The 2013 U.S. Open Is Here!
The 2013 U.S. Open is finally here! After the first of hopefully few weather delays, the tournament is off and running!
What: 2013 U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club
When: Thursday June 13 – Sunday June 16
Where: Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania
Purse: $8,000,000
Winning Share: $1,440,000
FedExCup Winner’s Points: 600
Par: 70
Yardage: 6,996
Champion: Webb Simpson
Website: http://www.usopen.com/index.html
Twitter: https://twitter.com/usopengolf
What It Online: USOpen.com
Live Leaderboard: http://www.majorschampionships.com/us-open/leaderboard.html
TV Schedule (Initial Airings)
Thursday: ESPN 9:00 AM EDT – 3:00 PM EDT, NBC 3:00 PM EDT – 5:00 PM EDT, ESPN 5:00 PM EDT – 7:00 PM EDT
Friday: ESPN 8:30 AM EDT – 3:00 PM EDT, NBC 3:00 PM EDT – 5:00 PM EDT, ESPN 5:00 PM EDT – 7:00 PM EDT
Saturday: NBC 12:00 PM EDT – 7:30 PM EDT
Sunday: NBC 12:00 PM EDT – 7:30 PM EDT
Scratch’s Thoughts:
Merion Golf Club is short. Really short. Many couch-side analysts think that it is too short of a course for the U.S. Open. But what it lacks in size, it more than makes up with narrow fairways,heavily bunkered greens, and 4.5 inch thick rough. This course really favors accuracy over short hitters, as one would think. A player is going to have the edge if he’s really accurate with his long iron shots between 200-500 yards.
The website Sandbox8.com listed the top 5 players in the field with the best fairway approaches between 200-250 yards, based on average proximity from the hole according to PGA TOUR stats. They are:
1. Nicolas Colsaerts 37.6 feet
2. Tiger woods 38.9
3. Kevin Streelman 39.7
4. Brandt Jobe 39.8
5. Justin Rose 40.5
Tiger is the 5-1 favorite to win this year, but history has shown that it’s often an underdog who wins the U.S. Open. While we here at the Cave would love to see Tiger win another major, don’t expect him to be holding the trophy on Sunday.
Check out ESPN’s experts’ picks in the video below!