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US Open Championship returns to Pebble Beach
The last time the US Open was played on the Monterey Peninsula’s (California) hallowed grounds of Pebble Beach in 2000, Tiger Woods decimated the field with his 15 stroke victory
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he last time the US Open was played on the Monterey Peninsula’s (California) hallowed grounds of Pebble Beach in 2000, Tiger Woods decimated the field with his 15 stroke victory.
He established the largest margin of victory in major championship history. Woods finished 12 under par and his nearest competitor Ernie Els was 3 over par. Simply put, it seemed as if Woods was playing an entirely different course than his many and not to mention, lost opponents.
Asked about his victory Woods said: “I didn’t do anything special that week. Everything was just on.”
Fast forward 10 years and Pebble Beach Golf Links is once again host to the United States Open, the most coveted major among American players.
The pedestal that Woods stood on for so many years as the world’s most revered sports icon crumbled over the last 8 months. His many rivals at this year’s Open, numbering 155 must feel a little more confident regarding their prospects facing a “wounded” and humbled Tiger.
They should, however, never underestimate his uncanny ability to surprise and rise to a major occasion. To golf aficionados in the modern era, Pebble Beach Golf Links is the Mecca of American golf, now hosting the US Open for a 5th time.
The condition of the course for this year’s Open championship is summed up by Mike Davis, USGA senior director of rules and competition: “In my 20 years of coming to Pebble Beach, I have never seen the course in better condition.”
This coastal jewel of a course will play 6,437 meters long this year. Ironically, the par 3, 7th hole plays a mere 100 meters.
It is however, among the most deceiving 100 meters in golf with danger lurking on every cliff edge surrounding the green over the Pacific Ocean. Australian Geoff Ogilvy, US Open champion at Winged Foot in 2006 bestows an efficient 5 word accolade upon Pebble Beach: “Great venues have great winners.”
Pebble’s main line of defense is its legendary ocean wind. The man most widely anticipated to unseat Woods as number 1 in the world is American Phil Mickelson. Without a win in the US Open he has finished 2nd, five different times.
The spotlight will be on him as the reigning Masters Champion. “With this tournament being at Pebble, there’s a good opportunity there, it’s the one tournament I’d love to win,” he said.
Rounding off the American threats to capture the title will be Hunter Mahan, Zach Johnson, Ricky Barnes, Sean O’Hair, Heath Slocum and Dustin Johnson. Dustin Johnson is the most recent winner at Pebble with his victory early in the year at a PGA Tour event.
The Australians will show Robert Allenby, Geoff Ogilvy, Marc Leishman and the resurgent Adam Scott as their main hopefuls.
Allenby could surprise with a victory after a near miss at the coveted Players Championship earlier this year. The South Africans have freshly minted PGA Tour winner Tim Clark along with Ernie Els and Retief Goosen.
Will Els finally win his 4th major and achieve golfing immortality? If his putting (the “P” word) materializes he will be formidable. The Europeans have a fleet of stalwarts sure to make their presence felt at Pebble Beach.
Leading the way will be the three Englishmen, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Justin Rose. All three already have victories on the PGA Tour this year, a very rare feat indeed.
Others that could contend will be the Swede Henrik Stenson along with German Martin Kaymer and the Italian brothers, Francesco and Edoardo Molinari. Westwood will receive special glare as a result of his spectacular performances over the last 3 major championships where he finished an astounding 3rd, 3rd and 2nd.
The Asians have an unusually rich presence at this year’s US Open. Led by reigning PGA Championship winner Y.E. Yang, they have the teen phenoms Ryo Ishikawa and Noh Seung-yul of Japan and Korea respectively. Korea’s K.J. Choi will also be looking for a strong performance.
Little needs to be said about Pebble when all time golf great Jack Nicklaus considers it his favorite course.
He also warns: “You’ve got to be in control. You never know what’s going to happen.”
Who will majestic Pebble Beach embrace as its US Open Champion this year? The answer will only unfold along Monterey’s breathtaking shores on Sunday evening.
