short of a pond that protects the green. He sank a 12-foot putt and raised his right arm in triumph. "My ball game disappeared on the back nine," said Funk. Catch The Spirit Junior Tent Thrives From our esteemed USGA Fellow Matt Keys: As the 50 and over group battles with the East Course, and each other, to claim victory this week, the Catch the Spirit Junior Tent is already winning in its own right. This year marks the first that a Junior Tent has been
stationed on the grounds of a Senior Open for an entire week. And the children
of the Colorado Springsnoon
on Saturday, nearly 1,200 children had passed through the tent for the day, bringing
the weekly total up to nearly 5,200. The Junior Tent, located on the first hole of The Broadmoor's West Course, offers myriad activities to encourage youngsters to participate in the game of golf. A full-swing hitting net, a chipping station and a putting green are available to allow kids to practice and fine-tune their games. Additionally, to satisfy the high-tech cravings for this Generation Z constituency, the Junior Tent includes a computer lab and a Nintendo Wii station (appropriately loaded with Wii Golf). The Junior Tent is operated and managed by the USGA Grants and Fellowship Department located here in Colorado Springs. This department facilitates the "For the Good of the Game" grants initiative. Over the past 11 years, the USGA has awarded more than $62 million to junior golf programs that serve economically-disadvantaged and minority children, as well as programs that serve individuals with disabilities. Additionally, the USGA Grants and Fellowship Department initiates a handful of local and national outreach programs to make the game more affordable and accessible, including the Catch the Spirit initiative. Even when the last truck, packed with remnants of this year's Senior Open, heads back east, the presence of the USGA in Colorado Springs will remain steadfast. Cook Hangs Around John
Cook stayed in contention with a solid 4-under 66 and aggregate 6-under
204. He knocked in a 4-footer on the 18th hole for his sixth birdie. "I played a nice back nine," said Cook. "It got me back in the championship." Eduardo
Romero (eight under) missed a golden chance to increase his lead on the
par-4 17th hole, but he pushed a 5-footer wide. He stood one stroke
ahead of Fred Funk. Funk Tumbles Out Of Lead Fred
Funk bogeyed the par-3 12th. His iron shot off the tee fell short of
the green. He ultimately two-putted, knocking in a 4-footer. Eduardo
Romero is now the leader. Logjam At The Top And
we have a stalemate again. Fred Funk got in trouble on the 11th hole,
finding a right greenside bunker. He had a marvelous out, to 8 feet,
but couldn't convert the up and down. The
circumstances for Romero, who is playing with Funk, were different. He
sank a 6-foot birdie putt from above the hole. Both were tied at nine
under. Geography Challenged Finding out where a player
is from is not always as easy as looking on the pairing sheet or golf bag. Case
in point is Des Smyth, who has lived in Ireland his entire life and is the
head pro of a course there. He is now listed as being from White Oak, N.C., as the
result of a new marketing deal. "It was an agreement I had to do," he said. Mark McNulty, a native of Zimbabwe, now lists himself as from Ireland where he has distant family ties. Funk Having A BallThings are going right for him. That was evidenced on the par-5 ninth hole when he drove into the first cut of rough, found a greenside bunker and wedged out to within 15 feet of the hole before nailing the putt. Funk Goes Lower Record Territory Jeff Klein flirted with USGA 18-hole
scoring history early Saturday, going to 8 under par after 14 holes
before settling for a 6-under 64, the low round of the championship.
But Klein said he was unaware of his record run.
"I didn't know the record or I might have played it different. You never know though." His local caddie, James Nagel, said he knew his player was closing in on Loren Roberts' Senior Open mark of 62. "We didn't talk scores out there, but you have eyes, you can see," said Nagel. Getting as low as eight under in the third round, Jeff Klein bogeyed the the 18th hole and posted a 6-under 64. The performance moved him into the top 10. He said the key was registering five one-putts on his first five holes. The round, which featured eight birdies and six through his first nine holes, began with Klein at 6-over 146. "I didn't see it coming, that's for sure," said Klein, playing in his first Senior Open. In current action, Fred Funk birdied the par-4 fifth hole and stands at eight under, two strokes ahead of Eduardo Romero. Funk All Alone Fred Funk and Eduardo Romero dipped to seven under, but the tie didn't last long. Romero bogeyed the par-3 fourth hole to fall off the pace. Tom Kite has entered into the mix after birdieing the third and fourth holes to get to five under. Romero Grabs Share Of Lead Call it the kiss of death but Jeff Klein just bogeyed - just as soon as we gave him his props. Still, seven under through 16 holes isn't too shabby. At the other end of the course, it didn't take long for Eduardo Romero to catch Fred Funk. The Argentinean birdied his first two holes to drop to six under. Funk parred his first two. Incredible Round Well, Jeff Klein is having the round of the day. Beginning the day 6-over 146, Klein is 8-under through 14 holes. He leapfrogged many a players, all the way to sixth, where he now stands. The leaders have just gone off. Lots Of Ice Cream Hope you're sitting down because this may alter your life. According to an ice cream vendor, since Monday 14,562 ice cream bars have been consumed by the volunteers in the volunteer hospitality. Bear Tale Continued It's been all over the news now, but
in case you missed it, a bear bolted across the 13th fairway Friday.
ESPN-NBC announcer Dottie Pepper had a firsthand look because the bear
briefly headed toward her while she was covering Bernhard Langer.
Pepper enjoyed a dinner with her colleagues after Friday's second round, but said she was shaken by her up close and personal encounter with the bear. Asked what came to mind when she saw the confused bear headed in her direction, Pepper said only one word. "Large." Fellow announcer Roger Maltbie said Pepper made the right decision to quickly leave her post during the Friday bear sighting. "The only part of me the bear would have seen was my backside headed out of the area," he said. Tidbits From Friday's Round Fred Funk's 6-under-par 134 is the second-lowest 36-hole total in Senior Open history. ..... in the first round there were 14 sub-par scores. Only five sub-par rounds were recorded in the second round. |
The Volunteers This submitted by USGA Fellow Matt Keys: "Excuse me sir, may I see your badge please?" asked a woman donned in a lime-green shirt. A few moments after verifying my right to be on the grounds,
I was politely met by individuals dressed in nearly identical garment. In fact,
in every pocket of people milling about the East Course, you're bound to notice
a sprinkle of lime. And thankfully too. These
individuals are volunteers, and their support is crucial to the success of this
championship. Simply being around the game provides enough motivation for some volunteers to donate their time, including Ron Paolucci, a high-school math teacher and volunteer in Spectator Services. "I watched [Ben] Crenshaw and [Tom] Watson since I was a kid, and it is great to still see them playing," said Paolucci. For others, volunteering is a way of life. "I work with volunteers in my day job, so I thought this
would be a good fit. Everyone's been so
nice, that my husband and I have already signed up for the 2009 Senior Open in
Still for others, the Senior Open has proven to be an annual bonding ground. "We have three guys here this week that met while volunteering in the Senior Open back in 2005. Since then, they haven't missed one. It's great to hear stories like that," said Jeff Yeager, Volunteer Manager this week. Norman's Woes On a separate note, Jesse Allen was disqualified for signing a wrong scorecard. No Moves On Funk Through his first nine holes, Eduardo Romero stood three under par. John Cook also was at three under, but had only played eight holes. They're OutTim Simpson
and Larry Laoretti
are out of the championship. Disqualification for signing an incorrect score card is covered under Rule 6-6d: The competitor is responsible for the correctness of the score recorded for each hole of his score card. If he returns a score for any hole lower than actually taken, he is disqualified. If he returns a score for any hole higher than actually taken, the score as returned stands. Laoretti had shot 81 (+11) in the first round before his disqualification. As for Simpson, he withdrew because of a pulled muscle in his rib area. He was scheduled to start the second round at 2:40 p.m. MDT from the 10th tee with Keith Fergus and Bobby Wadkins. Funk Weathers Early StormCount it as Fred Funk's strange path to a 1-under 69 on Friday. In what began as a potentially horrific round, Funk redeemed himself after his eighth hole. To that point he had three bogeys and five pars. Then he got hot. Over his final 10 holes, Funk shot four under par and leads the championship at 6-under total. "I was fighting it on the greens a little but but who isn't doing that?" said Funk afterward. "I feel like I can make three or four birdies a day." Saying he felt pain-free for the first time in two years as he headed toward the range to warm up, Funk ironically felt a twinge in his neck that bothered him throughout the round. In relation to others in the clubhouse from the morning wave, Funk stood four strokes ahead of Mark McNulty (68-70-138) and Tom Kite (67-71-138). McNulty suffered a double bogey on the 18th green. "Mistakes happen in this game. What's past is past," said McNulty. "It's very tricky. These are the toughest greens I've seen in championship golf." Added Kite: The golf course is hard, holy smokes .... The USGA put some pin placements out there that defy imagination." McNulty In Clubhouse Uh oh, Mark McNulty stumbled - hard. It came at a horrible time too. On his final hole, he three-putted from 12 feet to register a double bogey and fall out of the co-lead. Fred Funk has parred five straight holes to maintain his 5-under score. McNulty's balky putter epitomized how brutal these greens can be. Well, the combination of the shaky putter and hard greens attributed to his fall. He registered an even-par 70 and sits at 2-under total. McNulty Grabs Share Of Lead Mark McNulty birdied the 14th hole, so that means he has caught Fred Funk. McNulty has never finished better than seventh in four U.S. Senior Opens. And the bear sightings continue. Chime Time Hale Irwin, a former
University
of
Colorado
football star, knows the East Course better than most players this week, but it didn't help him avoid the
quarterly Broadmoor chimes that sound loudly on a regular basis. Irwin was at
the top of his backswing on the par 4 first hole Friday when the chimes sounded.
He was startled and it caused him to jerk his drive left into the rough, just 20
yards from the tee, nearly hitting a tree. He was able to recover for par on the
hole and then birdied the next two
holes. Our Rules staff blogged about the incident too. We're receiving quite a show today. Two bears have been spotted on the course. One ran across a fairway and another was outside of the ropes. Spectators stood in shock, none budging an inch. Funk Has Spunk Apologies. Been somewhat derelict in the duties. Went on the course to take in some of the action. In that time, Fred Funk turned in a 2-over 36 on his first nine, but then got hot. He birdied Nos. 2 and 3 to climb back to five under. At one point Mark McNulty got as low as five under until bogeying the par-4 11th. Tom Kite has been the steadiest of the bunch, maintaining his three-under score through 14 holes. Bogeys Bite The Broadmoor giveth and taketh away. After a solid round Thursday, Fred Funk has hit a bump. Consecutive bogeys on Nos. 11 and 12 has dropped him to three under. Tom Kite and Mark McNulty were also three under. Course Speed The official word just came down: the green speeds are measuring 11.7 on the Stimpmeter. Sixteen greens only needed one cut to achieve this speed. The other two were double cut to attain this speed. No greens were rolled this morning. So there you have it. Funk Falls A bogey on No. 11, just his second of the championship, dropped Fred Funk to four under. After Thursday's round, he reflected on what will make a champion at the challenging Broadmoor. "I think the guys that are playing their best this week are really going to be the guys that show up on top of the leaderboard," he said. "There are not going to be too many guys that are going to fake it around here and scramble their butt off because it's too hard to make the 5- and 6-footers." Funk Playing Juan Quiros bogeyed No. 5 to fall back. First-round leader Fred Funk began his day with a par on the 10th hole, his first of the day. Quiros Making Noise Diminutive Spaniard Juan Quiros has charged up the leaderboard, riding consecutive birdies on holes three and four to an aggregate four under par. Quiros is playing in his first U.S. Senior Open. Pace Of Play Good morning campers, We have started in earnest again. Something of note from yesterday, just in case you care about this sort of thing: Yesterday's pace of follow is as follows, according to an official:
Expected pace - 4:32 Average for the day
- 4:50
Quickest group -
4:36
Slowest group - 5:09
(the only group over 5 hours)
|
Funk The Outright Leader After First Round Fred Funk is the first-round leader after shooting an impressive 5-under 65. Until the 18th hole, he had played bogey-free."It didn't feel good to bogey 18," said Funk, who spen three-and-a-half hours stretching Thursday morning. Someone asked if he ran out of gas. "I have plenty of energy. I'm not that old," he quipped. Tom Kite, who walked into the clubhouse with a 3-under 67, credited Funk with a masterful round. "Obviously you're trying to play some nice golf. Freddy's playing well ... and he'll be tough to catch," said Kite. Kite was yet another player to comment on the difficulty of the greens, saying "These would be difficult if they were at sea level." Everyone Still Following Funk And the 52-year-old Fred Funk is king still. He now birdied the par-4 17th hole to drop to six under.Everyone Following Funk And the
52-year-old Fred Funk is king - for now. He birdied the par-3 16th hole
to drop to five under. In his only Senior Open appearance in 2006, Funk
finished 11th. Battling The Elements This from inimitable USGA Fellow Matt Keys: The East Course at The Broadmoor may not be regularly susceptible to the truculent winds that tormented golf balls the past two weeks at the British Open and Senior British Open. Instead, players contending in this week's U.S. Senior Open will square off against a more inconspicuous force to human senses: elevation. Colorado Springs is elevated more than 6,000 feet above sea level, or more than 800 feet higher than the "Mile High City" of Denver - the neighboring town to the north. At this elevation, players must take into account the thinner Colorado air before conceding to a club selection, lest havoc be wreaked on their chances of claiming the Francis Ouimet Memorial Trophy at week's end. Even on level ground in these Rockies, a listed distance of 150 yards could easily play to 135 yards or less. And as a day matures, the guessing game becomes more difficult. "In the morning, the ball travels not like it would at sea level, but not quite as much as what you figure," said John Cook. "But once it warms up and the sun comes out, you can actually put the ball in the air, and it will go." Colorado Springs native R.W. Eaks viewed his Friday afternoon tee time as a welcomed opportunity after shooting a disappointed, but not damaging, 2-over 72 on Thursday morning. "The ball definitely goes farther in the afternoon," said Eaks. "If I can hit it farther than someone else, I get pretty excited." What's worse for players is that the altitude doesn't just affect approach shots. It's also an element that sharpens the incisors of the East Course - each of its 18 undulating greens. As the temperature rises throughout the day, the moisture is the bowel of every green is evaporated at a quicker pace in high altitude than at sea level. Less moisture, as any golfer fears, produces lightening-quick greens. "The speed of the green's this morning were slower than I expected because they weren't dried out," said Dave Delich, an amateur and citizen of Colorado Springs whose carnal knowledge of the course could not prevent him from shooting a pedestrian 76 during the first round of play. Throw in the fact that the course is located on the
side of a mountain, and even the novice to the golf community can understand
why it truly is a test of golf suitable for the greatest players in the world. Funk Rolling Along Fred Funk continues to play bogey-free golf. He's four under through 13 holes. After carding an eagle on the third hole, Mark McNulty fell to three under where he remains through 15 holes. Incidentally, there have been seven eagles registered on the par-5 third hole. Strange Remembers Curtis Strange shot 78 in Thursday's first round, but it still beats the last time he played in an event at The Broadmoor East Course, on Sept. 11, 2001. Strange was playing in a private client outing the day of the national terrorist attacks. He was standing in the Broadmoor golf shop watching the TV when the World Trade Towers collasped in New York City. "It's something you never forget," he said. The U.S. Ryder Cup captain at the time, Strange got in a car after his event and drove from Colorado Springs to St. Louis for a World Golf Championship event that wound up being canceled. Jacobsen Moving Up Another former Senior Open champion, namely Peter Jacobsen , has quietly moved up the leaderboard. After an eagle on the par-5 third hole, he parred his next four holes. Fred Funk has continued his stellar play, standing four under through eight holes. Hot Start For Funk It didn't take long for Fred Funk to catch leader John Cook. Funk carded an eagle and two birdies through his first five holes to stand at four under par. Confounding Issues Greg Norman (even-par 70) echoed what many players have been saying as they've come off the East Course today: the greens are puzzling. Getting a proper read been a challenge. Too many putts are off by one or two balls. "I've started to read the green more than the slope," said Norman. The other issue playing mind tricks is the altitude. "It's a mental mind drain," added Norman. "You're asking yourself, 'Is [the shot] 15 percent, 18 percent, 20 percent [more with the altitude]? You just can't used to it." What's more, it's causing havoc with distance. "It puts you off by 4 or 5 yards and to us that's a lot," said Norman. Cook's In John Cook, appearing in his first U.S. Senior Open, managed his way to a 4-under 66 and holds the outright lead. Coming off a disappointing playoff loss to Bruce Vaughan at the Senior Open Championship last week, Cook tried to put it out of his head and focus on the major at hand. "Monday was tough," said Cook. "Tuesday wasn't any easier. ... You have to grieve a little bit. But you also have to bring that momentum here. There's another week, another major." Cook carded five birdies and hit all of his fairways in regulation. Colorado Heat Vs. Texas Heat This submission comes from freelance writer Art Stricklin: It didn't take Texans Tom Kite or Ben Crenshaw long to figure out the difference between Colorado heat and Texas heat before teeing off in Thursday's first round. "In Texas, they tell you it's hot and it's hot," said
Austin, Texas native Tom Kite. "In Colorado, they tell you
it's cool and it's hot. Are Colorado people lying to you?" Turning to his fellow Austin native Crenshaw, Kite asked if is it hot to him. "Yeah, it's hot," Crenshaw answered. Eaks InR.W. Eaks finished with a pedestrian 2-over 72. He didn't seem fazed, nor does he feel any added pressure because of his local ties. He admitted he saw many familiar faces. "I had a lot of opportunities today," he said. "All in all, it wasn't bad. They didn't have much to clap for." The same couldn't be said for Morris Hatalsky. He put on a dazzling putting display coming in. On No. 8, he nailed a 35-footer for birdie. Then on No. 9, he came in strong with the 5-foot birdie. "It was better than good," said Hatalsky of his putting. Cook's Kitchen: All By Himself Conditions aren't exactly benign, but the course is beginning to yield red numbers. Despite a stiff breeze, John Cook broke a three-way stalemate with a birdie on No. 7 to drop to four under. Eduardo Romero and Mick Soli were one stroke back. When Morris Hatalsky dropped in a right-to-left, 5-foot birdie putt on No. 18, he walked into the clubhouse with a 67. Soli's Eagle Helps Grab Share Of Lead Eduardo Romero headed into the homestretch at three under par. However, Mick Soli carded an eagle on the par-5 third hole to catch him. Romero Holding Steady Eduardo Romero slipped on the par-5 third hole, missing an opportunity to birdie. However, he couldn't get up and down from the right greenside rough before two-putting. In the meantime, John Cook caught Romero with a short birdie putt on the same hole. Heckel Withdraws From our media relations department, who were so kind to share: Steve Heckel withdrew at 10:35 a.m. Thursday due to arthritis complications. The alternate who will take his place is Chick Berry of Alpharetta, Ga., who competed in sectional qualifying on July 1 in Jasper, Ala. Berry, an amateur, shot a 70 at Musgrove Country Club to earn the first alternate position. Berry will take a spot in the 1:20 p.m. group on the first hole, joining past Senior Open champions Dave Eichelberger of Honolulu, Hawaii (1999) and Dale Douglass of Castle Rock, Colo. (1986). Morgan FallsGil Morgan toppled out of the lead with back-to-back bogeys on the 10th and 11th holes. Meanwhile, Greg Norman closed out his front nine with a 1-under 35. He was tied with six others. On the par-4 10th, he missed an 80-foot birdie putt. 'El Gato' Not So Gracious And just as soon as I write that Romero takes the lead, Romero stumbles with a bogey on No. 18, his ninth hole of the day. Remember, they're using the two-tee start. Gil Morgan is also at two under, followed by a slew of players one stroke behind. 'El Gato' In The Lead Eduardo Romero, known as 'El Gato' (The Cat) for his stealthy way of overtaking opponents, rode consecutive birdies into the overall lead. He's one stroke ahead of John Cook and Gil Morgan. Romero, as some of you may remember, led after the first round last year at The Straits Course at Whistling Straits. He carved out a nifty 6-under-par 66. His six-under-par round was one shy of the U.S. Senior Open record for lowest score under par in a first round (Craig Stadler, 2005; R.W. Eaks 2002; and Bruce Fleisher 2000). He entered the second round with a three-stroke lead. Crammed At The Top John Cook, Wayne Grady, Gil Morgan and Eduardo Romero shared the lead at two under par. With a bogey on the eighth hole, Mark James fell off a stroke. Cook Moves Into Tie And R.W. Eaks tumbles after suffering a bogey on No. 6. He fell one stroke off the pace. Now John Cook, Mark James and Gil Morgan hold the lead at two under par. Cook, who turned 50 last October, is making his first Senior Open appearance. His name has been mentioned among media members as a favorite. Not a bad choice. Eaks, James Equal Local native R.W. Eaks caught Mark James for the lead at two under par. Perhaps Eaks' local knowledge of the East Course is paying dividends? He caddied here as a kid and then joined the grounds crew later. His job? To cut holes and, ahem, eradicate gophers. He's estimated that he's played the course about 200 times. Not all of those times were legal, though. James Alone And Mark James separates himself from the field - sort of. He dropped to two under with a birdie on his third hole. Fives others were one stroke behind. Just as an FYI, here is how the course is setting up today: The greens are rolling 11.7 on the Stimpmeter. No greens were rolled this morning. Corrective watering was done this morning to all putting greens and last night to fairways. The USGA anticipates applying a light "cooling syringe" to all putting greens (and possibly fairways) between the morning and afternoon waves and later in the afternoon during play to putting greens warranting such. Red Numbers Mark James, Rick Karbowski and Gil Morgan were tied at one under par in the early going. Karbowski, 53, finished 62nd in the 2005 championship, the only time he's been in the event. Slow Out Of The Gate Five players shared the early lead at even par Thursday morning. Two of those, Lee Booker and Dave Delich, are amateurs playing in their first Senior Open. Delich is an interesting story. He played college hockey at Colorado and ended up as the school's all-time leading scorer. Maybe more impressive was that he was a a tangential part of the 1980 USA men's hockey team that won the gold medal in the Winter Olympics. Delich never dressed, but was ready to play if an injury occurred. |
| And this submission comes via our intern, Kent Zakour: At the practice range today on the Broadmoor's West Course a youthful presence was felt as many families and children turned out for Military Family Day. Spectators were entertained with a variety of events including watching the likes of Greg Norman and Hale Irwin complete their practice rounds and The Dennis Walters Golf Show. However, the highlight of the day was the Wings of Blue Parachute Team's performance. Five U.S. Air Force Academy instructors touched down perfectly after jumping from their airplane circling 4,500 feet above the practice range. The instructors were able to maneuver through the air with ease in the canopy stack formation and avoid golf balls being hit by players practicing for the Senior Open that begins tomorrow. After landing to an appreciative crowd, the officers invited all the children in the audience to help them pack up their parachutes. Two siblings, Levi, 6, and Avery, 8, have a grandfather who was a colonel in the Air Force. They were among the youngsters helping out. "I can't believe he did that!" exclaimed an excited Avery after she talked to one of the jumpers. "I want to be a famous author and basketball player, but I want to jump out of planes too!" Her brother, Levi, also desires to be in the Air Force if his dream of being a "championship" golfer does not work out. Levi offered this piece of advice to the Air Force instructors on future aerial maneuvers. "Don't land in a tree," he said. |
| One of our USGA Fellows, Matt Keys, offers this up about Hale Irwin: In 1967, Hale Irwin proved the victor in the Broadmoor Invitational amateur championship. Forty-one years later, at the age of 63, Irwin returns to The Broadmoor Golf Club to vie amongst his pals to be crowed the 29th U.S. Senior Open Champion. Yet, amidst the murmurs in the media, Irwin's
lackluster play on the Champions Tour in 2008 has received attention. At the
midway point in the season, Irwin has failed to register a
top-10 effort, subsequently preventing him from logging one point in the race
for the coveted Charles
Schwab
Cup. Only a novice, however, would dismiss this
champion's chances this week based solely on these mild shortcomings. Without a
doubt, Irwin still has game. During Wednesday's practice round, Irwin's scintillating play shone brighter than the midday sun. "I played quite well today," admitted Irwin. "I played terrible yesterday because of all the stuff that was going on. Today, I just tried to keep it simple." Simple it was. During one nine-hole stretch, Irwin unofficially hit nine fairways, nine greens, and carded three birdies, without a single blemish. With his rhythmic swing, Irwin effortlessly pulled the teeth out of this formidable championship setup. "He's playing so well," a fan whispered in the contingent following Irwin's group. "He's playing like he has something to lose." Better yet, he's reminding people that he has something to win. The consummate professional, Irwin's preparation has him poised to make a run at winning his third U.S. Senior Open championship. But his serious demeanor never detracts from his jovial spirit. "Quick please," commanded a hole official on the fourth teeing ground during Wednesday's practice round. Without hesitation, Irwin quipped, "Yes, hold your breath please. No breathing while I swing." Aside from being a hometown boy (relatively) this week, there is little wonder why crowds attract to Irwin like a moth to a flame. Forty-one years later, Irwin firmly believes he has a shot at recapturing glory at The Broadmoor. "Just give me a chance going into the last nine holes on Sunday," said Irwin. "My shelf at home has three (U.S. Open) trophies on one side and two (U.S. Senior Open) trophies on the other. It's cockeyed, and I'm trying to even it up this week." |
| The USGA Catch The Spirit Junior tent sits adjacent to the first tee on the East Course here. As I've walked the course I've noticed that there have hardly been any kids. Now I know where they're at. The tent area is a golf playland for the children. More than 1,000 have passed through today. There are two outdoor practice areas, one for chipping and one for putting. Instructors have been on hand to help. Inside the tent offers an educational location for all things golf. From Snoopy and the Rules to chipping into a net off astroturf to playing a golf video game, all forms present valuable learning tools. Kids also can walk away with a free hat, goodies, lapel pin and more. It's just another thing the USGA does that may not receive a whole lot of ink. |
| Today is informally known as interview day. It's an event where players are whisked into the media center and asked questions in a group setting. Today the list is long. R.W. Eaks Greg Norman Mark Wiebe Dale Douglass Jay Haas Hale Irwin Dave Delich Tom Watson Brad Bryant Bernhard Langer You can still get these guys in one-on-one settings, but it does help to have a structured session. My preference? One on one. That way you're not giving away anything to other media outlets, especially in this day and age of competition. |
"Are you excited to see Hale Irwin today?" I prodded one youngster amongst the crowd flocking to the range to watch the Hale Irwin Golf Exhibition. The kid's response - "Who's that?" In just one hour, he would have the answer to his question. In staying consistent with the efforts of the USGA to encourage any child to join the game of golf, Irwin made a fitting announcement before gripping one club. "If you're a kid, of any age, and can't see right now, I want you to come sit on the grass here in front of me," said Irwin. Not a second later, the mass migration of ketchup-stained faces from the grandstand was in full effect. And this one comes from Matt Keys, an esteemed Fellow with the USGA. It's about Hale Irwin: With his clubs, Irwin impressed the youngsters with an array of crisply-struck shots one would expect from a USGA champion. He'd yell out fade, draw, hook, or slice, and their wish was his command. But it was his genial grin and inclusive demeanor that captivated the attention of the children. After executing a few shots, Irwin would continually stop and see if anyone had questions. Immediately, little arms were raised toward the sky. "What's your favorite swing thought?" asked an astute youngster at one point. "That's simple," replied Irwin. "Chocolate milk," he answered in perfect harmony with his rhythmic swing. While the kids were in awe of Irwin's abilities, perhaps they were a little out of their element. "One final question, and then I must be leaving," said Irwin as he pointed toward a kid with a hat three sizes too big. Taking his moment with pride, the kid stood up and bellowed, "Have you ever beaten Tiger Woods?" to the delight of the crowd. Through a small chortled Irwin replied, "No, and I don't intend to ever try." Just the question itself is a compliment in my book. Well done today, Hale. |
| And this blog comes from esteemed writer, Phillip Howley, who will be penning stories throughout the week: Hale Irwin's college career as a defensive back for the University of Colorado has been well documented and Irwin is back on familiar turf in Colorado this week. But the three-time U.S. Open winner and two-time U.S. Senior Open winner does not feel all that at home at The Broadmoor. "I was walking around out there trying to remember the holes," said Irwin, who is normally Nicklaus-like when it comes to remembering golf holes, shots, etc. "I really don't remember them all that well. I don't think I'd played here since high school. It's been a long time." Irwin played the course three weeks ago, at which time he felt the greens were even faster than they are early this week. That said, Irwin, who won the Senior Open in 1998 and 2000, believes the greens will tell the story this week. "From tee to green it's not all that difficult, not that it's easy," Irwin said. "But once you get around the greens, that's where it's going to be won or lost. The greens are much more undulated than I remembered them. You can get in some places around those greens where you're just not going to have a chance (to get up and down), the way the greens are running." * Irwin picked Loren Roberts to win, because of his touch on the greens. The "Boss of the Moss" rolled in a 25-footer and a 30-footer during his practice round on Tuesday. * You may be wondering ... as was this blogger ... whassup with the raised "A" in the name BROADMOOR . Well, there are several explanations, so pick your poison: Explanation 1 - the raised "A" was used when the hotel opened in order to secure a trademark, because there were many other uses for the Scottish word Broadmoor and it could not be copyrighted. Explanation 2 - the hotel's Web site explains that legend suggests in 1916, resort founder Spencer Penrose built the Broadmoor out of spite after he was rebuked for riding his horse into the bar at the nearby Antlers Hotel. Other believe Penrose and Charles MacNeil built the resort and hired friend William Dunning, who had been fired as hotel manager at the Antlers. Explanation 3 - Penrose and William Jackson Palmer, the founder of Colorado Springs, were engaged in a friendly rivalry. Palmer owned the Antlers and for that reason, Penrose required the "A" in "BROADMOOR" to always be smaller than the other letters. As the story goes, the small "A" also served as a sporting claim that Penrose would eventually own Palmer's Antlers Hotel, as he eventually did. * And my own, Explanation 4 - typo. * They are no less than nine players in the field with Colorado ties, either natives, current residents, or former residents. Two more, and you've got yourself an over-50 soccer team. * Speaking of greens, former Champions Tour player and recently reinstated amateur Jim Holtgrieve came to The Broadmoor fresh off a few days at Pine Valley. "These greens are much faster," said Holtgrieve, who practiced in a Pine Valley golf shirt on Tuesday. "They're brutal." * Bernhard Langer is playing in his first Senior Open, after playing in 20 U.S. Opens. The German must be hoping for better things in this silver version. Wonder if the steely German will fare better in the silver version than he fared in the regular U.S. Open. In 20 U.S. Open starts, he missed the cut nine times and suffered one disqualification. His best finish was a tie for fourth in 1987, after which he never had another top-10. * Rumors have it that Chris Evert, the former great tennis pro, is on-site. She recently wed Greg Norman. * Tom Watson flew into Colorado on Sunday night after two weeks in Scotland, competing in the British Open and the British Senior Open. Watson was on the course at 7:35 p.m. on Monday to play a practice round. Or was it 1:35 p.m. (Scotland time). "I was wide awake," Watson said. * There are number of two-sport stars in the field, including Irwin, a football star at University of Colorado, and R.W. Eaks, a basketball star at Northern Colorado. But least we forget, Dave Delich, who qualified for the Senior Open as an amateur, is the leading scorer (111 goals) in Colorado College hockey history. He was among the last cuts for the U.S. Olympic hockey team that produced the "Miracle on Ice" and won the gold medal in 1984. |
| To answer some of the posts, Dana Quigley did indeed withdraw. That'd be the second straight year due to injury. Today I walked about six holes with Jay Haas. He did not limp or seem to be in any pain. When I asked later how he was, he said fine. But Haas, probably the most honest player out there, won't ever play up an injury. As for the alternates, there is an allotment process the USGA uses to determine whether a player gets in. If a qualifer in the field withdraws, the USGA reverts to the place the player qualified and takes the alternate from that venue. Now, if a player who was exempt into the championship this week pulls out, that's when the formula is put into place. For me to explain precisely how that works would be dangerous, so I'll stop there. |
| Followed R.W. Eaks today. He was born in Colorado Springs and is taking it all in. Many people are behind him; many know him, or know of him; he is recognized. One funny moment. As he finished 18, fans were calling for him across the green. Eaks said, "Tell 'em that they got me confused with Rick Rhoden," the former major league baseball pitcher turned professional golfer. There is a resemblance there. Classic. Eaks knows the course well, having caddied here when he was 12. Four years later he worked on the grounds crew. He wouldn't divulge any secrets about playing it. He estimated afterward that he's played The Broadmoor roughly 200 times. "About 100 times I was supposed to and the other 100 I snuck on," quipped Eaks. |
| Greetings, We're back again for another year of blogging and fun. We'll use this space to discuss anything ancillary to the championship, as well as the event itself. I'm going out on a limb and predicting D.A. Weibring will win his first Senior Open title. He's been close in the past. His game usually sets up well for an Open. In any event, if you have a question or comment, feel free to leave one here. Or e-mail me at kklavon@usga.org. Let's hope for another memorable week. As always, thanks for reading. Ken Klavon Editor, New Media |
