Page 25 • June 2017 • Illinois Golfer www.illinoisgolfer.net –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
single-file look of a U.S. Open course, but the amber waves of the fescue on either side could wreak havoc on a scorecard, to say nothing of grabbing a club. But, even as some of the higher fescue on four holes was being trimmed in part before the Open, Rory McIlroy made an excellent point. “We have 60 yards from left line to right line,” McIlroy said. “You’ve got 156 of the best players in the world here. If you can’t hit it within that avenue, you might as well pack your bags and go home. These are the widest fairways we’ve ever played in the U.S. Open. Even the first and second cut is another 10 yards on top of that. “It’s a U.S. Open. It’s supposed to be a tough test.” The feel-good story going into the Open is the presence of 50-year-old Steve Stricker in the field. Rejected for a special exemption by the USGA – not a sentimental bunch any more – Stricker, who lives in nearby Madison and grew up in Edgerton, not only qualified but won his 36-hole sectional qualifier. “Worked hard to get here,” Stricker said. “Put a lot of extra effort in playing some extra tournaments to try and get here. Stricker said he had no problem getting rejected for an exemption, but then thought, after people kept asking why he wasn’t in, “it became a little chip on my shoulder that I had to work a little bit hard to try to get in. “The way it worked out, I feel much better the way I got here. I earned my way in. I feel like I belong here.” It’s the first Open in the Midwest – indeed the Central Time Zone – since the 2003 Open at Olympia Fields. Erin Hills will be packed with people, but what we don’t know is whether or not Bob Lang will join the party for which he set the table.
117th Championship 117 thUnited U.S. States OpenOpen Championship June12-18, 15-18,2017 2017 June ErinHills Hills Erin
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Courtesy USGA