LA JOLLA, Calif. — The gallery circled around to watch Tiger Woods on the 13th tee at Torrey Pines, but he looked behind them toward a chain-link fence that was lined with green mesh, a padlock around the gate to keep everyone out.
This was January, five months before the U.S. Open could show off its fangs.
Hidden behind the fence was a rectangular patch of green grass, right in front of where RVs park and hang gliders take flight along the shores of the Pacific Ocean. It was the new tee box built specifically for the U.S. Open, meaning a par 5 that could be reached in two was transformed into a monster at 614 yards.
Woods smiled and returned his gaze toward the fairway.
It was yet another reminder that some things aren’t what they seem when the U.S. Open comes to town. Only this year, that applies to more than just extra length on an already difficult South Course at Torrey Pines.
Woods is the No. 1 player in the world at the U.S. Open for the eighth consecutive year. His six victories at Torrey Pines in the Buick Invitational tie a PGA Tour record for most wins on a single golf course. But that doesn’t necessarily make him the favorite.
Woods had surgery on his left knee two days after the Masters, and his next competitive round will be opening day of the U.S. Open. He isn’t sure his health will be 100 percent. And while the circumstances are different, the last time Woods missed two months going into the U.S. Open, he missed the cut for the only time in a major. “It’s a matter of now getting to the feel of playing again,” he said. “And hopefully, all that will come together come Thursday.”
So maybe the favorite really is Phil Mickelson, who grew up in San Diego playing high school matches at Torrey Pines, winning on the municipal course three times at the Buick Invitational.
But those trophies came before Rees Jones Jr. doctored up the South Course with hopes of a U.S. Open, changing the shape of some holes and the subtleties on the greens that Mickelson once knew so well. In the seven years since the redesign, Mickelson has missed the cut once, contended twice and finished a combined 52 shots behind the leaders.
“I actually think that if the conditions stayed the same at Torrey Pines as any other golf course, I think Torrey Pines is the hardest golf course in the country,” Mickelson said. “Because it’s 7,600 yards at sea level, with no bailout on any hole, bunkers are left and right, pins are tucked. And there’s not letup.
“There aren’t any fun holes there. They’re all just long beasts.”
And there figures to be plenty of people watching, especially since the USGA decided to group the top three players in the world for the first time, possibly creating a traveling circus with Woods, Mickelson and Australian heartthrob Adam Scott.
All this awaits when the U.S. Open returns to Southern California for the first time in 60 years. The last one was at Riviera in 1948, and Ben Hogan won on the course off Sunset Boulevard for the second time that year, leading to Riviera being called “Hogan’s Alley.” What to call Torrey Pines? Given it is hosting a modern U.S. Open, any nickname is likely to be a four-letter word.
The last two U.S. Opens were won at 5-over-par — Angel Cabrera last year at Oakmont and Geoff Ogilvy the year before at Winged Foot, where he failed to break par in any round.
The players will know the difference, for Torrey Pines has been part of the PGA Tour landscape since 1952.
“That course is brutal in January,” Zach Johnson said. “It’s going to be extremely brutal come June.”
That might be the only sure thing when the 108th U.S. Open gets underway Thursday at Torrey Pines, the first city-owned golf course to host a major known as the toughest test in golf.
It is rare for a U.S. Open — or any major — to be held on a course that hosted a PGA Tour event the same year.
This is the sixth time it has happened for the U.S. Open, with four of those at Pebble Beach and the other at Riviera.Pebble Beach, Pinehurst No. 2 and Riviera also hosted PGA Tour events and the PGA Championship in the same season.
The last time it happened was in 2000, when Woods came from five shots behind to win the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in February, then obliterated the field in a record-setting performance to win the U.S. Open by 15 shots.
Jack Nicklaus (1972 at Pebble Beach) and Ben Hogan (1948 at Riviera) also won tour events and U.S. Opens in the same year. But no one has captured more than one major in California.
The last time Woods had surgery on his left knee, in December 2002, he missed two months and returned to competition at Torrey Pines, winning by three shots while playing with Mickelson in the final round. But that was the Buick Invitational, not the toughest test in golf. Majors, especially the U.S. Open, take on a new dimension.
108th U.S. Open
When: Thursday-June 15
Where: Torrey Pines Golf Course (South), La Jolla, Calif., 7,643 yards, 35-36—71
Format: 72 holes, stroke play.
Cut: Top 60 and ties, and anyone within 10 strokes of the lead after 36 holes
Playoff, if necessary: 18 holes of stroke play June 16
Purse: TBA ($7 million in 2007)
Winner’s share: TBA ($1.26 million in 2007).
Defending champ: Angel Cabrera
TV (all times MDT): Thurs.-Fri., 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., ESPN; 1-3 p.m., NBC; 3-8 p.m., ESPN; Saturday, 2-8 p.m., NBC; June 15, 1-8 p.m., NBC
Second time around
PGA Tour courses that held a major championship in the same year (listed in the order they were played):
Torrey Pines
2008 Buick Invitational: Tiger Woods (269) won by eight shots over Ryuji Imada.
2008 U.S. Open: June 12-15Pebble Beach
y-2000 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am: Tiger Woods (273) won by two shots over Matt Gogel and Vijay Singh.
2000 U.S. Open:Tiger Woods (272) won by 15 shots over Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Riviera C.C.
1995 Nissan Los Angeles Open: Corey Pavin (268) won by three shots over Jay Don Blake and Kenny Perry.
1995 PGA Championship: Steve Elkington (267) won in a playoff over Colin Montgomerie. (Pavin missed the cut at the PGA Championship).Pebble Beach
y-1992 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am: Mark O’Meara (275) won in playoff over Jeff Sluman.
1992 U.S. Open: Tom Kite (285) won by two shots over Sluman. (O’Meara missed the cut at the U.S. Open).
Riviera C.C. 1983 Los Angeles Open: Gil Morgan (270) won by two shots over Gibby Gilbert, Mark McCumber and Lanny Wadkins.
1983 PGA Championship: Hal Sutton (274) won by one shot over Jack Nicklaus. (Morgan tied for 55th).
Pebble Beach
y-1982 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am: Jim Simons (274) won by two shots over Craig Stadler.
1982 U.S. Open: Tom Watson (282) won by two shots over Jack Nicklaus. (Simons missed the cut at the U.S. Open).Pebble Beach
y-1977 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am: Tom Watson (273) won by one shot over Tony Jacklin.
1977 PGA Championship: Lanny Wadkins (282) won in a playoff over Gene Littler. (Watson tied for sixth in the PGA Championship).
Firestone C.C.
1975 PGA Championship: Jack Nicklaus (276) won by two shots over Bruce Crampton.
x-1975 World Series of Golf:Tom Watson (140) won the four-man exhibition by two shots over Nicklaus. (Watson finished ninth at the PGA Championship).
Pebble Beach
y-1972 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am: Jack Nicklaus (284) won in a playoff over Johnny Miller.
1972 U.S. Open:Nicklaus (290) won by three shots over Bruce Crampton.
Firestone C.C.
1966 PGA Championship: Al Geiberger (280) won by four shots over Dudley Wysong.
x-1966 World Series of Golf: Gene Littler (143) won a four-man exhibition in a playoff over Jack Nicklaus and Geiberger. (Littler tied for third at the PGA Championship).
Riviera C.C.
1948 Los Angeles Open: Ben Hogan (275) won by four shots over Lloyd Mangrum.
1948 U.S. Open:Hogan (276) won by two shots over Jimmy Demaret.
Pinehurst No. 2
1936 North & South Open: Henry Picard (288) won in a playoff over Ray Mangrum.
1936 PGA Championship: Denny Shute defeated Jimmy Thomson, 3 and 2. (Picard lost in the third round of the PGA).
x-Did not count as an official PGA Tour event.
y-Only two rounds of the PGA Tour event were played at Pebble Beach.
Torrey Pines, hole by hole
A hole-by-hole look at Torrey Pines Golf Course (South):
No. 1, 448 yards, par 4
Unlike the last two years, this should be a fairly tame way to start the U.S. Open. Two bunkers to the right and a longer bunker on the left should be avoided, with the left side of the fairway preferred for what could be a 7-iron or less depending on the wind. The green is slightly elevated and pitches from back to front, guarded by bunkers on both sides.No. 2, 389 yards, par 4
A driver could leave a flip sand wedge to the green, but anything not in the fairway spells trouble. Anything right off the tee could find a tricky bunker, with a long bunker stretching along the left side of the fairway. The green slopes severely from back to front, and is very quick in the back right location. Anything long drops off severely.
No. 3, 195 yards, par 3
One of the best holes on the course, and certainly the most scenic from an elevated tee with the Pacific as a backdrop. Two tees some 50 yards apart will be used, with the shorter tee (142 yards) just as difficult because of the wind. A long iron from the back tee will have a penetrating flight; a wedge from the forward tee gets up in the air. The two-tiered green slopes from left to right. A big bunker guards the front left of the green, with a hazard that falls off into a gorge on the left and behind the green.
No. 4, 488 yards, par 4
Already a tough hole, seven Torrey pines have been moved from the left side of the fairway to the right to open up the cliffs down the left side. A bunker on the right could see plenty of golf balls. The approach requires a long iron or more to a narrow green that is exposed to the wind along the cliffs.
No. 5, 453 yards, par 4
This has a similar look to the second hole, the fairway squeezed by bunkers on the right and left. The key is the approach to a green that is narrow and slopes severely, with a deep bunker to the right causing problems. Approach shots must be kept below the hole for a decent shot at birdie, and to avoid three-putting.
No. 6, 515 yards, par 4
This has been converted to a par 4 for the U.S. Open, mainly because the green is open to a long approach. The aggressive drive takes on the canyon on the right with a slight draw. Otherwise, the drive must avoid a cluster of five bunkers on the left and plenty of pines. A long iron is required to a green that is protected by bunkers on both sides.
No. 7, 461 yards, par 4
Precision is demanded off the tee, with a fairway bunker in the landing zone to the left and trees lining a canyon to the right. The approach is to an uphill green that is deceptively narrow and falls off sharply, with a large bunker protecting the front right part of the green.
No. 8, 177 yards, par 3
The tamest of the par 3s. The green is two-tiered and not entirely visible from the tee. A large bunker guards the front of the green, with a smaller bunker over the back, but the key is to find the same level as the hole location. Otherwise, lag putts are difficult.
No. 9, 612 yards, par 5
Only the longest hitters go for the green with a 3-wood, and everyone else still must hit the fairway for a good layup; otherwise, they will have as much as a mid-iron for the third shot. Bunkers are on both sides in the landing area, and the green is two-tiered with bunkers on both sides of the front portion.
No. 10, 414 yards, par 4
Most players will opt for a fairway metal off the tee and keep it on the left side for a short iron to a sloping green that is guarded by bunkers at the front on both sides. This might be considered the last good birdie opportunity until the final hole.
No. 11, 221 yards, par 3
A tough par 3 that typically plays longer than its yardage because of the prevailing wind from the ocean. The tee shot is straightforward, but must avoid a narrow bunker along the right side of the green and two smaller bunkers to the left. The green slopes severely from right to left.
No. 12, 504 yards, par 4
The fairway is generous, with a couple of bunkers on both sides, but the two on the right more often come into play. Only a solid tee shot will allow players to reach the green in two, but anything short is still a fairly simple up-and-down, because the green is 35 yards deep and receptive to uphill chips.
No. 13, 614 yards, par 5
Two tees have been built near the launch area for hang gliders. From the back tee, a 240-yard carry is required to clear the canyon and reach the fairway, and it’s doubtful anyone can reach the green in two, which is elevated and protected in front by deep rough and a series of bunkers. A forward tee could mean a 3-wood for position.
No. 14, 435 yards, par 4
Two bunkers are situated down the right side of the fairway, but the greater fear is a canyon to the left. Players tend to aim further to the right, bringing trees into the picture for anything too far off line. The green, protected by deep bunkers left and right, is one of the most exposed on the course. Anything over the green could run down the slope and into a hazard.
No. 15, 478 yards, par 4
Eucalyptus trees line both sides of the fairway, making this the one of the most claustrophobic tee shots on the course. It’s the only driving hole without a fairway bunker, but none are needed. Anything left could force a low runner under the branches of trees. The green is slightly uphill and slopes aggressively from right to left, with bunkers on both sides.
No. 16, 225 yards, par 3
Two tees offer dramatically different views. The longer tee is straightforward to an open green, with deep bunkers on both sides, but the wind can complicate the angle. The shorter tee to the left (193 yards) requires a carry over the canyon and brings the bunkers into play, but players can aim more to the right and ride the prevailing breeze off the ocean.
No. 17, 441 yards, par 4
With a prevailing breeze at the back, most players will go with an iron or fairway metal to play short of a large bunker on the right side. Players who are more aggressive must be aware of the canyon on the left, famous for when Phil Mickelson and Frank Lickliter both hit tee shots there in a 2001 playoff, which Mickelson won with a double bogey. The green is elevated, wide and severely undulating, protected by small bunkers on both sides at the front.
No. 18, 573 yards, par 5
The USGA decided to leave this as a par 5, making it perhaps the most exciting closing hole for a U.S. Open since Pebble Beach (which Tiger Woods made rather dull with his 15-shot victory). The tee shot must avoid bunkers right and left (along with the rough) to go for the green in two. A large pond guards the front left portion of the green, with bunkers curling on both sides of the narrow green. Those who lay up must guard against too much spin on their third, especially with a front pin, as the green slopes to the front toward the pond.
