The US Open Golf Championship 2008
The US Open Golf Championship
June 12-15 2008
Torrey Pines South Golf Course
San Diego California
The 108th US Open comes to Torrey Pines, San Diego, 60 years since the last Open was played in Southern California. It is also only the second time that a municipal course has been selected to host the National Championship.
It is named after the Torrey Pine, a rare tree that grows in the wild only in parts of the coastline in San Diego County and on Santa Rosa Island.
The first US Open Championship was played on the 9 hole Newport (R.I.) Golf and Country Club course in 1895. 10 pros and 1 amateur took part and the winner was an Englishman who was assistant at the Club, Howard Rawlins. He scored 91 and 82 in the 36 hole competition, playing with the gutta-percha ball. $150 went to the winner together with a gold medal and The Open Championship Cup, which was held for 1 year.
The first US born golfer to win was John J McDermott in 1911 and again in 1912 and in 1913 the event really took off when the 20 year old amateur Francis Ouimet beat the two very famous English professionals, Harry Vardon and Ted Ray, in a playoff.
Torrey Pines North and South courses were designed in 1957 by William Bell Snr, along the coastal bluffs in La Jolla and both courses offer spectacular views across the Pacific Ocean.
Since 1968, both courses have played host to the Buick Invitational. Nicklaus, Palmer, Watson and Mickelson have all been winners there and, rather ominously, the name of a certain Tiger Woods again crops up - he's actually won the last 3 Buick Invitational tournaments, so I think we can assume that he rather enjoys playing there!! He held the course record on the South course prior to renovation in 2001 with a 61.
At the beginning of 2002, architect Rees Jones completed a $3.3 million renovation, adding 500 yards to the course together with a further 38 bunkers. Green contours were altered and some relocated, dangerously closer to the canyon edges!
Torrey Pines South will be the longest setup in US Open history, with various tee positions capable of stretching the course to 7643 yards.
It will be the 10th US Open to be played in California, Pebble Beach being host in 2000 and prior to that at Riviera Country Club in 1948.
The defending Champion is Angel Cabrera, the first South American to win The US Open when it was played last year at the Oakmont Country Club, Pennsylvania.
The runner up in 2007, just 1 shot behind?
Well, there were 2 players. One was Jim Furyk and I'm going to let you guess the other…
Article by: Martin Dawson
www.effortless-golf-swing.com
Having been a fanatical golfer since the age of 8, Martin has experienced the many highs and the even more lows that this wonderful game of golf has a habit of throwing at us.
But as we all know, it is a game that keeps us coming back for more despite the heartache and frustration it can produce!
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Article Source: ArticlesBase.com
