Golf's Second Wealthiest Non-Profit To Host Preview Of Golf's Largest Pro Shop For Golf's Toughest Test

For Immediate Release...

***MEDIA ADVISORY***

USGA TO HOST MEDIA PREVIEW OF “GOLF’S LARGEST PRO SHOP”

U.S. Open Merchandise Pavilion Opens Thursday, June 7

Far Hills, N.J. (June 4, 2012) – The United States Golf Association (USGA) will host a media preview of the U.S. Open Merchandise Pavilion at The Olympic Club, site of the 2012 U.S. Open Championship, on Thursday, June 7, from 7 a.m.–10 a.m. PDT.

Nothing like a 7 a.m. start to get those writers out of bed early...if there is free golf or free food.

The event will feature broadcast and photo opportunities from the launch of the pre-championship opening of “golf’s largest pro shop.” USGA representatives will be available for interviews.

Maybe we could do a seminar on keeping your amateur status while accepting free merchandise?

The Merchandise Pavilion offers an unparalled shopping experience at a state-of-the-art 36,000-square-foot structure located just inside the main admission gate at The Olympic Club.

The pavilion features more than 400,000 items bearing the official U.S. Open logo, including outerwear, shirts, hats, golf balls and a variety of championship memorabilia.

Major apparel manufacturers represented include Ralph Lauren, adidas, Nike, Cutter & Buck, and many more. The pavilion offers the broadest array of Polo Golf/RLX men’s and women’s apparel anywhere.

Anywhere? More than the Morongo Springs RLX Outlet shop, even?

The pavilion will be open to the general public for pre-championship shopping from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from June 7-10. Tickets or credentials will not be required.

Visa/Mastercard accepted, but American Express is preferred.

112th U.S. Open Field Set

Here's the list following Tuesday's delayed Memphis qualifier where Tommy Biershenk earned his first trip to the U.S. Open to be joined by Stephen Ames, Joe Ogilvie, Joe Durant, Bill Lunde and Hunter Haas.

Pairings to come later this week.

Casey Martin Successfully Sued The PGA Tour, But You Wouldn't Know That If You Read PGATour.com

I suppose it is wise for PGATour.com to edit out references to the darkest days of Commissioner Tim Finchem's tenure. After all, Commissioner Aladeen, who appealed all the way to the Supreme Court but who won't endorse penalty shots for slow play, might realize he once made a truly awful, career-defining executive decision. 

But gosh it's fun to read the red-lined version of the AP story.

Here are two separate paragraphs from the PGATour.com version:

Martin, who won the right to ride a cart because of a rare circulatory disorder in his right leg, earned a spot in the U.S. Open on Monday night when he holed a 5-foot par putt in darkness on the final hole at Emerald Valley Golf Club.


Martin earned his way onto the PGA TOUR in 1999. He failed to keep his TOUR card after one year, and eventually became the golf coach at Oregon.

And how the story appeared on the wires, with underline added to highlight the dreaded truth cut from the PGATour.com copy:

Martin, who successfully sued for the right to ride a cart because of a rare circulatory disorder in his right leg, earned a spot in the U.S. Open on Monday night when he holed a 5-foot par putt in darkness on the final hole at Emerald Valley Golf Club.


Martin earned his way onto the PGA Tour in 1999 and eventually won his lawsuit to ride a cart. He failed to keep his PGA Tour card after one year, and eventually became the golf coach at Oregon.

2012 U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying Roundup

Golfweek's one-stop roundup includes all of the numbers, qualifiers, alternates and notable missers in easy-to-read fashion.

And here is the USGA Sectional page where all scores, stories and photos are posted.

Doug Ferguson's AP story on sectionals focuses on Casey Martin and his USGA-supported cart returning to the scene of his only U.S. Open appearance.

Mike Tomiko of The Oregonian on Martin's qualifying and the backstory of his decision to give it a try this year. 

Jim Achenbach with details from on-site of the harrowing day for Martin, which included rushing to finish after a rain delay.

Martin may be back at the course Tuesday morning to watch the sudden death playoff between Daniel Miernicki and Nick Sherwood. Both are amateurs, Miernicki plays for Martin at Oregon. Sherwood plays for Oregon State. James Raia with more details from the Oregon qualifier.
 
The unforgettable moment of the day (and Sportscenter Top 10 highlight) came with Dennis Miller's epic putt and the surrounding Golf Channel video coverage viewable here, including a super Whit Watson interview with Miller.

Ryan Ballengee profiles Miller, Director of Golf at Mill Creek, who was in a playoff with PGA Tour players Justin Hicks and Scott Piercy.

Nick Masuda files from Black Diamond Ranch, leading with a detailed account of Brooks Koepka denying 14-year-old Andy Zhang in a profile.
 
Rhonda Glenn was there too and filed a story about the sectional medalist, Scott Langley.

Michelle Hiskey reports from The River Club in Suwanee, Georgia, where Jason Bohn and Casey Wittenberg made it after making coaching changes.

Matt Baylor reports from Glen Ellyn, Illinois where Australian Anthony Summers was medalist over Tim Herron.

Ian O'Conner on former E Street drummer Vini Lopez looping for Mark McCormick at Canoe Brook.

David Shefter's story from the Canoe Brook qualifier focuses on amateur Cameron Wilson qualifying.

Dave Shedloski files from the Columbus qualifier and leads with Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love's successful quest to return to the U.S. Open.

Jason Sobel on Springfield qualifier John Peterson, who was left off last year's Walker Cup team and now will be playing in the U.S. Open.

Rob Oller on the bizarre journey of Peterson and the other qualifier from the Springfield site, Brice Garnett. Neither had played the course before Monday.

Hunki Yun files reports from Woodmont Country Club where alternate Cole Howard, playing with a heavy heart, made his way to Olympic Club.

Barry Svrluga reports from Woodmont with some great color and sense of the day, along with a great Toni Sandys photo of Fred Funk accompanying the story.

Mike Bailey was on the ground in Houston for Bob Estes' dominating performance along with two gutsy performances from Jordan Spieth and Cory Whitsett, both working on almost no sleep after playing in the NCAA Championship match Sunday. Both missed in a playoff.

Thomas Bonk reports from Lake Merced, where Cal grad James Hahn took the sectional and 53-year-old Olympic Club member and Champions Tour player Michael Allen made it to the Open.

Bucky Dent reports from the Germantown CC qualifier in Memphis where 5 inches of rains in 16 hours washed out play.

Golf Channel also posted this video clib of Sands and Isenhour discussing the notables who missed. Other interviews and clips may run too since it's a 90 minute package!

Your One-Stop Shop For USGA Sectional News And Scores

Here is my Golf World Monday item previewing what to expect from Golf Channel's expanded coverage today, and depending on WiFi access, I hope this post will grow through the day with some helpful links.

For starters, here is the USGA page devoted to the U.S. Open sectional results with links to scoring results.

**Golfweek's one stop shop is the same as their preview page, and will simply be updated as the day goes with notes, news and of course, scores.

**GolfChannel.com offers their own page linking to scores, and this Twitter feed featuring insights from their -on-site reporters.

Golf Channel's "Golf's Longest Day" Covers Qualifying For "Golf's Toughest Test" AKA The U.S. Open

Who knew the PGA of America's Glory's Last Shot would encourage a slew of slogan's for tournaments seemingly not in need of any introduction?

So for the U.S. Open (Golf's Toughest Test), Golf Channel unveils Monday coverage of U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying (Golf's Longest Day). For Immediate Release:

GOLF CHANNEL PREPARES FOR MAJOR TV FEAT AND 'GOLF'S LONGEST DAY'
 
June 4 to be Golf’s Version of ‘Super Tuesday’

Reporters at 14 U.S. Sites Will Follow More Than 1,000 Hopefuls Attempting to Qualify for the U.S. Open Championship
 
ORLANDO, Fla. (June 1, 2012) - Dreams of playing on one of golf’s brightest stages either will be realized or dashed on June 4 for nearly 1,000 golfers who will attempt to qualify for a mere 79 slots available in the final field of 156 players for the 2012 U.S. Open Championship. Through a first-of-its-kind golf television undertaking, Golf Channel will devote an entire day of programming and updates in order to follow these compelling stories during what the network is calling Golf’s Longest Day, or more commonly known as U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying.

Starting at 7 a.m. ET and lasting until Midnight (or when final results are in), Golf Channel will feature interviews, analysis and scoring updates delivered by a team of more than 50 reporters and production professionals embedded at 14 locations throughout the United States. In addition to the 11 USGA Sectional Qualifying sites, the network also will have reporters located at The Olympic Club in San Francisco – site of next month’s U.S. Open – and at USGA headquarters in Far Hills, N.J. All of the content throughout the day will be hosted by Steve Sands and Kelly Tilghman from Golf Channel’s Orlando studios.

Golf’s Longest Day will begin with an expanded, four-hour version of Morning Drive, hosted by Gary Williams. The telecast will include live and taped reports from the 11 sectional qualifiers, as well as interviews with USGA members past and present. Mark Hill, former executive director of the Kentucky Golf Association who ran USGA qualifiers for many years, will serve as a special in-studio expert and will be featured on Golf Channel throughout the day. Hill now serves as USGA senior director of competitions, overseeing the Association’s 12 national amateur events.

Three Golf Central special presentations (1-2 p.m. ET; 6-8 p.m. ET; and 10 p.m.-12 a.m. ET) will cover emerging stories, interviews with medalists and other qualifiers, and studio analysis from Tripp Isenhour (who has qualified for the U.S. Open three out of seven attempts in the past) and Hill. In between, frequent news updates throughout the day will keep viewers up to date on all the news and scores.

GolfChannel.com also will serve as a source for U.S. Open qualifying news and information, with feature stories written by correspondents in the field, scoring updates and posting social media content from Golf Channel reporters covering the Sectional events.

Johnny On Olympic, Dufner and Phil's Chances

Ron Kroichick had the best roundup of highlights from Johnny Miller's entertaining conference call to plug Golf Channel/NBC's upcoming U.S. Open coverage, which starts with an all day presence at June 4's Sectionals and kicks into gear a week later at Olympic Club.

On Rory's chances at Olympic:

"Congressional was a good course, but it was almost like a tour course," Miller said. "This is a whole different ballgame and more like being back at a traditional U.S. Open. Rory won his Open sort of in a nontraditional setup.

"Now it's not going to be so much fun and games out there. It's going to be hard work and a sterner test. I think probably 3, 4 or 5-under-par will win."

Johnny likes Jason Dufner's demeanor for Olympic, and Dufner certainly has the name to fit in snuggly with the previous Olympic Club winners!

Dufner brings one all-important U.S. Open skill - he hits the ball straight (sixth on tour in driving accuracy). His stoic demeanor might also come in handy.

"The great Open players are guys who barely have a pulse," Miller said. "Dufner, who's playing so great right now, fits that mold - a guy who has learned to temper his emotions so well, like Hogan and Nicklaus did. Those are the guys who seem to flourish in a U.S. Open, not the flamboyant types who are always smiling."

And on Phil's chances...

"This is not an all-out, off-the-tee course - you can't hit the driver hard at Olympic, because it just doesn't pay off. So he's going to have to change his aggressive style and make it fit, or he won't have a chance of contending."

I think Amy's got something to put on the kitchen refrigerator!