Hard Times at the US Open

It looks like the USPGA has been acting like a bunch of skin flints - $100 a ticket for the Thursday for 3 hours of play, and a soaking thrown in for free.  Only now that the media and the odd Congressman have got up in arms has there been a bit of a step down by the boys in blue (jackets). You can come for free on Monday if it isn’t wrapped up on Sunday, but if not you’ll just get a 50% refund. Whoopie-do! Thanks a bunch.

Still, the USPGA don’t appear to be the worst offender – you’ll only get a refund for two hours at The Open. But in my past experience, nothing stops The Open. On the first day of the 2003 Open a gale blew in off the English Channel, and almost took our Motor-home for a spin – but play went on, and some incredible low shots were recorded – I seem to remember that South Africa’s Otto had a 69, even though he went out in the middle of it. Greg Norman also managed a 69, but had the benefit of a much later tee time.

And then last year at Royal Birkdale, we were storm-lashed for the best part of three days and nights, with tents collapsing, and one of our journalists throwing a fit of epic proportions at 4am. Everyone had been moaning that The Open wouldn’t be the same without Tiger but the weather came in and stole the show, well alongside Padraig, Poults and Greg. But even on the brutal first day, four players shot 69. Miraculously Ernie Els managed to make the cut with an 80 followed by a 69!

Otherwise, all I‘ve been hearing on this side of the pond is good stuff about the organization. I liked the pairings – French playing with French, Spaniard with Spaniard, Swede on Swede -  plus  the Supergroup  of Woods, Mickelson and Cabrera.-  the PGA’s equivalent to Cream, or The Travelling Wilburys  - god forbid.

And when the US Open is all done and dusted, you can apparently play on Bethpage Black for the normal public green fee, rather than at a corporate daylight robbery price. Maybe there will be a bit of global recession upside after all. It’s only $50 for a weekday tee time if you are a New York state resident, which is pretty amazing for the quality that you are getting.

Our man on the ground, Mr Jay Townsend, is still recovering from Thursday’s trench foot, and has some way to go yet if his prediction that Tiger will win is to come off. It’s a shame when an event is so biased by the weather. Ricky Barnes, bless him, has yet to hit a single shot in the rain, which must have been a factor in his 8 under par performance – the lowest 36 score ever in 109 years of the US Open. Ricky Barnes was also playing as an Amateur in the 2003 Open, but didn’t make the cut, racking up a 79 and a 74, so he would appear not to like the rain!

As for my Paul Casey, £5, enough said. I’m now turning my Anglo- Saxon attentions to Lee Westwood, Oliver Fisher and the indefatigable Poults, who kicks off his third round Sunday 7.46am Standard Eastern Time. Can’t wait....