Team Washington!
While Michael Putnam and Andres Gonzales compete against each other, they also root for the other to play well. At PGA Tour Q-School, I went to watch Mike play the last few holes and he asked me how Andres finished. When I told him it looked like Andres was in the top-25, a big smile appeared on Mike’s face and he was nearly giddy. I wasn’t at the US Open Sectional qualifier in Tunica, MS, but his reaction was probably similar.
Marc Leishman at Brookside
Yesterday I wrote a behind-the-scenes column on the US Open Sectional Qualifer in Columbus, Ohio. I mentioned a few players, but I talked to plenty more. You see, everyone was just hanging out on the patio or pacing near the leaderboard. In other words, it wasn’t hard to chat with a guy. At PGA Tour events and/or majors, the players usually sign their scorecards and make a dash for the locker room if they don’t feel like talking. But like I’ve said, this was a laid-back environment (and there were probably only three other reporters). So, here we go!
The main attraction at Brookside Golf & Country Club
The Waiting Game
For those who teed off early and scored well enough to have a chance, the waiting game was torture. Marc Turnesa played in the first group off on No. 10 at Brookside. He came in the clubhouse — rather patio — at eight-under, only to spend nearly three hours wondering if it was good enough to secure one of the 16 available spots.
Webb Simpson...in shorts!
As I mentioned on Monday, I love covering qualifiers — all two of them (the other was PGA Tour Q-school in December). What really struck me was the atmosphere reminded me of the USGA qualifiers I played in ten-plus years ago. I’m stunned that it’s been over a decade (yikes! — I feel old!) since I played in the 2001 US Women’s Am qualifier*, and the 2011 US Open qualifier didn’t seem like much had changed. It felt like a throwback to those good ol’ days when it was purely golf.
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