U.S. Open's final stage set up for frenetic finish
SAN DIEGO -- It's a word that hasn't often been used with regard to the blue-blazer crowd over the years, much less their premier championship.
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| It wouldn't be a shocker to see Lee Westwood in a fierce duel down the final stretch. (AP) |
U.S. Golf Association official Mike Davis, the mild-mannered, personable man charged with dialing in the Torrey Pines Golf Course this week, has played to rave reviews and has perhaps the biggest surprise of all up his sleeve for Sunday's final round, which could present fireworks not seen in years at the U.S. Open.
"Mike's creativity has been commendable," USGA director David Fay said Saturday. "He's not doing this knee-jerk, either. It's all been well thought-out."
Grab the Dramamine and cinch up the lap belts, because three of the final six holes on the back nine could present opportunities for eagles, providing the ingredients for one of the most rollicking finishes in event history.
As evidenced by the pain and suffering borne of sky-high scores, U.S. Opens in the past have been more about survival that heroics. It's a point worth reiterating that the last player to win the event by a stroke after making a birdie on the 72nd hole was Bobby Jones in 1926 -- the Pleistocene Epoch compared to today, since they didn't even pair the leaders together back then.
The circumstances have to be perfect, of course, but the stage could certainly be set for a frenetic finish with birdies mixed in with the traditional bogeys.
The 13th is a par-5 of 600-plus yards, but Tiger Woods eagled the hole on Friday and Saturday. The downhill 18th, a par-5 playing around 540 yards over the first three days, has been yielding birdies all week because of the ability for nearly everybody to reach the green in two.
But the real wildcard is the 14th.
All week, the USGA has been indicating that the tees 435-yard par-4 hole might be moved up to 277 yards -- and now they're down to their final chance. Fay admitted that he called Davis at 5 a.m. Saturday to again discuss the sensibility of such a move.
"I said, 'Tell me again why we want to use that short tee on the 14th?'" Fay laughed.
The plan all along was to use it on Sunday, if at all. So we'll all find out bright and early in the final round, though Fay dropped a fairly decent hint when asked if the tee would ever be moved.
"I hope so, because we have been talking about it all week," Fay said.
