What is the U.S. Open?:
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is one of the four major championships in golf. The U.S. Open is staged at a variety of courses, set up in such a way that scoring is very difficult with a premium placed on accurate driving. It is known as the "people's tournament," because anyone with a low handicap can try and make it to the tournament through qualifying rounds. So, it's not just for the professional golfer. It is considered the toughest of the four golf major championships.
Where is it being played this year?:
The 2008 U.S. Open was awarded to the South Course at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif., by the U.S. Golf Association on Sat., Oct. 4, 2002. Torrey Pines is only the second public course to host the tournament and the first city run golf course to host a U.S. Open.
Why is choosing Torrey Pines a big deal?:
In joining New York's Bethpage State Park's Black Course on the exclusive public course list, Torrey Pines also marks the first time the season's second major will be held in southern California since 1948. Bethpage Black was the first public course to host the Open in 2002, and it will host it again in 2009. Torrey Pines is only the second public course to host the tournament and the first city run golf course to host a U.S. Open.
When will the event take place?:
Championship week is June 9 through 15. Practice rounds take place on Monday through Wednesday, June 9-11. The Championship begins on Thursday, June 12, concluding on Sunday, June 15. If there is a tie for the lead at the end of 72 holes, an 18-hole playoff will be held on Monday, June 16. For the first time, the U.S. Open will be televised in prime time (East Coast) for the final two rounds.
Where can I get tickets?:
Tickets for the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines are sold out. If you are willing to pay a premium, tickets are available through ticket brokers.
Who plays at the U.S. Open?:
The U.S. Open is open to any professional, or to any amateur with an up-to-date USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 1.4. Players (male or female) may obtain a place by being fully exempt or by competing successfully in qualifying. The field is 156 players. About half of the field is made up of players who are fully exempt from qualifying. Potential competitors who are not fully exempt must enter the Qualifying process, which has two stages.
Will Tiger Woods be playing?:
Of course. He has had great success at Torrey Pines since playing as a junior golfer. He is the odds on favorite in 2008. He will be paired with the world's number two ranked player, Phil Mickelson, and Adam Scott, the number three player, for the first two rounds.
Is the U.S. Open a big deal?:
Absolutely. The U.S. Open is on par with the Super Bowl when it comes to major events, sporting or otherwise. Event organizers and officials estimate having the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines will rank as one of the area's most lucrative sporting events ever, bringing millions of dollars to the local economy. Up to 50,000 spectators are expected for each of the four rounds - akin to having four Super Bowl games in one week, if you were to compare the magnitude of the event.
I have tickets for the U.S. Open - where do I park?:
Free parking for over 14,000 cars will be provided at Qualcomm Stadium, plus 7,000 parked in outside lots. Approximately 200 shuttle buses will circulate between Qualcomm and the Torrey Pines area near the Gliderport, where spectators will be dropped off to go through 14 admission gates and security screening. There is no general parking at Torrey Pines.
2008 U.S. Open Essentials:
When: June 9 - 15, 2008
Where: Torrey Pines Golf Course
11480 North Torrey Pines Road
San Diego, CA 92037
TV Schedule on NBC (all times Pacific Time):
Thurs. Jun 12: noon-2 p.m.
Fri.: noon - 2 p.m.
Sat.: 1 - 7 p.m.
Sun.: noon - 6 p.m.
South Course Info for the 2008 Championship:
DISTANCE -- This layout is 379 yards longer than any previous U.S. Open course layout, but it is playing to a par 71, not a par 70 as has been the case in all but a few years over the past several decades. The third, 11th and 16th holes, all par 3s, will vary in length from 17 to 53 yards. The shortest yardages bring the total yardage to 7,541 yards.
PAR 71 -- Prior to 2008, the last time the U.S. Open was a par-71 layout was in 2000 at Pebble Beach Golf Links (6,846 yards).
COURSE LAYOUT -- The fairways will range in width from roughly 24 to 33 yards. On either side of the fairways, a 6-foot wide swath of intermediate rough running the length of each hole will be set to 1 3/4 inches. Next, a 20-foot band of first cut of primary rough will be grown to approximately 2 1/2 inches, and the second cut of deepest rough left and right of the landing areas will be 5 inches. Some spectator ropes will be moved back to allow for this plan, where the "penalty now fits the crime." The further off line a drive is, the tougher the recovery shot will be. (This is the third year of this USGA set-up approach).
The greens will be set to run at 13 to 13 1/2 feet on the Stimpmeter for the duration of the Championship. The primary rough for 11 feet around the putting greens will be maintained at 3 inches. Outside of that, the rough will be grown to 4-5 inches (in contrast to the 2 1/2-inch rough running alongside the fairways).
