USGA Explains the Open Situation & How They'll Finish the National Championship

by Ryan Ballengee on Jun 18, 2009 2:45 PM EDT Comment 4 comments

Just got out of the press room with Jim Hyler and Mike Davis of the USGA. Jim Hyler talked about the weather situation that made them initially believe there was a window for play today. And then, what changed to the situation that caused them to suspend play.

Next, Mike Davis speaks about how he intends to resume play tomorrow, how much he hopes to get in by Saturday, and how we are optimistically looking at a 36 hole Sunday.

Davis was asked about the likelihood of a Sunday finish given that their weather forecast calls for a Saturday that is an awful lot like today. "If there is one glimmer - some silver lining in this - of hope, is that the course...drains beautifully with the exception of 18 fairway. So as bad as it looks right now on camera, if this was a course on heavier soil on clay, I think we'd be real worried right now."

Still, we may be playing into the middle of next week. Davis knows it and acknowledged it, too. There is precedent for a mid-week finish in a USGA Championship. Laura Davies won the 1987 US Women's Open at Plainfield Country Club in a Wednesday playoff over Ayako Okamoto and JoAnne Gunderson Carner. Interestingly enough, Laura Davies has a special exemption into the 2009 US Women's Open at Sacon Valley in a few weeks.

Interestingly enough, this was the first time that play has been suspended at the US Open since 2004 at Shinnecock Hills. Even when that place was dry, it was unplayable. Rain would have saved the grounds crew from having to water the fairways on Sunday.

The opposite may have to happen in this US Open. The squeegee kids may not be able to stop this course from playing to a yardage closer to 7600 yards than 7200.

To that point, Davis was asked how Bethpage will now play relative to how he intended at the start.

"This course plays beautifully firm because it does not sit on kind of a sandy loam soil. So, it's very frustrating that we're not really getting to see the true Bethpage. If you were on a shorter golf course - Pebble Beach, Merion, or something like that - if those get real wet then all of a sudden the test of golf becomes significantly easier. But here, you've got the length to some extent to counteract it."

We will find out tomorrow morning at 7:30am ET.

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Could Rain Hurt Not Only The US Open But Also the Traveler's?

There has to be a number of executives doing an no-rain dance right now not just at the USGA operations center at Bethpage, but also just up the road in Connecticut. That’s because the pro tour heads to Cromwell after it finishes the US Open — if the US Open is finished by the time festivities kick off for the Traveler’s Championship.

Should there be a Monday or later finish, the Traveler’s could see some of their scheduled marquee names opt out: — pre-supposing they make they cut and are still playing their third and fourth rounds. One thing is a certainty: a Tuesday or Wednesday finish for the national championship would prove to be very detrimental for the organizers of the next regular tour stop.

by Old Man Par on Jun 18, 2009 3:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well, what may happen is that the Travelers could somehow get reduced as well. That is a very FAR OUT scenario, but could happen. More likely is that the Traverlers’ field is going to be depleted.

Email me any comments or questions at ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com.

by Ryan Ballengee on Jun 18, 2009 3:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

you’re talking 10 days out – a good meteorologist will tell you that they can’t predict with real accuracy more than 18 hours out – but the thought of thunderstorms on Saturday is a bother because they will call play if there is lightning within 5 miles of the course.

about the Travelers – how many of the marquee names are actually going to be playing the week after the US Open anyway ? not to discount the concerns of the people running the Travelers, I think they’ll be fine – even with a Monday finish in the Open.

"this ball will fit in that fairway"

by courtgolf on Jun 18, 2009 4:01 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs