U.S. Open qualifiers

When it comes to the U.S. Open, most people think all the big names get a slide into the field. Far from it.

Take a look at this list of potential "storylines" at Sectional qualifiers that went out today from the U.S. Golf Association. You'll be surprised by the number of well-known players who are not exempt:

U.S. Open sectional qualifying is scheduled at 13 sites on Monday, June 4. Here is the breakdown of places awarded and the top storylines from each venue. The results will by posted online by the USGA as soon as possible. There are a total of 83 spots being awarded. Seventy-two golfers are already fully exempt. One place is being held open pending the result of this week's Tour event.

Storylines for the 2007 U.S. Open From Sectional Qualifying


Bear Creek Country Club (Murrieta, Calif.; 74 players for 4 spots)

Danny Lee, a 16-year-old amateur from New Zealand, was a semifinalist at the 2006 U.S. Junior.

Eric Meeks of Las Vegas, Nev., captured the 1988 U.S. Amateur.

PGA Tour player Kevin Sutherland of Sacramento, Calif., won the 2002 World Golf Championship-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Henry Liaw of Rowland Heights, Calif., captured the 2001 U.S. Junior.

Canadian-born Richard Lee, 16, of Chandler, Ariz., was the runner-up at the 2006 U.S. Junior and qualified for the 2005 U.S. Amateur at 14.

Casey Watabu of Kapa’a, Hawaii, won the 2006 U.S. Amateur Public Links, defeating current PGA Tour rookie Anthony Kim in the final.

Korean-born Sihwan Kim of Buena Park, Calif., won the 2004 U.S. Junior and was a quarterfinalist at the 2006 APL. He will attend Stanford in the fall.

Arvo Voip of San Jose, Calif., was the last player to file an entry into the 2007 U.S. Open. His online entry was processed with 15 seconds to spare on April 30, the last day the USGA accepted entries. He was the medalist at his Modesto, Calif., local qualifying site.

Rickie Fowler of Murrieta, Calif., was the 2006 California State High School champion and a quarterfinalist at the 2006 U.S. Amateur.

Mike Sica of La Quinta, Calif., managed to shoot a 3-under-par 69 at his local qualifier at Bermuda Dunes (Calif.) C.C. with borrowed clubs because his did not arrive at the airport following a Canadian Tour event. He played with an old set of clubs, his father’s driver and a putter he never had used.

Columbine Country Club (Littleton, Colo.; 20 players for 1 spot)

Bill Loeffler of Castle Rock, Colo., was the 1986 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion.

Dustin White of Pueblo, Colo., made it through both stages of U.S. Open qualifying in 2006 to qualify for the field at Winged Foot. He missed the cut.

Michael Zaremba, 53, of Pueblo West, Colo., is the director of golf at Walking Stick Golf Course in Pueblo, which was the host site for the 2006 U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship. He also qualified for the 2006 U.S. Senior Open.


Walton Heath Golf Club (Surrey, England; 72 players for 9 spots)

Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland has represented Europe on five Ryder Cup teams and defeated Tiger Woods in the final of the 2000 World Golf Championship-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain has also competed in seven U.S. Opens and shared runner-up honors in 2000 at Pebble Beach.

Oliver Wilson represented Great Britain and Ireland at the 2003 Walker Cup Match.

Francesco Molinari of Italy is the brother of 2005 U.S. Amateur champion Edoardo Molinari.

Graeme Storm of England is a former British Amateur champion (1999) who represented Great Britain & Ireland at the 1999 Walker Cup Match.

Mikko Ilonen of Finland won the 2000 British Amateur, becoming the first player from his country to achieve the feat.

Paul Lawrie of Scotland came from 10 strokes back in the final round to win the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie in a playoff over Justin Leonard and Jean Van de Velde.

Jean Van de Velde of France is known for his 72nd-hole collapse at the 1999 British Open at Carnoustie when he made a triple-bogey 7. He lost in the subsequent playoff to Paul Lawrie.

Nick Dougherty of England played on the 2001 Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team that was just the second to ever win on U.S. soil.

Graeme McDowell of Ireland represented Great Britain & Ireland at the 2001 Walker Cup and was an All-American performer at the University of Alabama-Birmingham.

Paul McGinley of Ireland holed the Ryder Cup-clinching putt for Europe at the 2002 Matches at The Belfry.


Jupiter Hills Club (Tequesta, Fla.; 47 players for 2 spots)

Thai-born Arnond Vongvanij of Bradenton, Fla., was a semifinalist at the 2005 U.S. Junior.

William “Bud” Cauley of Jacksonville, Fla., was a quarterfinalist at the 2006 U.S. Junior.

Fredrik Jacobson of Sweden is a PGA Tour regular who tied for fifth at the 2003 U.S. Open at Olympia Fields.


Hawks Ridge Golf Club (Ball Ground, Ga.; 36 golfers for 3 spots)

Lee Williams of Alexander City, Ala., is a two-time USA Walker Cupper who also helped his USA squad capture the 2004 World Amateur Team Championship title in Puerto Rico.

Billy Andrade of Bristol, R.I., who now resides in Atlanta, owns four PGA Tour victories and is looking to play in his ninth U.S. Open. He was a member of the 1987 USA Walker Cup team.

Peter Marshall, 15, of Lake Forest, Ill., is the youngest player to advance to sectional qualifying. He turned 15 on Jan. 10. He is one of two 15-year-olds to make it to the sectional qualifying portion of the championship.

Dave Womack of McDonough, Ga., won the 2006 U.S. Mid-Amateur title.

PGA Tour player Jason Dufner of Auburn, Ala., made the cut at the 2006 U.S. Open and was the runner-up to Trevor Immelman at the 1998 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.

Hank Kim of Jonesboro, Ga., was the stroke-play medalist at the 1994 U.S. Amateur, which was won by then-18-year-old Tiger Woods.

Hall of Famer Larry Nelson, 59, of Marietta, Ga., won the U.S. Open in 1983 at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. Nelson held off defending champion Tom Watson by a stroke. He holed a 62’ birdie putt at the 70th hole.

Ryan Hybl of Winterville, Ga., was the runner-up to Dave Womack at the 2006 U.S. Mid-Amateur and currently serves as an assistant men’s golf coach at his alma mater, the University of Georgia.

PGA Tour player Heath Slocum owns two tour victories, the last coming at the 2005 Southern Farm Bureau Classic. He has only played in one previous U.S. Open, missing the cut in 2002 at Bethpage State Park.

Matt Kuchar of Atlanta, Ga., was the 1997 U.S. Amateur champion and represented the USA at the 1999 Walker Cup Match. In 1998, he made the 36-hole cut at both the Masters and U.S. Open.


Riverside Golf Club (North Riverside, Ill.; 45 players for 5 spots)

Len Mattiace of Jacksonville, Fla., was the runner-up to Mike Weir at the 2003 Masters.

Nationwide Tour player James Driscoll of Brookline, Mass., was the runner-up to Jeff Quinney at the 2000 U.S. Amateur and was a member of the 2001 USA Walker Cup team. Driscoll also was the runner-up at the 1995 U.S. Junior.

Mike Small of Champaign, Ill., is the head men’s golf coach at the University of Illinois who has also qualified for several PGA Championships.

Sal Spallone of Vero Beach, Fla., survived both stages of qualifying to play in the 2005 U.S. Open at Pinehurst.

Mario Tiziani of Shorewood, Minn., is the brother-in-law of PGA Tour player Steve Stricker.

Jeff Overton of Evansville, Ind., was a 2005 USA Walker Cupper who advanced to the semifinals of the 2004 U.S. Amateur.

Former PGA Tour player Chip Beck, 50, of Lake Forest, Ill. Beck shared second place at the 1986 and ’89 U.S. Opens.

Matt Weibring of Plano, Texas, is the son of Champions Tour player D.A. Weibring, who was the runner-up at the 2005 U.S. Senior Open.

Indian Hills Country Club (Mission Hills, Kan.; 22 players for 1 spot)

Matt Gogel of Mission Hills, Kan., is a former PGA Tour winner (AT&T National Pro-Am)

J.C. Anderson of Quincy, Ill., last qualified for a U.S. Open 19 years ago. The 45-year-old Quincy C.C. professional played at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., where he missed the cut.

Woodmont Country Club (Rockville, Md.; 65 players for 5 spots)

Jonathan Moore of Vancouver, Wash., won the 2006 NCAA Division I title for Oklahoma State and was a member of the 2006 USA World Amateur Team. He also qualified for the 2006 U.S. Open.

Brad Faxon of Barrington, R.I., will be looking to play in his 21 st U.S. Open. The 1983 USA Walker Cupper owns eight PGA Tour wins, the last coming at the 2005 Buick Championship. He has played in 19 U.S. Opens.

Brian Harman of Savannah, Ga., captured the 2003 U.S. Junior and was the youngest member of the victorious 2005 USA Walker Cup team.

Martin Ureta of Chile and the University of North Carolina was the runner-up to Clay Ogden at the 2005 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.

PGA Tour winner Joey Sindelar of Horseheads, N.Y., will be looking to play in his 18th U.S. Open.

David Chung, 17, of Fayetteville, N.C., was the runner-up at the 2004 U.S. Junior and semifinalist at the 2005 U.S. Junior.

Luke List of Ringgold, Ga., was the runner-up to Ryan Moore at the 2004 U.S. Amateur and semifinalist at the 2003 U.S. Amateur Public Links. He also made the cut at the 2005 Masters.

Jordan Byrd of Clemson, S.C., is the brother of PGA Tour player and former USA Walker Cupper Jonathan Byrd.

Peter Uihlein, 17, of Bradenton, Fla., is one of the top junior golfers in the country and the son of Acushnet CEO Wally Uihlein.

Conrad Ray of Austin, Minn., is the head men’s golf coach at Stanford University and a former Stanford teammate of Tiger Woods. He got into the 2005 U.S. Open at Pinehurst as an alternate.

Rhys Davies of Wales was an All-American performer at East Tennessee State, where he just recently finished his senior season. Davies was a member of the 2005 Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup team.

Ron Philo Jr. won the 2006 PGA Club Professional Championship and is the brother of LPGA Tour player Laura Diaz.

Fred Funk, 51, of Ponte Vedra, Fla., has won titles on both the PGA and Champions tours this year. He captured the 2005 Players Championship at the age of 48.

Chris Kirk of Woodstock, Ga., recently was named the Ben Hogan Award winner for being the top collegiate/amateur golfer in the country. He was a last-minute replacement for the injured Webb Simpson on the 2006 USA World Amateur Team.

Shigeki Maruyama of Japan is returning to the site where he once shot a 58 in U.S. Open sectional qualifying. He tied for fourth at the 2004 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

Timothy Straub of Huntersville, N.C., is the head men’s golf coach at Davidson University and the 1983 winner of the U.S. Junior. Straub was the U.S. Junior runner-up in 1982.


Old Oaks C.C./Century C.C. (Purchase, N.Y.; 58 golfers for 3 spots)

Justin Regier of East Amherst, N.Y., is the son of Buffalo Sabres general manager Darcy Regier.

Nationwide Tour player Ricky Barnes of Scottsdale, Ariz., won the 2002 U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills. He has qualified for three U.S. Opens, but none since he turned professional.

Jon McLean of Weston, Fla., is the son of noted PGA teaching professional Jim McLean. McLean lost to eventual runner-up John Kelly in the third round of the 2006 U.S. Amateur.

George Zahringer, 54, of New York, N.Y., won the 2002 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Stanwich Club and was a member of the 2003 USA Walker Cup team after reaching the quarterfinals of the 2003 U.S. Amateur. He also was the 2001 U.S. Mid-Amateur runner-up.

Duke Delcher of Bluffton, S.C., played on the victorious 1997 USA Walker Cup team.

George “Buddy” Marucci Jr., 55, of Villanova, Pa., was the runner-up to Tiger Woods at the 1995 U.S. Amateur and played on the 1995 and ’97 USA Walker Cup squads. He will captain the 2007 USA Walker Cup team.

Austin Eaton III of North Sutton, N.H., won the 2003 U.S. Mid-Amateur and advanced to the semifinals of the 2005 U.S. Amateur.

OSU Scarlet G.C./Scioto C.C. (Columbus, Ohio; 144 players for 24 spots)

(Note: This qualifier has the most big names and the most available spots because the field is laden with Tour pros from the Memorial).

Northwestern University teammates David Merkow, Kyle Moore and Chris Wilson will try to make it a Wildcat trifecta and earn a spot alongside famous NU alum golfer – former Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cupper Luke Donald (fully exempt).

Rocco Mediate of Naples, Fla., was born in Greensburg, Pa., near Oakmont. He was paired with Arnold Palmer for the first two rounds in 1994. He later withdrew due to back problems and subsequently had surgery in July of that year.

PGA Tour player John Rollins of Richmond, Va., owns two wins on tour and was No. 57 on the 2006 money list.

Tom Glissmeyer of Colorado Springs, Colo., qualified for the 2003 U.S. Open as a 16 year old. He now attends the University of Southern California.

Tim Herron of Wayzata, Minn., is one of three players to defeat Tiger Woods in match play at a USGA amateur championship, eliminating him in the second round of the 1992 U.S. Amateur. He was a member of the 1993 USA Walker Cup team and he owns four PGA Tour victories.

Ryan Moore of Puyallup, Wash., is the only player to win the U.S. Amateur Public Links and U.S. Amateur in the same year (2004). He also won the 2002 APL and was the 2000 U.S. Junior runner-up. He earned low-amateur honors at the 2005 Masters.

Jonathan Byrd of Sea Island, Ga., is a former USA Walker Cupper (1999) who now plays on the PGA Tour (two wins). His brother Jordan also is hoping to qualify for the 2007 U.S. Open.

Edward Loar of Dallas, Texas, was a member of the 1999 USA Walker Cup team.

Mark O’Meara of Windermere, Fla., won the 1998 Masters and British Open titles. He also captured the 1979 U.S. Amateur.

Michael Putnam of Tacoma, Wash., was a member of the victorious 2005 USA Walker Cup team and a 2005 U.S. Open qualifier.

D.J. Trahan of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., won the 2000 U.S. Amateur Public Links title and was a member of the 2001 USA Walker Cup team.

J.B. Holmes of Orlando, Fla., was a member of the 2005 USA Walker Cup team and stroke-play medalist at the 2004 U.S. Amateur held at Oakmont Country Club.

Mike Van Sickle of Wexford, Pa., is the son of Sports Illustrated senior golf writer Gary Van Sickle. He survived a playoff at his local qualifier in Mequon, Wis., to get the last available spot.

Mark Wilson of Chicago, Ill., was the runner-up to Tiger Woods at the 1992 U.S. Junior. Wilson earned his first PGA Tour win earlier this year at the Honda Classic.

Hunter Haas of Dallas, Texas, won the 1999 U.S. Amateur Public Links title and was a member of the ’99 USA Walker Cup team.

Camilo Villegas of Colombia was the runner-up at the 1999 U.S. Junior and competed in the World Amateur Team Championship for his native country. His younger brother, Manuel, has also advanced to sectional qualifying at the Columbus #2 site.

Billy Mayfair of Scottsdale, Ariz., won the 1985 U.S. Amateur Public Links and ’86 U.S. Amateur, becoming the first player to win both titles. The PGA Tour winner also played on the 1987 USA Walker Cup team.

Tim Mickelson of San Diego, Calif., is the brother of three-time major champion Phil Mickelson and the head men’s golf coach at the University of San Diego.

Mark Calcavecchia of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., won the 1989 British Open in a playoff at Royal Troon and owns 13 overall PGA Tour wins.

Jordan Cox of Redwood City, Calif., was the runner-up to Brian Harman at the 2003 U.S. Junior.

Tom Lehman of Scottsdale, Ariz., won the 1996 British Open and posted four consecutive top-five U.S. Open finishes from 1995, including a tie for second with Davis Love III in 1996 at Oakland Hills.

Trip Kuehne of Dallas, Texas, was the runner-up to Tiger Woods at the 1994 U.S. Amateur and is a two-time USA Walker Cupper. He also was named to the 2006 USA World Amateur Team after reaching the quarterfinals of the ’06 U.S. Amateur. His brother, Hank, won the 1998 U.S. Amateur and his sister, Kelli, is a three-time USGA champion.

Anthony Kim of Dallas, Texas, was the runner-up at the 2006 U.S. Amateur Public Links and member of the 2005 USA Walker Cup team. The former University of Oklahoma All-American also reached the semifinals of the 2005 APL and was a quarterfinalist at the ’05 U.S. Amateur.

Boo Weekley of Milton, Fla., won his first PGA Tour event at the Verizon Heritage in April.

Robert Gamez is a former USA Walker Cupper (1989) and a three-time PGA Tour winner.

Bart Bryant of Windermere, Fla., won the 2005 Memorial to get an exemption into the ’05 U.S. Open as a multiple PGA Tour winner. His older brother, Brad, competes on the Champions Tour.

Kyle Reifers of Dublin, Ohio, will be competing in his backyard for sectional qualifying. He was a member of the 2005 USA Walker Cup team. His father, Randy, was the low amateur at the 2006 U.S. Senior Open.

Kevin Tway of Edmond, Okla., and his PGA Tour-playing father, Bob Tway, both will try to advance to the U.S. Open. Kevin won the 2005 U.S. Junior and was a semifinalist in 2006, while Bob won the 1986 PGA Championship and has played in 18 U.S. Opens (third in 1998).

Jeff Quinney of Scottsdale, Ariz., won the 2000 U.S. Amateur and competed on the 2000 USA World Amateur Team and 2001 USA Walker Cup squad. He is a PGA Tour rookie in 2007.

Kevin Marsh of Las Vegas, Nev., won the 2005 U.S. Mid-Amateur and also served as the interim head coach for the NCAA Division I champion Pepperdine men’s golf team in 1997 when Coach John Geiberger contracted chicken pox. Marsh is a Pepperdine graduate.

Bill Haas of Greenville, S.C., is the son of PGA Tour/Champions Tour player Jay Haas. He was a member of the 2003 USA Walker Cup team after advancing to the semifinals of the ’02 U.S. Amateur.

John Cook of Windermere, Fla., won the 1978 U.S. Amateur and helped the USA win the 1978 Eisenhower Trophy at the World Amateur Team Championship. He has played in 23 U.S. Opens, dating back to 1977.

Kevin Stadler of Scottsdale, Ariz., is the son of 1973 U.S. Amateur winner Craig Stadler.

Bob Ford, 53, of Oakmont, Pa., is the head professional at Oakmont C.C., the site of the 2007 U.S. Open. Ford made the cut at the 1983 U.S. Open at Oakmont.

Steve Jones of Tempe, Ariz., is the 1996 U.S. Open champion. His 10-year exemption for being champion ended last year.

Paul Azinger of Bradenton, Fla., is the 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup captain and winner of the 1993 PGA Championship in a playoff over Greg Norman.

Pablo Martin of Spain became the first amateur to win a European Tour event when he captured the 2007 Estoril Open de Portugal. The Oklahoma State All-American is hoping to make the U.S. Open his professional debut.

Jason Gore of Valencia, Calif., was the darling of the 2005 U.S. Open when he earned a spot alongside Retief Goosen in the final pairing on Sunday, only to shoot an 84. Gore was also a member of the 1997 USA Walker Cup team.

Clay Ogden of West Point, Utah, gained national fame in 2005 when he beat Michelle Wie in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. He eventually won the title over Martin Ureta.

Ryan Armour of Silver Lake, Ohio, nearly denied Tiger Woods a third consecutive U.S. Junior title in 1993. Woods won the final two holes of the 18-hole match at Waverly C.C. in Portland, Ore., to force extra holes, where he took the title at the 19th hole.


Colonial Country Club (Memphis, Tenn.; 117 players for 15 spots)

Brothers Tyler and Trent Leon of Dallas, Texas, are hoping to advance to their first U.S. Open. Their sister, Taylor, played in the 2006 U.S. Women’s Open and was a member of the ’06 USA Curtis Cup team.

Chris Riley of Las Vegas, Nev., was the runner-up at the 1994 U.S. Amateur Public Links and was a member of the 2004 U.S. Ryder Cup team.

Stephen Leaney of Australia was the runner-up to Jim Furyk at the 2003 U.S. Open at Olympia Fields.

John Daly of Memphis, Tenn., won the 1991 PGA Championship as the ninth alternate and then added a second major title with the 1995 British Open.

David Gossett of Austin, Texas, won the 1999 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach and then made the 36-hole cut at both the 2000 Masters and U.S. Open before winning the 2001 PGA Tour John Deere Classic.

Bubba Dickerson of Fernandina Beach, Fla., won the 2001 U.S. Amateur and was the runner-up to D.J. Trahan at the 2000 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. Dickerson turned pro after the 2002 Masters, thus giving up his U.S. Open exemption. He has yet to qualify for a U.S. Open.

Olin Browne of Tequesta, Fla., shot a 59 in U.S. Open qualifying two years ago in Rockville, Md., to get into the field at Pinehurst.

Larry Mize of Columbus, Ga., won the 1987 Masters with a miraculous chip-in birdie at the second playoff hole to beat Greg Norman.

Danny Green of Jackson, Tenn., won the 1999 U.S. Mid-Amateur and was the runner-up at the 1989 U.S. Amateur and 2001 U.S. Amateur Public Links, making him the only player in history to reach the final match of all three of those USGA events. He also was a member of the 2001 USA Walker Cup team.

Nicholas Thompson of Coral Springs, Fla., was a member of the 2005 USA Walker Cup team and is currently No. 2 on the 2007 Nationwide Tour money list.

Warren Schutte of South Africa won the 1992 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.

Mark Brooks of Fort Worth, Texas, won the 1996 PGA Championship in a playoff and lost an 18-hole playoff to Retief Goosen at the 2001 U.S. Open.

Jeff Maggert of The Woodlands, Texas, owns three top-five finishes in 15 U.S. Open appearances, including a pair of thirds (2002 and ’04).

Bob May of Las Vegas, Nev., was the runner-up to Tiger Woods in a memorable playoff at the 2000 PGA Championship. He was a member of the 1991 USA Walker Cup team.

Steve Elkington of Australia won the 1995 PGA Championship in a playoff over Colin Montgomerie.

Hank Kuehne of McKinney, Texas won the 1998 U.S. Amateur. He is the younger brother of 1994 U.S. Amateur runner-up Trip Kuehne and three-time USGA champion Kelli Kuehne.

Philip Francis, 17, of Scottsdale, Ariz., won the 2006 U.S. Junior, a year after being a quarterfinalist in the same event. He is headed to UCLA in the fall.

Tim Jackson of Germantown, Tenn., is a two-time winner of the U.S. Mid-Amateur and two-time USA Walker Cupper.

Bryce Molder of Conway, Ark., was a member of the 2001 USA Walker Cup team and he helped the 2000 USA World Amateur Team win the Eisenhower Trophy in Germany.

Brandt Snedeker of Nashville, Tenn., won the 2003 U.S. Amateur Public Links title.


Northwood Club (Dallas, Texas; 30 players for 3 spots)

Justin Leonard of Dallas, Texas, won the 1992 U.S. Amateur and was a member of the 1992 USA World Amateur Team and ’93 Walker Cup squad. He later won the 1997 British Open and was the runner-up at the 1999 British Open and ’04 PGA Championship. He is looking to play in his 12th U.S. Open.

Cory Whitsett, 15, of Houston, Texas, is the second-youngest player to advance to sectional qualifying. The left-hander qualified for match play at the 2006 U.S. Junior, where he made a hole-in-one in stroke-play qualifying.

Corey Pavin of Oxnard, Calif., is the 1995 U.S. Open champion and a member of the 1981 USA Walker Cup team. He’s played on three U.S. Ryder Cup and two U.S. President’s Cup squads. Pavin owns 15 PGA Tour victories.

Mitch Cohlmia of Tulsa, Okla., shared medalist honors at the 2006 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.

Tommy Armour III of Dallas, Texas, is the grandson of 1927 U.S. Open champion Tommy Armour. Armour won that title at Oakmont in a playoff over Harry “Lighthorse” Cooper.

PGA Tour player Hunter Mahan of Plano, Texas, won the 1999 U.S. Junior title and was the runner-up to Ricky Barnes at the 2002 U.S. Amateur. He also played for the victorious USA team at the 2002 World Amateur Team Championship.

Club pro Stuart Deane of Arlington, Texas, won the made-for-television Trump Million Dollar Invitational in 2006, which came a month after he made his first-ever PGA Tour start at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at the age of 34.


Olympic Course at Gold Mountain G.C. (Bremerton, Wash.; 20 players for 1 spot)

Alexander Prugh of Spokane, Wash., was a quarterfinalist at the 2006 U.S. Amateur and his father qualified for the 2006 U.S. Senior Open.

Erik Hanson of Kirkland, Wash., is a former major-league pitcher with the Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays and Cincinnati Reds who has previously qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur.


Double Eagle Club (Columbus, Ohio #2; 70 players for 4 spots)

Jeff Curl of Jupiter, Fla., is the son of former PGA Tour player Rod Curl.

Adam Rubinson of Fort Worth, Texas, competed on the 2003 USA Walker Cup team.

Manuel Villegas of Colombia is the younger brother of PGA Tour player Camilo Villegas (1999 U.S. Junior runner-up). He plays for the University of Florida golf team.

Nationwide Tour player Chris Nallen of Tucson, Ariz., was a member of the 2003 USA Walker Cup team and a semifinalist at the 2004 U.S. Amateur.

O'Hair shares lead at Memorial

In his first action since The Players Championship, Sean O'Hair shot 65 for a three-way share of the lead at the Memorial Tournament.

Here's his post-round press conference:

PGA Tour: We'd like to welcome Sean O'Hair to the interview room at the Memorial Tournament. You had a great opening round today, 65, eight birdies out there, one bogey. If you could talk a little bit about your round.

SEAN O'HAIR: I started hitting the ball well from the beginning of the day and just -- I think I birdied -- my first birdie was 3 today, and just right after that I really started hitting some nice quality golf shots. Hit a nice shot on 4, had a nice opportunity there, and then hit a great 5-wood into 5, two-putted for birdie there, and made kind of a little snake on 6 and then from there on I just kind of fed off the other guys. I think everybody else was playing pretty good in the group. So it was just kind of a nice day where no one was really struggling, and I just felt like I hit most of the -- I was picking good targets and I was hitting the shots the way I wanted to, most of them. I struggled on 15, I hit a bad tee ball. On 17, I hit a bad tee ball. But other than that, I hit the ball fairly well today.

PGA Tour: Questions?

Q. How much fun is a round like this when you're playing well and birdies just happen? Can you describe that feeling, how easy it is?

SEAN O'HAIR: Yeah, it's not like today, I was trying to go out and shoot 7-under par. You know, I'm just picking out my targets and trying to hit the golf shot. It's kind of the same thing at TPC, whether it's at the pin or 10 feet right of the pin or 20 feet right of the pin, you know, I'm picking out good targets and I'm hitting it there. Just got to be patient, and it was nice that the putts were falling for me today.

Q. You know you kind of laughed at the assertion that some people thought 17, two weeks ago, might leave a bad taste or a hangover in your mouth, given the way that played out. Was that such a crazy assertion for some people to have?

SEAN O'HAIR: Yeah, I mean, I think people --

Q. Might be a setback for you?

SEAN O'HAIR: Yeah, I think people just look at the results on 17, they don't sit there and say, he hit the shot he wanted to hit. I stood up on that tee, and I was going right for the pin, and I hit it right over the pin and I felt like I hit the shot the way I wanted to, and I was shocked that it went in the water. So it would have been different if I'm sitting there going for the middle of the green and I shove it way right and knock it in the water and choke, but I didn't. I hit the shot the way I wanted to hit it. The tournament didn't end out the way I wanted it, but it was a great experience, and I felt like, hey, I can hit the shots when I need to. I think that says a lot, especially on that stage, such a big tournament, and playing against the second-best player in the world. Whenever you -- when it's right there, you're hitting the shots that you need to, so --

Q. Was it too much club or did the wind lay down?

SEAN O'HAIR: You know, I think maybe it was -- maybe I should have gone a little more left with maybe a wedge trying to feed on the hill there, right over the bunker. But that experience is my second at THE PLAYERS. I like the course and look forward to the future in that tournament. They expect the 17th to be a negative. I played pretty solid for 70 holes, and that has no effect. When people ask me about it, it's two weeks ago. I'm playing today, I'm playing in the Memorial this week. So I'm going to try and win the Memorial. I had a great day today, and I'm going to try and have a good day tomorrow and take it shot by shot, day by day.

Q. Do you think more and more of the players of your generation are taking that attitude about the plusses and minuses of golf? It seems as though they said, okay, well, I made a bad play; that's okay, I'll make a good play.

SEAN O'HAIR: Well, I don't know what generation hasn't done that. You look at Nicklaus, I mean, Nicklaus never let a shot bother him. Whether he hit a bad shot or a good shot, he went and hit the next one --

Q. But Jack was the best player of his time. I'm looking at a broader spectrum of players that are playing that way.

SEAN O'HAIR: No, I think any guy who's good on TOUR does that. I think anybody does it. I don't think it's any different. You know, I've worked hard -- I don't think it's a natural -- I don't know if I understand your question, but I don't think it's that type of attitude that's natural for a young player. I think you're maybe seeing more younger players take that approach. I guess that's your question?

Q. Yeah, it seems like they don't let the things bother them that might have bothered --

SEAN O'HAIR: Well, I mean, like I said, I think any good player in the past has done that. I've never seen a good player or a major winner that's won on a consistent basis let shots or let tournaments or let bad holes bother them because I just -- I think that's such a big deal in the game. You know, it's such a mental, mental game. You've got to be in the present and into the shot that you're hitting.

Q. When did you reach that level?

SEAN O'HAIR: Well, I mean, I'm not there. I don't know if I'm there yet. I still have a lot of work to do mentally and physically, but you know, I'm getting better at it. But like I said, I don't think I'm there yet.

Q. With the course being dry, there seems to be a lot of good scores today, and I'm wondering if the humidity is slowing things up out there or what?

SEAN O'HAIR: Yeah, I think it's softer than probably they want to play it. But like today, the sun is not quite out; it's kind of hiding behind the clouds. If the sun pops out and starts baking the course out a little bit, tomorrow I think will be a lot tougher. I don't think they're expecting rain. I'm not 100 percent sure. But if the course gets firmer, this is a pretty good test of golf.

Q. Is this a course that almost the first time you stepped on it, you found comfortable? You seem to have always played well here.

SEAN O'HAIR: You know, I like courses like this, Medinah, places like that, old-school, northeast-type. This is kind of my type golf. I love this stuff. This is what I play on when I'm home, like Aronomink, Merion, Pine Valley. This is what it's all about.

Q. Have you talked about 17 yet?

SEAN O'HAIR: Yeah, you're late. Sorry (laughter). What's your question on 17?

Q. I just want to know what you did on it today, not two weeks ago.

SEAN O'HAIR: That was a trick question there.

Q. You should have gone to college (laughter).

SEAN O'HAIR: That's a good one. You know, I hit a bad tee ball. 15, I hit kind of the same tee shot with my driver. I felt like I kind of -- a little bit sweaty palms. It's kind of muggy out there, and I felt like I got a little handsy on 15. Same thing on 17, hit it in the bunker. I was thinking about hitting 8-iron out of there, but the lip on that bunker is pretty nasty. I was trying to get a lob wedge out but try and get it down there to have a nice pitch up there for par. I was trying to get it up over the lip and I kind of got the club stuck and flared it out right, and it was lucky that it wasn't in the water or in the woods there. But I made a great bogey. I was just trying to get in the bunker and make an up-and-down and I made a nice putt. That was the only really mental error I think I had today.

Q. Was that the only bogey in the entire group?

SEAN O'HAIR: That was the only bogey in the entire group today. Yeah, I've never heard of anything like that. I apologized to those guys for making that bogey (laughter) because that would have been pretty cool, no bogeys in the group. I've never heard of that before in my life.

Q. I was just wondering, have you ever been able to put on weight? It seems like you look about the same now as you did in the pictures I've seen of you --

SEAN O'HAIR: I've put some weight on. When I came out I was 152 and I'm probably just under 170 right now. I've been doing a lot of protein shakes and steroids (laughter) and -- just joking.

Q. I just wondered, did you hear about Mickelson's injury while you were on the course or after --

SEAN O'HAIR: No, I did not.

Q. You don't even know about it yet?

SEAN O'HAIR: No, he withdrew? I didn't know that.

Q. He hurt his wrist.

SEAN O'HAIR: That's a shame, because I really -- I've got a whole new respect for him because he -- obviously he was focused on him and he had a tournament to win. But he said some pretty kind words about me and about my game afterwards when he really didn't have to. You know, that was nice of him, and you know --

Q. He said them to you or to the press in general?

SEAN O'HAIR: I mean, you know, his caddie, Bones, has always been nice to me, and Phil -- we had talked briefly in the locker room this week just for like five minutes, and he had some nice things to say, and I think he's a gentleman.

Q. What did he say if you don't mind sharing it?

SEAN O'HAIR: No. We had a nice conversation.

Marc Schogol, R.I.P.

The Inquirer lost one of the good guys yesterday, longtime reporter and editor Marc Schogol. He will be missed.

Marc, 58, who succumbed after long battle with leukemia, was like the ultimate utility ballplayer. He could do anything and do it well -- edit, write, report -- plus he was just such a decent person.

Although I seriously doubt there was any job in the newsroom he didn't do at one time or another, Marc was probably best known among his colleagues for his ability, under the most suffocating deadline pressure, to write the big story, to pull together a million details from a thosuand sources for a gripping Page 1 read that all made sense.

Over the years, whenever some giant news story broke in Philadelphia and 75 reporters were dispatched to the scene to vacuum up details and interviews, it was usually Marc, back in the office, who culled it all, digested it and laid it out for everyone to read. He was cool and clutch when it counted. It is a very special talent.

I always felt I owed Marc a debt of gratitude. When The Inquirer hired me in 1982 to cover the Big 5, I had never even been a sportswriter. I quickly found myself out of my element and in over my head. I was miserable, asking myself why I ever left a comfortable job in another state to jump into a snake pit.

At the time, Marc was an assistant sports editor. He was a few years older and he had been at the Inquirer for several years already. When I was lost, drowning in self-doubt, Marc was the one guy who would pull me aside and reassure me that I had the ability and the determination and that eventually, if I stayed calm, everything would be all right. That attitude, of course, is what made him so capable under deadline pressure.

I remember the day 25 years ago I heard he had been diagnosed with leukemia. Like everybody who knew him, my reaction was how terribly unfair. Today, I can only think how lucky we all were to have Marc around as long as we did.

My sorta hole-in-one

I shouldn't be surprised it happened this way, not with as much golf as I play by myself. I'm talking about my first-ever hole-in-one. Or my sorta, maybe, kind of a hole-in-one, which happened today.

I've been playing golf for about 45 years, since I was 8 or 9 years old. In all that time, I had never had a hole-in-one. I'd had balls hang on the lip, roll over the edge of of the cup, tipetoe around the hole -- every conceivable thing but drop.

Until today.

I was playing Deerfield Golf & Tennis Club, in Newark, Del., which I had never played before. Because it was the middle of the afternoon on a Tuesday, and because it was a spur of the moment round of golf, I was by myself, which is not unsual. And because I was by myself, I was playing two balls, as I often do. Playing two balls, from tee to green, helps me from catching up to the group in front of me.

Everything was normal, fine and dandy, until the 16th, a par 3. It's a nice-looking hole, a bit up hill, with a big bunker that wraps around the left side. From the blue tees, the marker said 170 yards, but my Bushnell Pinseeker measured the pin at 176 yards, playing into a slight wind. That's pretty much the outer limits of a 6-iron for me.

My first ball, which I tried to bomb, went a little long and left, catching the far left corner of the green. For my second shot, I decided to try to smooth the 6-iron. Did I ever. From the moment the ball left the club, I liked it. It felt good and it was dead-on at the pin. I knew it ought to be close, but from the tee, I couldn't see where it ended up. Was it was a little short or did it roll off the back of the green, or what? I couldn't tell, but something told me it was good.

When I drove up to the green, I immediately spotted the first ball, over on the left edge of the green. Scanning the green for the second ball, I looked short and I looked long. Didn't see it. Usually when this happens, just as I get my hopes up, I find the ball buried in the rough off the back. This time, did I dare look in the cup?

Finally, I did. There it was. And no question it was mine. Who else plays a Bridgestone with the little blue dot I make with a Sharpie?

My first reaction was to do a little dance out there on the green, which I did, along with a Tiger-style fist pump. Then, of course, I wondered: Who is going to believe me?

"Yeah, Logan, sure you made a hole-in-one. Any witnesses?"

Actually, no. But I feel comfortable looking straight into the eyes of the golf gods and saying, yes, I sorta finally made a hole-in-one.

Top 10 disappointments

On the road, one of the guys I enjoy talking to the most is Gary Van Sickle from Sports Illustrated. He has a very dry sense of humor and a dark view of the world, quite the cynic. Maybe that's why I enjoy his writing, especially his stuff online, where he can be looser than in the magazine.

This week, Gary weighs in with his Top 10, or Bottom 10, disappointments so far of 2007.

O'Hair's 2nd round interview

Here are highlights from Sean O'Hair's second-round interview at the Byron Nelson Championship. He shot 1-under 69 and trails Luke Donald by one shot.

PGA Tour: We welcome Sean O'Hair to the interview room. Sean with a 1-under par 69 today. Just maybe talk a little bit about conditions out at TPC and we'll open it up for some questions.

SEAN O'HAIR: Sure. Well, the wind was a little bit different today, so I just -- obviously I didn't play TPC yesterday so it didn't really have too much effect. I think obviously I knew that Cottonwood was going to play a lot easier so there was going to be some good scores out on Cottonwood. You know, it just was -- for me today was not a very good ball-striking day, and it was a little bit kind of one of those days where you're just trying to get along and trying to get a feel for the greens because obviously I haven't played it -- I guess I played it Monday, so it's been a while since I was on the golf course. So I was just trying to get a good feel for the weekend, and obviously the greens are a lot different than they are over at Cottonwood. You know, just trying to get something going, and I think I did a good job hanging in there, especially on the back nine. I was playing pretty good, made eagle on 8, got things going -- excuse me, eagle on 7, got things going, made a birdie on 9, and just from there I missed a few makeable putts. Then all of a sudden my swing was a little bit off and just was struggling to make pars coming in. But I'm happy with where I am going into the weekend.

Q. On 14 you made a great save there. A, how long was that putt; and then B, what happened on the next hole?

SEAN O'HAIR: That putt, I mean, I couldn't -- I guess it was about 25 feet, and it just -- one of those putts where you've just got to -- I guessed right, and luckily it was just hard enough to go in. I struggled a little bit with the speed of the greens today. Some of them don't have grass on them and they're a little bit faster, and then like on some of the holes coming in, they had a little bit more grass and so they were a little bit slower. You know, 18 is a perfect example. You know, 15 was just -- actually I made a pretty good swing and I just yanked it a hair, and I just went at it so hard that it just kept going left, and I was expecting that wind to kind it take it over to the right a little bit, and it just never did. I really hit that drive hard. So, you know, I guess it started on 13, pulled it left, and that was the first shot I pulled, and I was pulling a few shots on the front and then I started hitting the ball good, then pulled a shot on 13, made bogey, 14, over-corrected, and then pulled it on 18, and then I hit some nice shots coming in. But it's nothing major.

Q. You said you were trying to get a feel for the weekend. Do you feel like you've got a pretty good idea of --

SEAN O'HAIR: Yeah. I'm tuned in. I'm very much looking forward to this weekend.

Q. Sounds like you figured something out coming in or something.

SEAN O'HAIR: You know, you just -- I'm liking how everybody is talking about the greens because they're not talking positive about it. It's just, like -- and for me, I just think that, yeah, you're going to miss putts that you feel like you should make and that's fine, but the more greens you hit, the better. I feel like -- you know, I'm going to get it tuned in on the range this afternoon, and hopefully -- obviously the more greens you hit this weekend, the better off you are. I think my game, the way I feel and everything, I'm liking how I feel going into the weekend and I like my position going into the weekend.

Q. If you work on a change in your swing, something you've decided you want to change, how long will you work on it before you'll actually take that change to the golf course?

SEAN O'HAIR: Well, immediately. You know, I'm kind of the feeling of, you know, if you're good enough to get out here, what you have is good enough. So making an overhaul is pointless. You may as well give up your TOUR card in my opinion. Now, Tiger obviously is different. Tiger can probably hit it left-handed and still play pretty good. You know, for me it's just a tweak here or a tweak there, and so if I go see my instructor and he says, okay, you need to start doing this a little bit and I'm hitting it all over the place, I'm going to tell him, give me something else because that obviously isn't working. But I can kind of get a feel for it in ten swings, and if I can't get a feel for it, it's not the right thing for me. Normally it's improvements, so I'll take them straight from the driving range to the golf course.

Q. So when you practice do you tend to spend more time in short game stuff?

SEAN O'HAIR: No, I work pretty hard on shaping shots. There's a certain ball flight that I want, and I really work hard on trying to start the ball where I want to and do what I want to with the golf ball, and you make sure that your setup is what you want and check your lines and all that stuff. But yeah, you spend a lot of time on short game. That's where the game is won is on the putting green and around the greens. I guess a perfect example is 14. If you don't make that up-and-down, you know -- obviously, to be honest with you, it was a pretty fortunate up-and-down, but that right there saved my round, I think. That was a huge momentum builder.

O'Hair's post-round interview

With a 5-under par 65, Sean O'Hair, 24, from West Chester, is the first-round leader of the Byron Nelson Championship.

Here are highlights from his post-round press conference:


PGA Tour: We welcome Sean O'Hair to the interview room here at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship after an opening round 65. Sean currently sitting 58th place in the FedExCup points standings through the season. I spoke with you earlier this year at Harbour Town, and obviously after getting off to a slower start this season you've definitely turned it around, Top 15 your last four events, I believe, and under par in 11 of your last 12 rounds. What's kind of been the difference between earlier this year and now?

SEAN O'HAIR: You know, I'm working on some things that I really believe in. I went back to an old instructor of mine, and things are starting to click. For me, and I think for everybody, golf is just about confidence, and it's just going out there with the feeling I'm going to play well, and that just wasn't the case at the beginning of the season.

Q. What are you working on? You said you were working on some things you believe in, and talk about the -- when did you change instructors from and to?

SEAN O'HAIR: You know, actually the guy I'm seeing, Steve Dahlby, we kind of parted ways right before I won, which was the week right before John Deere. And ever since then, I've seen a few guys. I was working with Gary Gilchrist for a while, and I guess it was right after Bay Hill I started seeing Steve again. He came out to Shell Houston and we started working again, and just immediately the chemistry was there and things started clicking. As far as what we're working on, I'm just -- I've been working hard for the past, I guess, year and a half on my backswing and it really hasn't been making too much sense. You know, all of '05 I just was working on my downswing, just working on -- through impact I was trying to get less handsy, just really release the club more with my body, and that's kind of what I've gotten back to. And that's, you know -- I don't know why you change.

Q. I think it was Butch Harmon who said one time that you can go down to the range and look at the pros working on their backswing, you know those are the pros that aren't making any money (laughter).

SEAN O'HAIR: Yeah, the backswing really doesn't matter. To me it's like when I work on my backswing, I just lose my rhythm. I think I've always had some pretty good motion, pretty good rhythm in my swing, and whenever I started working on my backswing, I lose feel where the club is, and I just lose sight of my shot shaping. It's like I'm not even playing golf. But now it just feels -- there's a few key things that I'm working on, and every day I'm hitting the ball great. So it's just trying to improve on that.

Q. Was there one thing in particular that clicked? Because at one point it's just been since then you've just been Top 15.

SEAN O'HAIR: Yeah, I truthfully believe that with golf, we all strive to understand our games. My game is different than say Vijay or top players; I mean, anybody out here, my game is different than theirs. There's a few things that -- you know, a few things, maybe a handful of things, that make me play well. You know, obviously for somebody to come out here and compete with the best, you've got to have confidence. You see the best players in the world, whether they're playing well or not, they have confidence in their ability, and I think that's because they understand their game. And I'm starting to get to that point where I understand what makes me play well, and it's just -- certain things to do, whether it be working out, whether it be things to do after a round or before a round. I'm starting to kind of get into some routines and stuff, just stuff like that that helps you play better. So there's a few things that have clicked, but ever since I switched back to Steve Dahlby, I just -- just the understanding of my game has just kind of hit me.

Q. Two years ago when you were the runner-up and you led a couple rounds, that was kind of what a lot of people saw as a big breakthrough for you. How different are you now as a player and how much have you learned about yourself in these two years?

SEAN O'HAIR: I think I might have gained a pound since then (laughter). As far as a difference, there's not a whole lot of difference. You know, I think I'm more seasoned, I'm more experienced. I mean, this was my 12th event in '05 -- no, it wasn't my 12th event. I can't remember what event it was. But, you know, just as far as my personality, I think everything else is pretty much the same. I still get nervous on the first tee and all that stuff, but I think my game is completely different. I think I understand it more. I kind of know what's going on. I'm a lot more comfortable out here. But it's nice to always come back here because this is kind of where I broke through. This is where I finally realized that, hey, I'm good enough to be out here. You always have that question in the back of your mind, you're making cuts, you're making cuts, but you're like, well, I'm not really sniffing anything. But when you come here and play as well as I did in '05 and kind of hang in there with some great players right behind you, it proved a lot to me that, hey, I'm right there.

Q. Also, back then, it seems like everything was very chaotic, wasn't it, things really spinning in your life at that time?

SEAN O'HAIR: You know, there was a lot -- I think it was more dealing with the media about that stuff than anything. I kind of had my life in order. You know, I really wasn't having any problems, and I think once the media kind of got involved in that situation, it made it a little bit more difficult for me. But, you know, it never really -- that stuff is long gone and it's been long gone for a long time. It's just -- you know, I never really even think about it. It really wasn't that big of a deal for me because I think my play showed it because if it was a big deal I don't think I would have been playing as well as I did in '05. So if that answers your question --

Q. I wasn't really referring to that. As I recall you guys had just had a baby or something.

SEAN O'HAIR: We had my first child, which was nothing but a blessing, and we just -- we had a great time taking her around. Right now it's a little more chaotic having two kids now, having a toddler and a baby. But it was -- ever since I had my daughter I played better, so my wife was like, let's have more.

Q. Would you remind me of your father-in-law's last name?

SEAN O'HAIR: Lucas.

Q. The little slump you went through, how hard was that? Was there a low point? What was the problem in the game?

SEAN O'HAIR: You know, I don't know if I could call it a slump. I mean, I definitely -- if I look at it on paper, I would call it a slump because obviously five missed cuts, I played like a dog on the West Coast. But '06 I did the same thing. I don't know if it's just a matter of a brain fart on the West Coast or just not being ready because it's the beginning of the year or a slump. I really don't know what it is. But it's definitely something that I'm going to try and get my hands on and turn that around. It stinks starting the way you do because, I mean, people start sitting there saying stuff about you and you actually start second-guessing yourself a little bit, and that's not always healthy. You know, it would be nice to start off the year next year with a better start and just be a little more consistent. I've been working harder than I've ever been, and you've just got to sit there and say, when you're going through a time like that, hey, I'm doing the right things and it's just going to come around. You see a lot of guys out here who have been out here for a long time go through stuff like that, and they always seem to pull through. I think I've learned to fight through those times. I mean, I've played on the mini-Tours, I went through all three stages of Q-school and went to Q-school six times, so I know how to deal with stuff like that.

Q. How satisfying is it to you that the story now is about your play on the course and not so much about family stuff like it was?

SEAN O'HAIR: You know, it's good. You want to be known for obviously who you are as a person and your game, those two things. You don't want to be known for other stuff. You know, I think as far as my life, my life is in a great spot. I mean, I've got two beautiful kids that I love to death and I've got a beautiful wife who does nothing but support me. I've just got a great support system, and I just think that I'm very blessed and I'm very fortunate to be in the situation that I'm in.

Tiger: Never played Merion, Pine Valley

As much as he gets around, Tiger Woods has never played the two greatest courses in the Philadelphia area, Merion or Pine Valley.

I had heard this from the clubs themselves, but I never knew Tiger to talk about it or confirm it -- until now.

During a practice round visit to the site of this year's U.S. Open, Oakmost Country Club outside Pittsburgh, the few gathered media got Tiger to talk about where he has and hasn't played. That led to this exchange, as quoted by Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press:

“Ever been to Merion?” he was asked.

“Never,” Woods replied, and he could see where this conversation was headed. “I’ve never even been to Pine Valley or Seminole.”

Pine Valley is annually ranked the best course in the country by some publication, and it was strange Woods has never been in the southern New Jersey area long enough to play it. Jack Nicklaus went there during his honeymoon.

Seminole should be no problem once Woods builds his palace in south Florida. He played Sunday afternoon with Bob Ford, the longtime head pro at Oakmont who spends his winter as the head pro at Seminole. Ford can probably set something up for him.

“I just don’t ever go anywhere out of the way to play golf,” Woods said. “I’m either at a tournament, or getting ready to play in a tournament and working on my game at home. I love to play, but I’d rather stay home with my buds at Isleworth or Newport Beach.”

Merion will host the U.S. Open in 2013, so as long as Woods can qualify that year, he’ll eventually get to see the plaque on the 18th fairway — as he’s walking past it to his ball — where Ben Hogan struck his mighty 1-iron in the final round of the 1950 U.S. Open.

CBS nixes Daly TV commercial

First, John Daly loses his PGA Tour card. Now he can't get any love from CBS. The network won't run Daly's latest Maxfli commerical because it shows him driving a golf cart while drinking what appears to be a beer.

If you need a refresher on Daly's bouts with booze, you ain't been following golf.

"Any implication that participants are drinking in excess or performing an activity that requires a level of alertness while drinking does not meet network standards," Leslie Anne Wade, CBS spokesman, told the NY Times.

Really, you can't make this stuff up.

For the rest of the story, click here.

Why Phil Switched to Butch

For the past couple of weeks, much of the inside-baseball buzz in golf has been about Phil Mickelson possibly dumping his longtime swing coach (and good friend) Rick Smith in favor of Butch Harmon

Aside from being Tiger Woods' old swing coach, Harmon is arguably the highest-profile of the small world of celebrated swing gurus. He's also no stranger to self-promotion, which never sat well with Tiger.

I first heard of Phil's possible switch the Monday morning after the Masters. One of my playing partners that morning at Augusta National was Jaime Diaz from Golf World and Golf Digest, who is one of the most plugged-in writers on the circuit. Jaime knows everybody and goes everywhere. That morning, he confessed to be tired because he had been up much of the night writing the Phil-to-Butch story for that week's Golf World.

It was a tough story to report and write, said Jaime, because every where he turned, he got mostly denials from all the principals involved. But Jaime's radar was up and functioning, and he knew he was onto something. Still, he had nagging worries: What if his eyes, his ears and his gut were wrong? Writers hate to embarrass themselves and their publications. Truth is, Jaime said that morning, he wouldn't be surprised if his editors held the story until he could get more confirmation.

GolfWorld did run it and, once the cat was out of bag, the denials became less and less strident. Within a week, the Mickelson Camp had issued a statement to the golf press confirming the whole thing.

Somewhere, Jaime breathed a sigh of relief.

This week, Jaime's colleague at Golf World, John Hawkins, another plugged-in scribe, weighs in with a column with more details, headlined "Why Phil Switched to Butch."

And now, suddenly, Butch is talking -- at least to Brian Hewitt at The Golf Channel. Here's a column Brian just posted on The Golf Channel's website discussing his newest client.

O'Hair on a roll

After a balky start to the season, Sean O'Hair on a roll.

The 24-year-old from West Chester finished T-15 at last week's Zurich Classic of New Orleans, giving him his fourth Top 15 finish in as many weeks. The previous week, O'Hair got his first Top 10 finish of the year, 7th at the Verizon Heritage.

Before that, O'Hair had back-to-back T-14 showings at the Shell Houston Open and the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Contrast that to five missed cuts out of his first six starts.

O'Hair, PGA Tour rookie of the year in 2005, has now made $485,946 through 10 tournaments, ranking him 58th on the money list.

He's also playing this week at the Byron Nelson Championship.

Strange and Green make golf's Hall

This just in from the World Golf Hall of Fame...

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- Hubert Green and Curtis Strange will become members of the World Golf Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2007. Green was selected in the Veteran's category by the World Golf Foundation Board of Directors Selection Committee and Strange was elected on the PGA TOUR ballot.

For the rest of the story, click here.

My round at Augusta National

Not that anybody asked for it, but here is a hole-by-hole account of my recent post-Masters round at Augusta National.

We -- that's me, Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press, Jaime Diaz of Golf World and Golf Digest, and Bob DiCesare of the Buffalo News -- started on the 10th. For a detailed map and hole-by-hole graphic, it's available on the Masters website. Here's the column I wrote about the round for the Sunday Inquirer.

10th. 365 yards, par 4. Good drive that trickled into the right rough. 5-iron from 185 yards to short of the green. Skulled the chip over the green, chili-dipped the comeback chip. 3-putt. Opening hole jitters. Triple-bogey 7.

11th. 400 yards, par 4. Killed my drive. 8-iron from 140 yards leaked right of the green. Chipped to 6-feet. 1-putt. My first par. 4.

12th. 145 yards, par 3. One of the most famous and beautiful holes in golf. With a slight breeze in our face, Rodney the caddie says it's playing more like 160 yards. I hit 6-iron and the ball rolled just off the back of the green, near the rim of the bunker. Chipped to 4 feet, gagged the putt. Bogey 4.

13th. 455 yards, par 5. Good drive down the left side of the fairway. With 192 yards to clear Rae's Creek, I hit my hybrid, which I half-topped. It stopped just short of the creek. L-wedge to 12 feet, sank the putt. Birdie 4. (Tiger fist pump, obnoxious strutting).

14th. 380 yards, par 4. Good drive. On the advice of Rodney the caddie, I hit 8-iron from 148 yards. It came up short, in the midst of a couple of large mounds. My chip made it onto the green but trickled back almost to my feet. Chipped again to 8-feet. 2-putt. Double-bogey 6.

15th. 475 yards, par 5. Pulled my drive slightly, leaving it behind a stand of trees. Tried to thread the needle to lay-up short of the pond, but the ball caught the last possible limb and dropped in the rough. From 152 yards downhill, I hit 7-iron, not wanting to come up short; the ball landed on the upslope on the other side of the pond and somehow stayed up there, like Fred Couples' ball on the 12th several years ago. Chipped to gimme range. Par 5. (Note: I'm 1-under on the par 5s).

16th, 145 yards, par 3. With about 160 yards to a back left pin position, I hit 6-iron to 18 feet. 2-putt par. 3.

17th. 370 yards, par 4. Good drive. 9-iron from 118 yards uphill, on the advice of Rodney the caddie. Hit it perfect but the ball came up short and buried in the front bunker. Blast to 30-feet. Two-putt bogey. 5.

18th.385 yards, par 4. Killed another drive, through the fairway into the left fairway bunker. 8-iron out, over the high lip to short of the green. SW to 20 feet. 2-putt bogey. 5.

1st. 365 yards, par 4. Best drive all day. Uphill, wind in face, 8-iron from 135 yards to 18 feet. Ran my uphill putt 4 feet past and lipped out the come-backer to save par. Bogey. 5.

2nd. 515 yards, par 5. Pulled my tee shot into the trees. Punched out almost sideways to fairway. Hammered my hybrid down to just short of the green. Chip shot rolled back off the green. Chipped again. 2-putt. Double-bogey. 7.

3rd. 340 yards, par 4. The short, almost-driveable par 4. Going for broke, I yank/sky my tee shot, and the ball settled in trees left. From 195 yards, I hit my hybrid so well the ball trickles to the back fringe. My lag putt from maybe 40 feet rolled off the green to the front fringe. I sank to 10-foot comeback putt to save par. 4.

4th. 170 yards, par 3. Disaster awaits. Going with my hybrid, I left the ball out to the right. It one-hopped into the hedge and disappeared. When I found it, I even had a little opening to punch out toward the green. Crouched over in the hedges, I punched out -- I'm thinking I've hit a miraculous recovery shot --only to watch the ball roll into the deep front bunker. Blast to 30 feet, 2-putt double-bogey. 5.

5th. 500 yards, par 4. Crushed my tee shot, through the fairway. From behind and under a tree, on hardpan, I punch-curled a 4-iron around the tree, to just short of the green. Chipped to 15 feet, sank the par putt. 4.

6th. 165 yards, par 3. With a slight breeze in our face, I hit 5-iron to the right and over the green. Spectacular chip to 3 feet, sank the par putt. 3.

7th. 330 yards, par 4. Good tee shot. 8-iron to front bunker. Blast to 15-feet above the hole. Slippery green. Putt ran 5 feet past, and I missed the comeback. Double-bogey 6.

8th. 480 yards, par 5. Pulled my drive into the trees. Tried to hit 9-iron up and over a tree but it caught a limb and dropped on the edge of the rough. From 200 yards, uphill, I hit 3-wood to the right of the green. Chip rolled over the green and hung up in the fringe, above the green the sloped green. Chipped to 4 feet, sank the putt. Bogey 6.

9th. 395 yards, par 4. Hammered my drive down the left side. Worst luck of the day; the ball came to rest under the one low-hanging limb that could obscures my approach to the green. Punched an 8-iron to short of the green, chipped to 10 feet above the hole. I barely touched my putt and it rolled off the front of the green, down the embankment. Chipped to 4 feet, sank the putt. Double-bogey 6.

Overall day: Priceless.

Score: 88.

Boo who?

If you saw any or all of the Verizon Heritage on Hilton Head Island this past weekend, you might be wondering who, or what, a Boo Weekley is?

Good question. Here are a few pertinent bio facts from the PGA Tour media guide:

Residence: Jay, Fla.

Education: Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College

Special interests: Hunting, fishing.

You might recall Boo from his time time on the PGA Tour in 2002, when he was quite the story because of his country bumpkin demeanor and his habit of wearing rain pants because he's allergic to cotton. That makes this exchange from his post-victory interview a must-read:

Q. Give us a little background again on your allergy to cotton.

BOO WEEKLEY: I mean, it's polyester/cotton is what I've got on right now. I haven't had no problem with it, which it ain't really got me playing in hot, hot weather yet. I was curious to see how it's going to act. I'm hoping that I won't have no reaction to it.

Q. What happens to you?

BOO WEEKLEY: It just looks like I got ringworm. Have you ever had ringworm?

Q. No (laughter).

BOO WEEKLEY: Ringworm, it's like little pus pockets pop up on your skin there. I mean, it itches, I can tell you that. Bad case of poison ivy is about what it's like.

Q. Poison ivy I've had.

BOO WEEKLEY: It's about like that.

Q. Have you ever considered a comedy club maybe?

BOO WEEKLEY: No, sir, I ain't good at that. I ain't good at it.

Goosen rounds out Exelon

This in from the folks at the Exelon Invy

Organizers of the Exelon Invitational hosted by Jim Furyk proudly announced PGA Tour star, Retief Goosen, as the final player confirmed for the June 4th golf event at The ACE Club in Lafayette Hill, PA.

The announcement comes on the heels of another fine Masters tournament appearance by Goosen, a native of South Africa, who finished tied for 2nd place after a Sunday battle with Tiger Woods and eventual champion, Zach Johnson. Goosen finished in 3rd place at the Masters in 2006.

“Retief is a fine player and a great supporter of this event,” commented Exelon Invitational host Jim Furyk. “With the addition of Retief, this is the highest ranked foursome in our nine year history which is a true testament of the event’s success.”

Goosen, currently ranked #8 in the Official PGA Tour World Rankings, last competed in the Exelon Invitational in 2005 when he defeated host Jim Furyk, Mike Weir and Tim Clark in a playoff at Hartefeld National.

The June 4th Exelon Invitational will mark the second year at The ACE Club in Lafayette Hill, PA. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster by calling 215-336-2000. For more information or to learn about how your company can partner with the Exelon Invitational hosted by Jim Furyk visit www.exelongolf.com or contact Bryan Furey at 609.393.5838 or Bryan@efkgroup.com

Masters mad dash

I just followed the final pairing of Tiger Woods and Stuart Appleby for a while. After they made the turn and I headed back toward the media center to watch the back nine on the jumbo TVs, I couldn't help but notice a curious Masters tradition -- an early stampede of thousands of "patrons" outtahere.

I first noticed it a couple of years ago, just as the leaders were heading into Amen Corner and the Masters was about to get thrilling. I asked around and was told that many locals get their fill of golf and Augusta National during the morning and early afternoon, then make a mad dash home to watch the big finish on TV. Strange but true.

Lunch at Augusta Redux

I just ate in the Augusta National clubhouse again and, in fairness, it was much better. The food and the service.

This time, I even went for the famous peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream.

It's freezing

I've just come in from watching the third round of the Masters. Here's a snapshot. No kidding.

Lunch at Augusta National

One of the best things about covering the Masters is that sportswriters have the run of the clubhouse. We can hang around, gawk, act like we belong, even eat lunch in the grill room or out on the balcony overlooking the first tee. It doesn't get much cooler.

In either dining spot, you look around and see big name players, sizzling hot player wives dripping in diamonds, agents, TV guys. Jim Nantz from CBS was at the table next to me yesterday, eating with executive producer Lance Barrow. In the grill room, one wall is devoted to a display case with clubs that were used to win past Masters.

The shame of it is, if not for the whole scene, I'd prefer to be chowing down at Friendly's. We're talking about some seriously so-so fare. And the service is definitely better at Friendly's.

Take my lunch yesterday, for example. I had the seafood chowder ($5), which was okay if you don't mind it lukewarm. And my half club sandwich ($8) was only slightly better than stuff I've gotten out of vending machines.

Three golf writer buddies were at the same table. One of them was served stone cold french fries. When he pointed it out, the waiter brought him another order of fries but later billed him for two orders.

When the bill came for the two other guys at the table, it was so screwed up it took five mintues to straighten it all out. No, I had this, he had that, neither of us had that other thing you charged us for. You know the drill.

Could be worse, of course. I read it snowed at the Phillies game last night.

Paddy Harrington to Exelon

This just in from the Exelon Invy...


Organizers of the Exelon Invitational hosted by Jim Furyk are pleased to announce that Republic of Ireland native and top ten PGA Tour star, Padraig Harrington, will join Jim Furyk and Charles Howell III at the Exelon Invitational on June 4 at The ACE Club in Lafayette Hill, PA.

Harrington, 35, has enjoyed a solid start on the PGA Tour in 2007, propelling him to No.10 in the latest PGA Tour Official World Rankings. Harrington has placed in the top 20 in each of the last four PGA Tour events including a 7th place finish at the Nissan Open in February after firing an opening round 63.

The appearance of Harrington on June 4 marks his first trip to Philadelphia for the Exelon Invitational hosted by Jim Furyk. “Several of the top international PGA Tour players have competed in this event over the past few years,” commented Bryan Furey, director of sports marketing for EFK Group. “It’s our goal to put on a world-class golf event, and it’s a testament to Jim’s (Furyk) reputation on and off the course that the Exelon Invitational attracts top-ranked players such as Padraig.”

Harrington and Exelon Invitational host Jim Furyk have crossed paths several times since both turned pro in the late 1990s. As the pride of the Ireland golf community, and winner of the 2006 European Order of Merit, Harrington was the local favorite at the 2006 Ryder Cup held in Kildare, Ireland. Harrington and fellow PGA Tour star Colin Montgomerie fell to the American duo of Jim Furyk and world-ranked No. 1 Tiger Woods by one hole in the opening round. “Padraig and I have competed on the PGA Tour and in Ryder Cups for some time now. I’m looking forward to having him on my home turf this year, said Furyk. “Both he and Charles Howell III represent one of the finest fields that has ever appeared at this event… golf fans are in for a treat.”

Now in its second year at The ACE Club in Lafayette Hill, The Exelon Invitational hosted by Jim Furyk is anticipating another crowd of nearly 10,000 spectators at this year’s event in June. International players have traditionally drawn well at past Exelon Invitational events.

The Exelon Invitational last year signed a new four-year deal with The ACE Club to host the annual Philadelphia golf tournament. The 2007 Exelon Invitational golf match at The ACE Club will take place on June 4. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster by calling 215-336-2000. For more information or to learn about how your company can partner with the Exelon Invitational hosted by Jim Furyk visit www.exelongolf.com or contact Bryan Furey at 609.393.5838 or Bryan@efkgroup.com

The Exelon Invitational hosted by Jim Furyk, is the only annual professional golf tournament in the Delaware Valley featuring PGA Tour players. A skins match where PGA Tour pros compete for a purse of $300,000, the event attracts an average crowd of 10,000.

Ah, Augusta

I have just come from an hour-long stroll around Augusta National. The weather is 80ish, the course is as green and manicured as always and the azaleas are in full bloom.

The photo above is the old oak tree out back of the clubhouse. In the late afternoon on Monday, the action under the tree is kind of slow. But in the coming days, everybody who is anybody in golf will make their way to hang there for at least a few minutes.

Players pause there for interviews on their walk to the locker room. Swing gurus, agents, club designers, manufacturing titans, famous golf course architects, famous media types and all manner of celebrities and wannabes who can get access inside those ropes grativate to "the tree" to see and be seen, to schmooze and to reassure themselves that they are part of golf's happenin' crowd.