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Word is the rough has grown to about 3-4 inches, about what it was last time at Pinehurst. Maybe more sparse. But the big issue, of course, is the weather. Hardly any rain expected til Sunday. Temps in the 90s the next couple days. Only a 20-30% chance of rain Thursday. And Phil Mickelson just said with no rain, we could be looking at 18 holes that played like #7 Shinnecock last year. The greens could be like lightning, and missing the fairway will mean you'll need a **** miracle to try and hold these greens. Get ready guys. It looks like we're going to see some wild (and for those who like it, fun) golf.

And also, if these conditions occur, who does that favor. Who does that hurt. You got to belive it helps a guy like Goosen, who's won in these conditions twice in 4 years. Mickelson, who played good on the fast greens at Shinnecock and Pinehurst and has the short game to compensate for his mistakes. I think it helps the great putters, like Furyk, Verplank and DiMarco, who can make those 5-10 foot par putts. Guys it might hurt could be Singh, who has a tendency to miss a lot of fairways and greens. Same with Ernie. I also think it hurts David Toms, who likes to stick shots. He's not a guy who you see play well on fast greens. I'm intersted in hearing your guys comments.

short game wins...phil

Well, I'd agree with most of what you said, except for the fact that you said DiMarco is one of these guys who makes a lot of 5-10 foot par putts? What about Tiger? Is he not one of, if not, THE best par putter ever (Jack is the best, but the longer Tiger's career goes, the closer it gets). And Vijay isn't really all that inaccurate off the tee...TIGER is. Vijay has most of his problems on the greens, which would be tough on him if they get hard and fast. If conditions stay the same, I'll take Goosen, Tiger, and Phil over everyone else. Woods and Mickelson have two of the best short games EVER (and with tough conditions for holding the greens, short game will be of the utmost importance), and Goosen proved he could win in such dry conditions last year.

I don't know a lot about DiMarco except what I saw at the Masters and remember how clutch he was. As for Tiger, you're right. He's one of the best clutch putters on Sunday. However, on occasion, we'll see him miss some 5-footers on a Thursday or Friday. To me, Tiger's the toughest one to predict this week. I just don't know what to expect. I expect a slow start out of him b/c that's just Tiger. He doesn't usually turn it on until late Friday into Saturday. But we know he's wild off the tee. Is the driver going to play him out of contention, or can he minimize the poor drives and make some great par saves to keep him near the top (or on top). People ask me what I think of Tiger's chances, and I just don't know what to expect.

I don't think you can ever count Ells out, he won at Oakmont in 1994 and those greens were like asphalt in 90 degree weather...he has excellent touch around the greens.

Ah, Ernie. He's right up there with Tiger on someone I have no idea what to expect. He's played terrible in the states this year, and then puts up a good tournament last week. Maybe he's fixed his swing and club issues and is ready to get back in form. I don't know. I do know that if Ernie is on his game, he's right up there with Retief, Tiger and Phil (in my opinion) as one of the best "U.S. Open suited" players in the field. Great short game, plays good on fast greens, and great mental game and concentration, which is most important.

jhsn, during Tiger's news conference today, he said that Pinehurst's holes are set up to where it's either a driver off the tee or a 2 iron. There is no in between, because it's either 400 yards or it's 470+, according to Tiger. He says that hitting 3 wood wouldn't work on the longer holes because he'd be leaving himself with mid-to-long irons, but he doesn't need it on the shorter holes either. I think if he's able to hit a decent amount of fairways and miss the greens in the right spots, he'll probably win the tournament.

Like you said though, he does tend to mess up on short putts earlier in tournaments. It's almost like he doesn't care as much early on in tourneys unless he's fighting to make the cut and needs the putts to drop (like at Shinnecock last year when he turned it on during Friday's round just in time to make the cut).

I was reading some of the interviews today. Some of the comments on this course are incredible. Retief called this maybe the most difficult course setup he's ever seen. Phil said that all 18 greens could play like #7 at Shinnecock last year. Steve Jones said if he shoots 90 both days he's got a shot at making the cut.

You're right about Tiger. As long as he misses in the right spots. My biggest concern about Tiger, and I said this in another post, is his start. He does not get off to good starts. He's almost like a race horse in the Kentucky Derby starting the first and 2nd turns in the middle to back of the pack before his Secretariat-like surge. But this week I think he must get off to a good start providing the weather & course conditions. I don't think this is a course where if you get behind early, you can make a ton of birdies and make up ground.

Get off to a good start, like maybe 2 under through his first five holes like he did at Bethpage? LOL. That would definitely get him on the right track if he did something like that, but I think he'll probably plod along at even par on Thursday assuming the course truly is as difficult as they are saying it is (it can change if the USGA decides to water it).

I was watching TGC last night and they were discussing the greens. Supposedly only 28% of the greens will hold a well struck shot and Pelz stood at the pin on one, dropped a ball and it rolled off the green and down a bank about 25 yards off. I know it's supposed to be tough but that's ridiculous and gives an inordinate advantage to those with good short game who don't necessarily hit a high % of GIR. It should be fun.

I think they were saying that a similarly low % of the greens could even be used to place cups on waz.

In 1999, David Duval hit 47/72 GIR to lead the field. Vijay only managed to hit 50% of the GIR, but led the field in scrambling. We all know how well those guys struck it either that year or throughout their career, so I think that should anyone manage to hit 50 GIR, they'll run away with the title.

I don't know if anyone's going to get to 2-under their first 5 holes on this golf course. I guess the last real major I remember Tiger starting well in was the '02 British. Even at the all the Masters he won he started somewhat slow (even 97). But I think he's got to stay around even par, to a couple-over. Reason being is this is not a course where you're going to shoot 64 and come from behind. It'll be like Shinnecock last year. There will be two or 3 guys at the top separated from the rest of the pack, like always at tough US Opens. And the rest of the players are playing for money.

I don't understand why is everyone complaining. Golf is a game of skill not a game of three clubs. (driver, PW, putter) Given the recent advances in equipment technology, golf courses must find ways to reward the skillful and punish the not so skilful player. Such measures include making the fairways narrower, growing the rough, introducing more sand and water hazards and making the greens fast. Personally I love it.
Putton

I'm not complaining, I LOVE when the pros struggle on tough golf courses. Sunday at Shinnecock was great last year, although I was hoping for more wind during the actual round (the wind occurred at night and dried the course, but during the round the wind was rather weak). Anyway, I'm hoping for 4 rounds like Shinnecock's final round last year (maybe even higher scoring than that). The pros don't have to deal with much adversity on the golf course, but thanks to the USGA's ridiculous setups, the pros can have a sense for how most amateurs feel while playing and struggling. :nodsmiley

I'm not complaining, either. I love this kind of golf. I love listening to them ***** and moan. And you're going to here a lot of ******* this week. Last year they didn't do it til' Sunday. This year they're doing it and the tournament hasn't even started. That's when you know it's going to be tough.

Well, I'm down to two guys to bet in Vegas. I was all set on betting Mickelson until I heard Retief Goosen's interview yesterday, and it caught my eye. He said yesterday he feels like he's hitting good shots, better than he hit earlier this year, but he's struggling with the slower greens. He prefers the fast greens, like ones at Shinnecock and Pinehurst. It makes you wonder if Retief will play better than he has been b/c of the different greens. And Retief is one of the better Open players we have. Two titles in 4 years. I have a tough decision to make tonight.