European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 13, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse Stars and june 2007 sports Bonds ends Homer helps giants top Page 35 let the bogeys begin Oakmont brutal without Urga adding touches for open by Alan Robinson the associated press Treyve heard the horror stories about now there experiencing them up the bunkers that look like they could Swallow a football the greens where a putt even slightly offline might Roll All the Way to its been 13 years since the open last visited Home of the most fearsome greens in american Champion ship that plenty enough time for the Field to have changed considerably Arnold Palmer was still playing opens Back in and Tiger Woods was an Amateur and for new myths to be created for Golf ers who have yet to tread of the sports scariest there has been widespread talk of gloom and doom in recent from de fending Champion Geoff Ogilvy reportedly losing seven balls in his round of 85 to Avyay Singh and a Host of others saying they would not be surprised if the Winner finished 10 shots Over it is stifling to the Point of walk ing off and feeling like youve got 12 rounds with Paul Goydos said Mon Johnny Millers advice to All these Oak Mont newbies believe the beware of Only a couple of Guys broke 70 in the whole 2003 Amateur at said the 1973 open Winner at they know its going to be a Good test heres some brutal holes out among the major topics of discussion As the Field arrives at Oakmont is the length of the which Oakmont superintendent John Zimmers insists has been Cut he just didst say if it was last week or last Jim playing a practice round monday with Tiger cant recall see ing rough so threateningly High or thick during a who has yet to play a competitive round at had problems of his own during his not satisfying tour of Oak Monts Hilly he grumbled about his Driver during a round that he describe except to i broke just another Day at Oakmont country where on third of the few Hundred members Are Good enough to have Handi Caps below not Many duffers and they Delight in watching the sports biggest names be frustrated every decade or so by their Home one that can be set up Charles course workers Rake the Church Pew Sand traps Between the third and fourth one of the signature obstacles that make Oak Mont country club in one of the toughest tests in even before the Urga lays a Finger to it for the Gene a golfer chips from the 10th Fairway at having avoided the Long which is always a concern in a with such difficulty that Par becomes an Kevin Sutherland was amazed at the and not because it was a facts and figures for the open dates june 1417 site Oakmont country club the course Oakmont was designed in 1903 by Henry a steel magnate and accomplished Amateur it was the Only course he built the Pennsylvania Turnpike came along later and dissected Oak so players have to Cross a Bridge Over the toll Road to reach the Sec Ond then Cross again to reach the Oakmont is renowned for its Church Pew bunkers dividing the third and fourth and its notoriously fast it was built Over 200 acres of farm land and had a links look until a massive tree Plant ing project in the 1960s after a club president took exception to a writers reference to Oakmont As a the club recently removed some Trees to restore Oakmont to its former length 353570 Field 156 players 147 nine amateurs television thursday and Friday coverage begins at 4 on an sports saturday and sunday cover age begins at 7 on the Urga again is using a graduated which gets longer the farther a player is from the it was thick and and he expects mat at a what got his attention was realizing the bunkers determined the rough mean ing the fairways were just As narrow for the members during a summer four Ball than it is for the unless the bunkers Are supposed to be in the he shaking his this is what led Padraig Harrington of Ireland to suggest that the Urga take the week he figures theres not much for its staff to do this week if it wants to protect Oakmont already does monday was the first Day of practice for the the first Chance for Many to see what the fuss is All along with some of the fastest greens the rough is As punishing As Ever so punish ing Phil Mickelson attributes his left wrist injury to Chipping countless times out of the rough during his Marathon practice rounds two weeks Mickelson has been at Oakmont since at least saturday but has yet to play a prac Tice his left wrist remains heavily on Mickelson limited himself to Hal shots from the grass on the practice Range before moving up to a hybrid club by merely being in his made Short game coach pave Pelz Mickelson hit his Driver Only once before returning to 30yard he Hopes to play a practice round see bogeys on Page 38 Mcnabb practices with eagles ahead of schedule
