We spoke with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Gary D’Amato, who penned the intriguing seven-part series about the various twists-and-turns that took place to carve out Erin Hills from a plot of farmland and how the USGA decided to bring the U.S. Open to this new venue. It’s a must-read.
Rory looking to add to his trophy case in '12
Thanks to Shoshana for passing along one of the various end-of-the-year articles on 22-year-old Rory McIlroy. This one, penned by the Irish Independent’s Dermot Gilleece, reveals an interesting quote from the U.S. Open champ about his playing career:
Dufner: so close.
Here’s something I put together for TheScore.ie earlier on:
WHEN JASON DUFNER stood on the fifteenth tee during the final round of this year’s USPGA Championship, he held a five-shot lead over the rest of the field.
Coming (back) to America
U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy is “leaning towards” taking up PGA Tour membership again next year. What’s that sound you hear? Champagne bottles uncorking from PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida! Heck, the media room is buzzing with excitement from the news.
Give the kid a break!
After clobbering the field by eight shots at the US Open last month, Rory McIlroy decided to take some time away from competitive golf until next week’s Open Championship. Naturally, several questioned his strategy, including former Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie. (Haters gonna hate, right? Ugh.) Well, Rory was finally sick of the critics and responded via his website:
I love you, man!
After losing the BMW International Open in a thrilling five-hole playoff to fellow Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal, at least Sergio Garcia wins a decent consolation prize (other than the second-place check). Garcia, who withdrew from the British Open qualifying in Texas last month due to an infected fingernail, needed to place in the top-two in Munich to earn enough money for a spot in the field at Royal St. George’s next month.
A tip-off from a reader informs me that former WWE wrestler and current wrestling executive Shane McMahon was spotted hanging around with Gerry McIlroy during last night’s US Open coverage.
Suicidal? Not anymore!
Richie Ramsay was left heartbroken last week after missing his play-off at the British leg of US Open qualifying. Afterwards, he described the experience as ‘horrific’, ‘awful’ and claimed to have been left ‘suicidal’ by the ordeal. It looks like someone up there (the USGA’s ivory tower) was listening, however, as Ramsay has just found out that he’ll be teeing it up at Congressional after all.
Joy (Marc Turnesa) and agony (Aaron Dexheimer)
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Staying to cover the US Open sectional in Columbus was probably one of the better decisions I’ve made in a while. Besides the final round of PGA Tour Q-school, it was probably the most fascinating and interesting event I’ve covered in golf. What about the final round of the Masters? The US Open? The British Open? Or even the PGA Championship? Sure, those are exciting, but qualifiers and majors/regular tournaments should be classified separately.
I think it’s the once-a-year do-or-die format of qualifiers that I find so compelling. And for the hundreds gathered at about a dozen venues across the country, they’re playing for the remaining sixty-something spots in the US Open — just a place in the field, no guaranteed money. Yet, the results elicit the same, if not heightened, emotions of raw elation or anguish.
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