Gary Player

The 2nd Major of the Year is Upon Us

Jun 12, 2008 | Comments: 1270

G’day friends,

The US Open will be played this week on the South course at Torrey Pines near San Diego, California, and the first day’s play will create tons of excitement with the top 3 players in the world hitting off in the same group.

This week NBC will provide the Television coverage, with help from ESPN announcers for the early coverage. This is my only week off broadcasting for CBS during the summer, so I plan to spend time with my family and play some golf here in the Jupiter area.

This year’s US Open certainly promises to be an exhilarating contest between player and USGA set-up at Torrey Pines. Tiger and Phil are the favourites, as you aware I’m sure, but many believe this may be Phil’s time to win his first US Open title. We’ll have to wait until Sunday night, and like millions of others I’ll be watching.

First a quick recap of the last two CBS events on Tour. We covered the Memorial Tournament played at the famous Muirfield Village Golf Club, home of, Jack Nicklaus May 29-June 1st. On the Friday Bill Stines, Head Pro of Scioto Country Club invited us to check out the course. As an aside, Scioto happens to be where Jack first learned to play the game under the watchful eye of the great Jack Grout whilst playing with his father Charlie.

Peter Kostis and I, along with one of Bill’s members, played the newly renovated Scioto Country Club and loved the experience tremendously. We fully approve of Jack’s changes. What a wonderful golf course!

Kenny Perry was victorious for the third time in Jack’s event, and virtually secured his place on this year’s Ryder Cup to be played in his home state of Kentucky. Kenny has been quite up front regarding his goal of playing in Captain Paul Azinger’s team this year at Valhalla Golf Club, where he lost in a play-off to Mark Brooks for the 1996 PGA Championship. He will not play this week’s US Open, having played seven events in a row, and will play the next two tournaments on Tour: the Travelers in Hartford, Connecticut, and The Buick in Flint, Michigan, where the CBS Team will bring you the television coverage. Make sure you tune in 3-6PM Eastern.

Last week we were in Memphis, the home of the Delta Blues, to work the 51st Stanford St Jude Classic. Memphis is one of the most hospitable stops on Tour, and the players love to return - especially with the changes made four years ago to the TPC Southwind golf course. The greens were changed to Champion’s Bermuda and the course lengthened some 200 yards (a popular phenomenon these days), receiving rave reviews from the players.

This year we had quite a strong field for a pre-major week. Tough windy conditions all week provided exciting golf and a thrilling finish culminating in a three way playoff. Justin Leonard prevailed over Robert Allenby, and Masters winner Trevor Immleman, on the 2nd hole of the playoff for his second win at Southwind. Look out for this event next year as it’s popularity grows and the support of the St Jude Children’s Research Hospital continues. It’s all about the Kids!!

During the summer in South Florida the courses all go through quite extensive renovation programs stripping the greens of thatch and improving the conditions for the up-coming season which kicks off in early November. My buddies and I make sure we keep a renovation schedule of the clubs in the area, and visit the courses with perfect greens. I mean life’s too short to be playing on soft, sandy greens, correct?? This week I’ve played The Dye Preserve, Frenchman’s Creek (north) and Emerald Dunes - they are all fantastic courses in great condition. We do have a wonderful selection of very good golf in this area. More on that later...I have to practice before Tiger and Phil T-off.

Talk to you soon, from Finchy’s blog.

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