Golf roundup

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This article was published 24/06/2009 (6252 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Even in muddy mess, best player emerges He wrestled the mud and won

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. — Lucas Glover finally found dry ground where he could pose with his U.S. Open trophy, taking it to the top of the Empire State Building on Tuesday.

He left behind a U.S. Open that might be remembered mostly as a muddy mess. None of the four rounds started and ended on the same day.

Glover didn’t play a regulation round of golf on any of the five days at this U.S. Open — none Thursday, 31 holes Friday, five holes Saturday, 19 holes Sunday and 17 holes Monday.

But Glover played the best golf at Bethpage Black. Even in miserable weather in a week when the most important piece of equipment was a squeegee, the U.S. Open still achieved its goal of identifying the best player.

 

Woods at halfway point of a ‘Grand Slam Eve’

 

TIGER WOODS is halfway home to the "Grand Slam Eve."

He won at Bay Hill in his final tournament before the Masters, then shot 280 at Augusta National and tied for sixth, four shots out of the lead. He won at Memorial in his final start before the U.S. Open, shot 280 at Bethpage Black and tied for sixth, four shots behind.

Is it possible he could win all four events he plays before the majors, without winning a major?

Woods is the tournament host next week at Congressional in the AT&T National, his tune-up for the British Open. His final event before the PGA Championship is at Firestone, where he has won six times.

Public perception of his pursuit of 19 majors depends on the last one. But consider this: Woods has finished in the top 10 in nine of his last 10 majors, and he has had 18 consecutive top 10s in stroke-play events.

 

 

Maybe too much sand in Black Course bunkers

 

BUNKERS and mud topped the list of complaints at the U.S. Open.

The USGA refuses to allow players to lift, clean and place their golf balls in wet conditions, and more than a few players were hurt by splotches of mud at Bethpage Black. This is nothing new, although it didn’t keep players from whining about it.

Too much sand in the bunkers? That might be worthy of review.

Like other golf organizations, the USGA is trying to make sand traps the hazard they were meant to be. It added sand to create soft lies, although pushing up the sand toward the lip of the bunker is going too far.

 

— The Associated Press