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A18 SPORTS
Thursday 13 June 2019

A beautiful course, a beast of a U.S. Open at Pebble Beach

By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (AP)
— Tiger Woods and Jor-
dan Spieth began the final
day of U.S. Open prepara-
tion with a walk along the
beach.
No other U.S. Open has
such a calming effect, es-
pecially the seven-hole
stretch along the Pacific
coast with sweeping views
of sea lions basking on the
rocks below the sixth green
and people walking dogs
on the seashore below the
10th fairway.
“What’s not to like?” Dustin
Johnson said. “The golf
course is fantastic from
start to finish. When you’ve
got nice weather, it’s quite
beautiful out there.”
About the time Woods and
Spieth, along with Justin
Thomas and Kevin Kisner,
began their nine-hole prac-
tice round Wednesday on
No. 10, fog crept over the
foothills and soon blan- Tiger Woods putts in the fog on the 13th hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open Championship golf tournament Wednesday,
keted the course. Visibility June 12, 2019, in Pebble Beach, Calif.
was reduced to about 250 Associated Press
yards. it’s going to play like that endeavor to provide the on to beat Johnson by two face greens like this, this
It was an ominous sign the later on this week. It’s going toughest test, the ultimate shots. small and this steep. And
U.S. Open is no holiday. to play tough. You’ve got test, the most comprehen- Koepka now goes for three so it puts a premium on iron
Johnson is among the early to be very, very precise.” sive test, whatever you straight U.S. Open titles, a play, because I feel like
starters when the 119th U.S. The USGA says it used 2010 want to call it. And really just feat only accomplished most of the field can drive
Open begins Thursday at as a blueprint for this U.S. to create something where more than a century ago. the ball in the fairways. The
Pebble Beach, which is cel- Open, with a few excep- players’ shot-making abil- Johnson looks for atone- golf course is not overly
ebrating its 100th year. tions. A tree that seems to ity, mental resolve, physical ment from his U.S. Open long. It’s where to put the
He is one of the favorites, be in the middle of the 18th stamina are tested.” meltdown at Pebble ball in the right spots so you
not only from his sheer fairway is now only a few Adding to the anticipation Beach. No one has greater can have putts at it.”
skill, but historical reasons paces from the rough on is how the other two majors history at Pebble Beach Woods and Spieth will be in
whether it’s February or the right because of how turned out this year. than Woods, not so much the same group Thursday
June. Johnson has won the much the fairway was nar- Nothing can top what by number of victories but afternoon when it counts.
AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am rowed. Woods did at the Masters, margin of victory. His 15- Spieth won the AT&T Peb-
twice and was runner-up The rough is lush as ever. where he emerged from shot win in 2000 is nearly as ble Beach Pro-Am three
twice. The last time the U.S. The greens are small, and a six-player pack on the iconic as the course itself. years ago and is starting to
Open was at Pebble, he they look even smaller back nine at Augusta Na- “It’s not the same body I round into form as he ap-
had a three-shot lead go- when not hitting from the tional to win his fifth green had back in 2000,” Woods proaches the two-year an-
ing into the final round until fairway. jacket and 15th major in a said. niversary of his last win.
he rushed his way through This is what a U.S. Open is career that only two years “I don’t think any of us have “It’s just one of the most
a triple bogey, a double supposed to look like. ago looked to be done in the same body we had amazing pieces of proper-
bogey and a bogey before “We’re going into this week by back problems. 19 years ago. Athletically, ty in the world, and the fact
he reached the fifth hole. with a great plan, and part Brooks Koepka showed his that’s one of the challeng- that we get to play golf on
Johnson shot 82 and tied of that plan is to do what major prowess, along with es.” it is pretty amazing,” Spieth
for eighth. we’ve always done,” said plenty of resolve, when The course figures to pres- said. “And to have a major
“The golf course was John Bodenhamer, the he set a PGA Champion- ent its own set of chal- championship on it is even
great,” Johnson said about senior managing director ship record with a seven- lenges. Woods recalls not more special. It’s certainly
2010. “I feel like the golf of championships for the shot lead through 54 holes, missing a putt inside 10 feet a very different golf course
course is getting to where USGA. “We will continue to nearly lost it, and then held in 2000. That’s not likely to than we’re used to seeing
happen again, for him or in February.
anyone. Power never hurts With the weather we have,
anywhere in golf, though the USGA should be able
it’s not as necessary as ven- to control the golf course
ues like Erin Hills or Torrey the way they want to.” The
Pines. USGA wants to get it right
“How do you put the ball after four years of various
in the correct position is mishaps. More anything,
the key,” Woods said. “And it wants a strong test. That
these greens ... we don’t starts Thursday.q