The US Open returned to its roots at the Country Club, a place steeped in history.
Posted at 9:39
It is one of the five founding clubs of the US Golf Association (USGA). The first United States Open, presented in 1913, put golf in the main American newspapers, thanks to the surprise victory of a 20-year-old amateur golfer, Francis Ouimet, against two British legends.
Off course, it is important to note that the Boston area is the birthplace of the American Revolution, which was self-evident at the time.
And that’s what golf is going through right now.
More than a dozen PGA Tour golfers, including three U.S. Open champions, have defected to join the rival Saudi-funded tour — which has forced the PGA to ban them. The front line has nothing to do with the long calm river on which this sport has sailed since its creation 162 years ago.
And that’s enough to relegate the United States Open, golf’s second-oldest championship, usually considered the toughest test of the season, to the backdrop.
“It’s a strange time for professional golf,” admitted Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy. I said it a few weeks ago; we’ll have to wait and see how the season unfolds. »
The U.S. Open will take place in Brookline, Massachusetts for the fourth time in history, from June 16-19, and already several intrigues are emerging on the horizon.
Tiger Woods will be conspicuously absent as he plans to prepare for the British Open next month in St. Andrews.
Phil Mickelson will play his first Grand Slam tournament this season.
“Lefty” recovered from a public relations blunder over the Saudi-funded circuit that ended up offending both parties. He said he was not ready to compete in the Masters or PGA Championship but wanted to make his comeback at the LIV Invitational Golf Tournament in suburban London.
The USGA will respect the name of its championship — an “Omnium” — and allow anyone who has qualified to participate.
Fourteen golfers who qualified for the tournament took part in the first event on the LIV circuit, including champions Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell.
Photo PAUL CHILDS, REUTERS
Phil Mickelson has never won the US Open. Imagine if he finally manages to win, after so many disappointments – he finished second six times, depriving him of completing his career Grand Slam. “I don’t know how other people would take it, but I’d like it,” admitted Mickelson.
Mickelson, as everyone knows, has never won the US Open. Imagine if he finally manages to win, after so many disappointments – he finished second six times, depriving him of completing his career Grand Slam.
“I don’t know how other people would take it, but I’d like it,” admitted Mickelson.
This will be Mickelson’s first official tournament on American soil since Jan. 28, when he couldn’t avoid the ax for the weekend rounds at Torrey Pines. And the reception could be very different from that of 2007, when he won the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston.
“Viewers in the Northeastern United States are passionate and talkative,” said Justin Thomas. The things you don’t hear in Memphis or Greensboro, you know they’re gonna come out in Boston. I remember one round I was playing with Tiger at Shinnecock, and people were teasing him with his yacht. »
As for the Grand Slam, Mickelson has had seven opportunities to complete it since triumphing at the 2013 British Open at Muirfield. He’s never cracked the top-25 in one of those, and the fact that he’ll be celebrating his 52e birthday in the first round of the tournament will not help his quest.