[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Johnny Miller just made an interesting observation. The announcers were talking about how, although the greens are fast and faster than they have been for the first three rounds, they are not scary fast like they usually are in the US Open. Miller suggested that the USGA may be keeping them green and watering them so that the course in not toast for the Women's US Open that begins next Thursday on the same course.

I have friends who have worked at US Open courses and I've played them on the Monday following the Open when the leave the tees and holes in the same position so that members and a few guests can try it out. I can tell you that when the event ends, the course is destroyed. Many need to be completely rebuilt. The greens are allowed to completely dry out and the fairways are not much better. The USGA wants balls that are not driven perfectly to run into the rough.

The fairways in Pinehurst #2 have been widened considerably because of the fact that they removed all the rough. They are much easier to hit than in previous Opens and the penalty for missing them is not so severe. The "stuff" is a crap shoot, but by my observation, it hasn't been very penal for most of the players. It seems that you have to get very unlucky to get a bad lie in it.

BTW, I never root against anyone and whoever wins will be a great champion, but how can you not root for Erik Compton. If he were to win, they'd make a movie about him.