Ramblings From The Rough

I know the USGA is obsessed with making the US Open courses difficult and challenging, but I still feel like they should give good players a chance to make good shots if their game is on. By all accounts, there are some approach shots that just have no chance. If the best players in the world chose to plan for the right miss rather than hitting a good shot you've gone too far. Everybody is gaga about the past US Opens at Pebble, and I can't disagree with history. It's been spectacular. What I do disagree about is the intuitive leap to the conclusion that because of this history this year's winner must be of the same caliber as those in the past. If we learned anything from last year's majors it's that any one out of about fifty golfers can win this thing if they get hot for four days. One week after my best round in a couple of decades I had my worst round in years. Got to love this game. I blame it on the a-a-a-a-alcohol. Clearly the USGA doesn't read my blog, or they'd know they shouldn't pair Furyk with Cabrera. Watching them play together at Colonial was PAINFUL. El Pato had his tee in the ground on the next hole by the time Furyk putted out. I go back and forth about whether I'd rather play Pebble Beach or Cypress Point if I had the opportunity to only play one. I found it interesting how everybody gets on Lee Westwood for not being a good closer, but they give Phil credit for his five second place finishes at the US Open. I read that Phil has been within four strokes of the lead heading into the back 9 on Sunday six times in the US Open, and he's shot over par all six times. Even my wife is excited about Erik Compton playing in this US Open, and she doesn't give a rat's ass about golf. Does anyone have the stats on if there's been a grandfather pairing in the US Open like this year, with Tom Watson having Ryo and Rory bouncing on one knee each? Happy 40:th Phil. I turned 40 on crutches (due to a snapped achilles tendon), so I'm glad to see he's doing much better than I was at that age. I love how everybody were so very ready to launch David Duval's career recovery bandwagon after last year's US Open. How did that work out for you? Who will be this year's recovery surprise? Garcia? KP? Ty? Ogilvy? Immelman? Earlier this week I had a premonition about Phil holing out a chip on 17 on Sunday to beat Tiger for the win. Golf writers everywhere would just cream their pants. "Finally, an easy story". That is all.