Holy Monty: Fails In His U.S. Open Bid, But Not Before Getting Some Quality Driving Time...By Himself!

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For a man who lost his license over his proclivity to drive too fast, especially when Coldplay comes on the radio, and who cheated death in a car accident, I think it's fair to say the former Ryder Cup captain made a strange call to drive 900-miles home after the BMW at Wentworth and then return immediately after some tea and upon fetching a new putter.

But that's what this wire story claims:

"Who in their right mind would do that? But yes, I did," Montgomerie said. "I left Wentworth at 2pm, was home at 8pm, had tea with the family, left at 11pm and got here just after 6am."

A four‑under‑par 68 put the 48-year-old Scot on course to play in San Francisco next month, but he followed it up with a 72.

And the round featured the usual Monty dramatics:

Montgomerie missed out on a play-off by two strokes, so could look back on his pitch to the 17th hitting the flagstick and rebounding 15ft away, then lipping out from the same distance on the last.

You can view the Walton Heath Sectional results here and also count up the number of WD's, a qualifying tradition in England.

Golf Channel To Give U.S. Open Sectional's Proper Coverage

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Mentioned in today's Johnny Miller conference call and surely to be hyped some more is Golf Channel's planned coverage of U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying Monday. Considering the disaster that has been trying to get news on Sectional Qualifying day--easily the most democratic day of golf in the U.S.--the channel is rolling out all day coverage from each site.

John Eggerton explains:

On the Monday (June 4) of qualifying for the U.S. Open Championship, the channel will provide coverage from 7 a.m. to midnight as golfers try to qualify in sectional play at 11 locations. The coverage will be anchored from Golf Channel's Orlando studios, but will include dedicated shows and updates throughout the day from reporters and cameras at all those locations.

I know, I know. Not as fun as coming to GeoffShackelford.com all day and hoping that the live links to various regional golf associations are working and updated, but it's a start.

And something tells me the USGA will be stepping up their coverage as well.

Johnny: In California Phil's Won More Than "Even Me"

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Previewing the U.S. Open at Olympic where he played as an amateur and will manage to work himself into the conversation at least 4391 times during the telecasts this year, Johnny Miller tells Golf Magazine he likes Phil Mickelson's chances this year.

Of course, it's because of a tip Johnny gave Phil.

PHIL MICKELSON: This might be Phil's last chance to win a U.S. Open. He's won more in California than maybe anyone, even me. He wants that first U.S. Open so much, and you know he'll be prepared. And who knows -- after I gave him my tip about the "reverse-bank" theory, maybe that'll put him over the top!

"Then I went to bed and slept like a man with nothing to lose."

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Thanks to reader Laury for Lee Benson's story setting up an excerpt from Billy Casper's new book because as fun as the Masters was, it's hard not to get excited about a return to historic Olympic Club reading about fresh details of the historic '66 Open there. This is after Arnold Palmer's Sunday collapse and before the Monday playoff win by Casper.

After the postmortem, we went to our separate corners, Arnold to his friends' home in the city, where he and Winnie had a quiet dinner with, among others, Mark and Nancy McCormack; me to a Mormon meetinghouse to give a talk.

Long before I knew I would tie for the lead in the U.S. Open, and be in a lengthy press conference afterward, and that I would be playing another 18 holes the next day, I had agreed to give a Sunday night fireside talk at 7 o'clock in Petaluma, 40 miles north of the city.

A deal's a deal. I changed and drove straight to the church, arriving almost an hour late. The chapel was full. No one had left.

I can remember the length of every putt and exactly what club I hit on every shot that Sunday, but to this day the most I can remember about that fireside is talking about my trip to Vietnam. But I must have said something mildly interesting because it was after 11 p.m. when the meeting ended.

I returned to the Leiningers' home in Greenbrae. I hadn't eaten anything since lunch. Shirley turned on the grill and I had a late, late dinner of pork chops, green beans and salad.

Then I went to bed and slept like a man with nothing to lose.

Olympic Club's 670-Yarder, The Aftermath

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San Francisco media outlets focused on the addition of a 670-yard tee at the Lake Course and I guess most of us are just immune to the absurdity of such golf course expansion and the dreadful hypocrisy of governing bodies expanding the courses so they don't have to make the case for...doing their job.

So I talked to the USGA's Mike Davis at the Golf Industry Show about that reaction, which overlooked some bigger news about the course and setup touches which will restore 16's place while making 17 a better hole.

The item is in this week's Golf World Monday with a nice aerial of the hole, reminding me just how much of a dogleg it really is. And also how much I love Opens at Olympic Club.