NO. 18: The signature hole
Golfers will have faced tougher and longer par 4s during their round, but the beauty
of this classic fi nishing hole is unmatched. Bending through lines of evergreens into
a dogleg right, the fairway provides a postcard view of Cheyenne Canyon climbing
up the south side of Pikes Peak. The lake that bisects the fairway about 120 yards shy of the
green should not come into play for most players. But they could be treated to a panoramic
water refl ection, with the famous resort hotel and clubhouse framing the 18th green and
majestic mountains providing a stunning backdrop.
NOS. 10, 11, 12, 13: Where the Open will be won
To facilitate traffi c fl ow, both for players and spectators, the USGA switched the regular
seventh and 11th holes for the tournament. That should help keep everybody moving,
but adding a 478-yard par 4 to the back nine makes for a challenging stretch that
includes the 501-yard, par-4 10th; the 240-yard, par-3 12th; and the 493-yard, par-4 13th. Each
requires a long shot into a diffi cult green. Each golfer must start his round on the back nine
Thursday or Friday. Many could fi nd themselves 2- or 3-over-par after four holes. Slipping
through that quartet at even par should be considered an accomplishment — and a relief.
NO. 9: The best place to see an eagle
Only two holes will play to par 5 for the tournament – two other usual par 5s were
turned into par 4s by the USGA – leaving few risk-reward opportunities. The best
eagle opportunity fi gures to be at No. 9, at 535 yards the shortest par 5. A drive down
the left side of the fairway will allow longer hitters an opportunity to reach the green in two.
However, the putting surface is guarded in front by a triangular-shaped pond and three sand
bunkers.
NO. 11: The toughest hole
After the circus leaves town, members and resort guests will gladly play this monster
dogleg left as a par 5 (and as the seventh hole). A drive that hugs the left side of the
fairway is crucial. Even a slightly pulled tee shot could spell trouble – the fairway is
tree-lined and a bunker must be dodged. Those reaching the green with a long second shot
have conquered only half the battle. The three-tiered putting surface is slick and quick. Par
will stand up as an excellent score here.
The field
The United States Golf Association received 2,810
entries for this year’s U.S. Senior Open, and after 43
qualifers around the country, the fi eld is at 154 players,
including 74 who had exemptions. The last two spots
will be announced Sunday after the British Senior
Open and the Canadian Open (if the winner is older
than 50). The USGA will announce pairings and tee
times Monday morning.
Mitch Adams,
Jesse Allen,
Bert Atkinson,
Andy Bean,
Mike Bell,
Lee Booker,
Steve Bowen,
Brad Bryant,
Ric Burgess,
Mitch Camp,
Tom Carey,
Patrick Carrigan,
Bill Caveness,
Jon Chaffee,
Rick Cloninger,
Jim Colbert,
John Cook,
Jeffrey Coston,
Ben Crenshaw,
Paul Daniels,
Michael Darrell,
Audie Dean,
Wayne Defrancesco,
David Delich,
James Dickson,
Tom Doughtie,
Dale Douglass,
Allen Doyle,
R.W. Eaks,
David Edwards,
David Eger,
Dave Eichelberger,
Alan Fadel,
Sam Farlow,
Greg Farrow,
Keith Fergus,
Vicente Fernandez,
Bruce Fleisher,
Frank Ford III,
Steve Fry,
Fred Funk,
Greg Galasso,
Bob Gilder,
Wayne Grady,
Don Graham,
Danny Green,
Hubert Green,
Stu Grendahl,
Mo Guttman,
Jay Haas,
Gary Hallberg,
Doug Harris,
John Harris,
Morris Hatalsky,
Thomas Herzan,
Greg Hickman,
Scott Hoch,
Jim Holtgrieve,
Hale Irwin,
David Ishii,
Jack Jackson,
Peter Jacobsen,
Mark James,
Tom Jenkins,
Mark Johnson,
Mickey Jones,
Jim Kane,
Stephen Kane,
Rick Karbowski,
Darrell Kestner,
Tom Kite,
Jeff Klein,
Ron Kramer,
Doug Lacrosse,
Bernhard Langer,
Larry Laoretti,
Stanford Lee,
Bob Leist,
William Leonard,
Sandy Lyle,
Scott Mahlberg,
Graham Marsh,
Scott Masingill,
James Mason,
Mark McNulty,
Gil Morgan,
John Morse,
Kiyoshi Murota,
Jim Myers,
Larry Nelson,
Lonnie Nielsen,
Greg Norman,
Rod Nuckolls,
Mark O’Meara,
Gary Ostrega,
Joe Ozaki,
Charles Palmer,
Paul Parajeckas,
Mark Pfeil,
Wayne Phillips,
Donald Pollard,
Don Pooley,
Jim Prusia,
Tom Purtzer,
Dana Quigley,
Juan Quiros,
David Rasley,
Michael Reid,
Randy Reifers,
Chris Rigdon,
Loren Roberts,
Walter Robertson,
Tommy Robinson,
Gary Robison,
Costantino Rocca,
Eduardo Romero,
Scott Roser,
Boonchu Ruangkit,
Rob Rushton,
Scott Sheftall,
Scott Simpson,
Tim Simpson,
Paul Simson,
Joey Sindelar,
Jeff Sluman,
Des Smyth,
Mick Soli,
Craig Stadler,
Craig Steinberg,
Bob Stephens,
Dave Stockton,
Curtis Strange,
Tom Studer,
Don Thames,
Jeff Thomsen,
Jim Thorpe,
Katsuyoshi Tomori,
Sam Torrance,
Jim Traina,
Chris Tucker,
Steve Veriato,
Jerry Vidovic,
Bobby Wadkins,
Denis Watson,
Tom Watson,
D.A. Weibring,
Mark Wiebe,
Paul Wise,
Jim Woodward,
Ian Woosnam,
Kim Young,
Bruce Zabriski,
George Zahringer,
Michael Zinni,
Fuzzy Zoeller,
Best vantage points on the course
While the players will be walking inside the ropes of
the longest course in U.S. Senior Open history, fans
who head down this week will have a number of ways
to navigate the course. A combination of holes built by
Donald Ross in 1918 and Robert Trent Jones in 1965,
The Broadmoor’s East Course will play at 7,254 yards
and par is 36-34-70.
1: Range and putting green Even chatty players tend to get into their focused game mode once they reach the first tee. The best places to hear them tell jokes and swap stories — and maybe score an autograph — is before their round. The practice range and putting green offer opportunities to get up close and personal to a lot of players, which is impossible on the golf course. You will marvel at their skill level and get a few laughs.
2: Behind the No. 3 green The par-5 third, which can measure 560 to 601 yards depending on the USGA’s tee placement on a given day, offers one of the few risk-reward opportunities on the golf course. Watching big hitters try to reach the green in two will cause jaws to drop and knees to buckle. The green is guarded by a pond in front, and a sinister swale behind the green greets shots that arrive too hot. From here, spectators also
can see players tee off on the first tee and at the par-3 fourth.
3: Behind the No. 11 tee box Don’t be fooled by their age — many of these 50-something players can still pound 300-yard drives. The 11th hole, a 478-yarder that looks like a par 5 (and is for resort players) but will be scored this week as a par 4, requires a long and
accurate tee shot. From this spot, spectators also can watch tee shots down the 426-yard No. 7 and see other players face tricky putts on the No. 10 green.
4: Behind the No. 12 green Watching touring pros try to get it close on a par-3 hole is always a fun place to be, especially when that
par 3 measures 240 yards. This vantage point, located at the southernmost part of the course, also offers spectators an opportunity
to watch players whack tee shots down the fairway of the tight, 493-yard 13th and see others hit approach shots into the green on the
427-yard No. 14.
Parking
Lot B: Drop off/pick up
Lot B will open at 6:30 a.m. daily for loading and unloading only. A pass is not required to access Lot B, but no parking
will be allowed.
Directions from I-25: Take Exit 140 (Tejon/Nevada). Turn right on Tejon; it will become West Cheyenne Boulevard. Follow West Cheyenne Boulevard about 2 miles to Evans Avenue, turn left and follow Evans to Mesa Avenue. Turn left on Mesa. Lot B will be on the right.
Fan facts
Format
72-hole stroke play; field will be cut to low 60 and ties plus anyone within 10 strokes of the leader following the completion of the second
round.
Schedule
Gates open daily at 6:30 a.m. Monday: Practice round Tuesday: Practice round Wednesday: Practice round Thursday: First round, 7:15 a.m., 1st and 10th tees Friday: Second round, 7:15 a.m., 1st and 10th tees Saturday: Third round, 7:15 a.m. Sunday: Final round, 7:15 a.m.; 4:30 p.m. trophy presentation
Tickets
Available at King Soopers, usso.broadmoor.com, or by calling 1-877-281-OPEN Practice rounds: $20 Rounds 1-3: $40 Final round: $45 Fore pack: Four tickets, good any day of the championship, $135 Season pass: One ticket for each day of the championship (Monday-Sunday), $155
Trophy club: One ticket for each day of the championship plus access to an air-conditioned villa on the course, $250
Kids in free
Kids ages 17 and under receive free admission throughout the week when accompanied by a ticketed adult.
Military Family Day
All military personnel (active and retired) with proper identifi cation receive free admission, a voucher for a free lunch and a discount in the merchandise tent for themselves and their families on Wednesday.
Television
The U.S. Senior Open will be broadcast on ESPN at 11 a.m. Thursday and Friday and on KUSA-9 at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
Handicap access
Scooters will be provided free of charge on a first-come, first-serve basis at the main admission gate. Handicap parking is available with a valid
handicap parking pass in the World Arena parking lot (Senior Open Lot A). Wheelchair accessible vehicles will be available to transport spectators with disabilities to and from the course.
Weather
If it rains on any day of the championship, play will continue as long as it is deemed safe to do so. Each day’s ticket is valid only on the
day it is printed for; therefore, a rain delay does not allow that day’s ticket to be transferred or used on a different day. The USGA will have meteorology staff on-site monitoring the possibility of inclement weather. If inclement weather is approaching, weather warning will be posted on leaderboards around the course. When the warnings appear, spectators are advised to take immediate precautions (including clearing grandstands)
prior to play being suspended. Avoid hilltops, high places, isolated trees, golf carts, wire fences and open areas. If play is suspended, which will be indicated by one prolonged air-horn blast, please close your umbrella and seek shelter immediately.
Prohibited items
The following items can not be brought into the championship:
- Cellphones, including any with photographic capabilities
- PDAs or other portable e-mail devices
- Cameras or camcorders (allowed Monday through Wednesday for personal use)
- Bags or backpacks larger than 8 inches wide,8 inches high and 8 inches deep
- Signs, posters or banners
- Televisions or radios
- Outside food or beverages
- Containers or coolers
- Pets (other than service animals)
- Lawn or folding armchairs
- Bicycles
- Ladders
- Metal-spiked golf shoes
- Noisemaking devices
- Weapons
- Any other items deemed unlawful or dangerous by the USGA or security personnel
Note: Parents with small children are allowed to bring strollers and diaper bags.
The Broadmoor’s history
The resort has hosted fi ve major golf events since opening in 1918:
1959: U.S. Amateur At age 19, Jack Nicklaus won the event, defeating Charles Coe 1-up in a 36-hole final in September. Nicklaus birdied the final hole only after Coe had just missed chipping in for a birdie from the fringe. Coe, a 35-year-old oilman from Oklahoma, was the defending champion. Nicklaus’ first match was against Bobby Jones III, and the story goes that the elder Jones told
his son, “I don’t think it would be worth my effort to fly to Colorado just to watch you play 12 holes.” Indeed, Nicklaus won the first match in 12 holes.
1962: Curtis Cup Played in August, the Curtis Cup was won by the United States, 8-1, over a team from Great Britain. While the U.S. had experienced players, three of the eight British golfers were teenagers. The lone loss for the U.S. was Judy Bell, who lost 8 and 7 to Dianne
Frearson. “It was one of the most lopsided victories we’ve had,” Bell said. “It was the first time the match was held this far west.” Frearson and Bell captained their teams in 1986 and 1988 and Frearson won both years. “She had my number, anyway,” Bell said.
1967: U.S. Amateur Back when the event was held as stroke play, Bob Dickson led from the start and won by a shot over Marvin Giles III. Dickson, 23, won the British Amateur earlier in the year. According to USGA records, Dickson had a two-stroke lead with three holes to play
on the West Course, but Giles birdied No. 17, and then Dickson drove into the woods on the par-4 18th. He was given a free lift from interference, played to the fairway, and then onto the green 7 feet from the hole. He made the putt for his par and the championship.
1982: U.S. Women’s Amateur Juli Inkster won the event for the third consecutive time. Playing in the finals against Penny Hanlon, the
22-year-old Inkster took control with an eagle on the 30th hole. On the South Course’s 490-yard par-5, Inkster hit a 4-iron on her second shot, which went roughly 240 yards and stopped just short of the hole, and she tapped in for an eagle. Inkster had 10 birdies to go with her eagle in 33 holes and beat Hanlon 4 and 3. Over the course of fi ve U.S. Amateurs, Inkster won 18 consecutive matches and fi nished with a 20-2 record.
1995: U.S. Women’s Open Forever known as the coming-out party of Annika Sorenstam’s career, the East Course was the site of her
first major. The 22-year-old fi red a 2-under-par 68 on the final day. Sorenstam had a birdie string on holes 9- 11, but her three-stroke lead fell to one after bogeys on 15 and 16. She parred the final two holes, and watched as Meg Mallon, the only player with a chance to force an 18-hole playoff, missed a 20-foot birdie putt on 18. Of note, 56-year-old JoAnne Carner missed the Open cut for the first time in 26 appearances.
