European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 13, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday june 13,1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 23 . Open Golf strange Aims at Andersons mar Hopes to be first in 85 years to win 3 straight titles by Bob Green a Golf writer Medinah 111. A Roosevelt was in the White House. Theodore Roosevelt. He presided Over a nation that consisted of 45 states and 76 million people. There was no income tax. Women did not have the vote. Commercial radio was vet to come. The Patent was pending on the Wright Brothers flying machine. In Golf it was Hickory shafts and the grand triumvirate of Vardon braid and Taylor. And in 1905 it was Willie Anderson. He won his third consecutive . Open that year in that Era so far removed from our own. No one has won three in a Row since then. And in the last 39 years no one has had a Chance. Now Curtis strange does. He a the first Man since Ben Hogan in 1950-51 to score consecutive victories in what most touring pros agree is the most difficult Golf tournament in the world. Medinah arguably the most difficult of All the . Open courses will offer him an Opportunity to match Andersons record set in 1903-05. A i think i have a real shot at it a said strange prematurely grading at age 35. �?o1 think the other Guys think so  at least Mark Calcavecchia the current British open Champion and Greg Norman the flamboyant australian who is one of strangers closest friends think that Way. A Curtis has the perfect game the perfect mental attitude for it a Calcavecchia said. A the has a real Chance to do it a Norman said. A if i can to Stop him i Hope he goes ahead and does it. It would be Good for Golf Good for the history of the  there a no doubt it would be Good for Curtis. But to the question of just How Good How meaningful How important to Nis career it would be he has no answers. A i Haven to thought that much about it a he said. A i still have too much Golf left to play to think about that right now. But strange who admits he has a been consumed by thoughts of the open Ever since the masters a has Given thought to what it would mean to lose it. A it would be like losing my Best buddy a he said. A i like having the trophy at Home. I like being the . Open Champion the current . Open  to maintain that title strange must beat an International Field of 150 that includes the worlds finest players All of whom have been pointing for this event for two months. Calcavecchia picks England a Nick Faldo Winner of the last two masters and Tom Kite As the most logical contenders in the tournament that begins thursday. Strange quickly adds the names of Norman a a the longest straightest Driver in the world a and pea Champion Payne Stewart a a probably playing better than anyone else right  his attempt to turn them Back in a run at the record has generated greater than usual interest. Rich Skyzinski Media director for the sponsoring . Golf association said he has received 200 to 300 More applications for press credentials than Ever before. Strangers ascent to the role of Media Star has occurred on a steady climb through the ranks of the games touring pros. There has been no breakthrough no turning Point strange said a just a steady  Curtis one of twin sons of a Golf pro began playing the game at about the age of 7. A it did no to take Long before i knew what i wanted to do in life a he said. He went to Wake Forest on an Arnold Palmer scholarship and forged a Brilliant Amateur record including the 1974 Mcaa championship. It was at Wake Forest that he met wife to be Sarah a freshman at nearby Salem College when Curtis was a Sophomore. Strange joined the pea tour in 1977 and worked his Way through the various learning stages of the game learning to qualify learning to make the Cut learning to contend learning to win. There were other learning stages too. One involved learning to control the explosive temper so often found in the games most intense competitors. A scolding letter from Arnold Palmer after one such incident Curtis said was a major Factor. Strangers first tournament Victory As a pro was the 1979 Pensacola open. A year later he won twice finished third on the Money winning list and was on his Way. He made his first major move at the top rank of golfs great stars in 1985 when he shot 80 in the first round of the masters came Back and had a Chance to win until he hit into the water on the Par file 2 a scolding from Arnold Palmer left helped Curtis strange learn to control his temper. 5 13th and 15th holes on the final nine. A lots of people have asked me if that was the turning Point a he said. A it Wasny to. It was just a major i did no to  he won three other tournaments that year and topped golfs Money winners. It was the first of three Money winning titles he was to win the next four seasons. That string was capped by his record $1,147,644 in 1988, when he won three pea tour events and beat Faldo in a playoff for the . Open at the country club in Brookline mass. The Banner season his Best to Date was achieved with a game that is More solid than spectacular. At 5-foot-11 and 10 pounds he has neither the strength nor the length of a Norman or the Tours other Long Ball bombers. He does not have the putting touch of a Ben Crenshaw. There Are better Iron players. But strange does it All Well. There Are no apparent weak Points to his game. And the Strong Point is his mental approach a his ability to handle pressure to exhibit the patience necessary in the games most demanding tasks. He a a grinder. He makes the most of what he has what the situation offers. When his game face is on he a deter mined grim sometimes almost sullen. His off course personality is decidedly different. He san easy going Beer drinking Guy who enjoys a prank swapping stories with friends. His favorite form of relaxation is fishing from his 55-foot Cabin Cruiser on the James River near his Kingsmill va., Home. A couple of trips to Australia Early in the year gave him a two month late Start to his american season. He has been trying to catch up Ever since. A it was something i wanted to do at the time. In a not sure id do it again a strange said of the extensive foreign travel. He Hasni to won this season. He has won Only the 1989 . Open in the last 18 months. He makes no excuses. A a in be had my chances a strange said. And he insisted the relative Lack of Success has no bearing on his probable performance in the . Open. A a in a playing better now than i was going into Rochester the 1989 open a he said. A a in a playing Well. If i can get my putting straightened out a Little if i can put All the pressure aside i think i can turn it on for one week. I really think i  whether he does or not he said a i think in the years to come ill be Able to look Back on this period As one of the fun times in my  Olazabal is Happy with new . Tour openings. Medinah 111. Apr foreign players generally applaud the pea Tours recent action in further easing the restrictions on their participation in american events. A i like it very much a said Jose Maria Olazabal of Spain. I be talked with seve and Nick and they re both very  Spanish Star seve Ballesteros and two time masters Champion Nick Faldo of England were among the most outspoken europeans in a Long running fued with the tour Over foreign players participation in the . The tour adopted a change to allow foreign players to play m up to 10 tournaments a year. I expect to play in about ei8ht american tournament golfing notes this year nine or 10 next year a Olazabal  a a the made for television Norman Challenge is scheduled july 14-15 in Rogers Ark. Greg Norman will play Wayne Gretzky Ivan Lendl and Larry Bird in a scramble format. Norman will play his own  a a British open Champion Mark Calcavecchia who used the controversial Ping Eye-2 a Square Groove clubs has signed to play Tommy Armour a a a Groove Irons. A a in be proved to myself that the grooves done to have anything to do with the Way in a playing a Calcavecchia said. A Jose Maria Olazabal. Planning on 8 . Events a look at Medinah Medinah Iii. Apr a look at the 7,185-Yard Par 36-36-72 Medinah no. 3, site of the . Open starting thursday no. 1 a 385 Yards Par 4 beyond a Rise of 180 Yards off an elevated tee the tree lined Fairway ungulates to a Pear shaped Green sloping from Back to front and tightly hunkered on both sides. No. 2 a 180 Yards. Par 3 there is water to the left and in front. The Green is steeply tilted and will offer problems it shots land above the Hole. No. 3 a 412 Yards. Par 4 Hole Dogleg slightly to the left and is wooded on both sides. The approach shot must carry to an elevated and tightly hunkered Green. No. 4 a 434 Yards Par 4 Green is elevated with huge bunkers to the left and right. A shot too Long to the Green will Roll Down a Sharp Bank. No. 5 a 526 Yards Par 5 Long hitters can reach this in two but accuracy is necessary. The Uphill second shot must carry two deep bunkers to reach the Green. No. 6 a 445 Yards Par 4 Trees flank the right Side of the Fairway from tee to Green. Depending on the wind a player can use anything from a 5-Iron to a Wood to one of the largest greens on the course. No. 7 a 581 Yards. Par 5 a Dogleg around dense Trees making it Best to play to the left where bunkers have to be avoided. The Pear shaped Green slopes from Back to front and is tightly hunkered on both sides. No. 8 a 190 Yards Par 3 Large bunkers surround a Green with Subtle undulations making it one of the hardest on the course to read. No. 9 a 429 Yards Par 4 most players will be Able to Cut the Corner on this Dogleg left. Leaving a Middle Iron to the Green with bunkers in front and Trees to the left. No. 10 a 577 Yards. Par 5 players trying to reach Green in two have to contend with out of Bounds on left Side and beyond a Green that slopes from Back to front. No. 11 a 402 Yards. Par 4 Sharp Dogleg left. If tee shot is kept irom Trees on both sides All that remains is a Short Iron to a Small Green. No. 12 a 462 Yards. Par 4 a Largo Oak blocks Access to the Green irom the left and a shot too far to the right could kick into Lako Kadijah. No. 13 a 199 Yards. Par 3 one of the toughest holes on Trio course. A shot too Short lands in the Lake. A shot too Long will have to to played irom deep bunkers Back towards the Lake. Green is tilted and treacherous no. 14 a 545 Yards. Par 5 a Birdie Holo. The possibility of missing the Green on an errant second snot will cause most players to Lay up Short of the Green. No. 15 a 384 Yards Par 4 tee shot must be played to right to avoid Trees to the loft. Trees also stretch to left front of Green. Out of Bounds behind an elevated undulating Green. No. 16 a 426 Yards Par 4 probably the most difficult Hole on the course. Hole Dogleg left about 200 Yards trom toe. And with thick Woods on both sides Only a perfectly placed drive will do. A Long second shot must carry to a Green that is wide but not deep. A shot that is Short could Roll Back 30 Yards downhill. Large Mound in Middle of Green compounds putting problems. No. 17 a 168 Yards Par 3 this Hole features a severely sloping Green carved out of a Bank across Lake Kadijah. Water protects the front and a Large deep Bunker covers the Back of the Green. No. 18 tee shot should i Fairway Bunker at me Comer a Mumie hum a All that is needed to a wide but shallow and undulated Green. Reen. 440 Yards Par 4 Dogleg left. It uld be played to the right of the or at the Comer. A Midale Iron is