WGT Golf News

By The Armchair Golfer

THE 2010 U.S. OPEN gets underway on Thursday at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California. Lucas Glover defends in an international field of 156 players.

Purse: $7.5 million
Winner’s share: $1.35 million
Defending champion: Lucas Glover

The field
Player bios
Groupings and tee times
Player interviews
Pebble Beach hole by hole (including fly-over video)
U.S. Open news
U.S. Open on Twitter
Photo gallery
Past winners
U.S. Open records

2010 U.S. Open Leaderboard
2010 U.S. Open hole-by-hole summary
2010 U.S. Open statistics

TV SCHEDULE

More than 30 hours of TV coverage are scheduled for the 2010 U.S. Open.

Thu, June 17
ESPN 1-3 PM ET
NBC 3-5 PM ET
ESPN 5-10 PM ET

Fri, June 18
ESPN 1-3 PM ET
NBC 3-5 PM ET
ESPN 5-10 PM ET

Sat, June 19
NBC 4:30-11 PM ET

Sun, June 20
NBC 3-9 PM ET

(Images: Keith Allison/Flickr)

By Stephanie Wei

The USGA released the US Open pairings on Friday afternoon (way to mess up my plan to start happy hour early). As some of you may know, the USGA enjoys putting together amusing pairings. In the past. Apparently this year they lost their sense of humor — unless I’m totally missing the joke behind some of the groups (which might be the case). Well, there are still the traditional obvious ones, which I’ve highlighted, along with my spin on a few. Don’t got me wrong, though, they’re still fantastic pairings. So, here they are and please feel free to top me or point out other connections. Enjoy!

Retief Goosen, Jim Furyk, Angel Cabrera — Past US Open Champions

Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy, Robert Allenby — Awesome Aussies

Matt Kuchar, Justin Leonard, Scott Verplank — Past US Amateur Champions

David Duval, Tom Lehman, Ben Curtis — Past British Open Champions

Sergio Garcia, Steve Stricker, Paul Casey — Best Players Never to Win a Major (Yet)

Nick Watney, Hunter Mahan, Ricky Barnes — Hey Brah, You See That Hot Chick?

Tom Watson, Ryo Ishikawa, Rory McIlroy — Two Kids and a Legend

Phil Mickelson, Padraig Harrington, Y.E. Yang — Tiger Nemeses

Lee Westwood, Tiger Woods, Ernie Els — Three Damn Good Players

Stewart Cink, Ben An, Lucas Glover — A USGA Tradition Unlike Any Other: British Open, US Amateur and US Open reigning champions

Stuart Appleby, Rory Sabbatini, Stephen Ames — Is This the *** Group?

Ian Poulter, Yuta Ikeda, Henrik Stenson — My Eyes, My Eyes! Can’t Miss ‘Em

Alvaro Quiros, Ryan Moore, Michael Sim — Young Dudes That Don’t Suck

Andrew Putnam (a), Ty Tyron, Hugo Leon — In Need of a Big Break

Vijay Singh, Dustin Johnson, Davis Love III — At One Point the Longest Hitter on Tour (DJ is currently and Love and Singh were in their younger days. By the way, if I’m Davis — who is far too nice — I’d punch Vijay on the first tee for getting a free pass when Davis had to qualify with a similar career resume and didn’t play last year because he failed to qualify. You know, just saying.)

Here’s the tee sheet in full:

Thursday (June 17), hole #1; Friday (June 18), hole #10

7:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Deane Pappas, South Africa; Gary Woodland, Topeka, Kan.; Paul Sheehan, Australia

7:11 a.m. - 12:41 p.m. - Steve Marino, Tequesta, Fla.; Gregory Havret, France; Charles Warren, Greenville, S.C.

7:22 a.m. - 12:52 p.m. - Toru Taniguchi, Japan; Soren Hansen, Denmark; Edoardo Molinari, Italy

7:33 a.m. - 1:03 p.m. - Francesco Molinari, Italy; Soren Kjeldsen, Denmark; Hiroyuki Fujita, Japan

7:44 a.m. - 1:14 p.m. - Tim Clark, South Africa; K. J. Choi, Korea; Mike Weir, Canada

7:55 a.m. – 1:25 p.m. - Adam Scott, Australia; Geoff Ogilvy, Australia; Robert Allenby, Australia

8:06 a.m. - 1:36 p.m. - Matt Kuchar, St. Simons Island, Ga.; Justin Leonard, Dallas, Texas; Scott Verplank, Edmond, Okla.

8:17 a.m. - 1:47 p.m. - Stewart Cink, Duluth, Ga.; A-Byeong-Hun An, Korea; Lucas Glover, Simpsonville, S.C.

8:28 a.m. - 1:58 p.m. - Ian Poulter, England; Yuta Ikeda, Japan; Henrik Stenson, Sweden

8:39 a.m. - 2:09 p.m. Trevor Immelman, South Africa; Robert Karlsson, Sweden; David Toms, Shreveport, La.

8:50 a.m. - 2:20 p.m. - Jason Gore, Valencia, Calif.; Arjun Atwal, India; Jim Herman, Port St. Lucie, Fla.

9:01 a.m. – 2:31 p.m. - A-Andrew Putnam, University Place, Wash.; Ty Tryon, Orlando, Fla.; Hugo Leon, Chile

9:12 a.m. - 2:42 p.m. - Kent Eger, Canada; A-Alex Martin, Liberty Twp., Ohio; Jon Curran, Hopkinton, Mass.

Thursday (June 17), hole #10; Friday (June 18), hole #1

7:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Rafael Cabrera - Bello, Spain; John Mallinger, Long Beach, Calif.; Stephen Allan, Australia

7:11 a.m. - 12:41 p.m. - Mikko Ilonen, Finland; Derek Lamely, Ft. Myers, Fla.; James Morrison, England

7:22 a.m. - 12:52 p.m. - Brian Gay, Windermere, Fla.; Simon Khan, England; Bo Van Pelt, Tulsa, Okla.

7:33 a.m. - 1:03 p.m. - Camilo Villegas, Colombia; Zach Johnson, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Luke Donald, England

7:44 a.m. - 1:14 p.m. - Retief Goosen, South Africa; Jim Furyk, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; Angel Cabrera, Argentina

7:55 a.m. – 1:25 p.m. - Stuart Appleby, Australia; Rory Sabbatini, South Africa; Stephen Ames, Canada

8:06 a.m. - 1:36p.m. - Phil Mickelson, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.; Padraig Harrington, Ireland; Y. E. Yang, Korea

8:17 a.m. - 1:47 p.m. - David Frost, South Africa; Kaname Yokoo, Japan; Eric Axley, Knoxville, Tenn.

8:28 a.m. - 1:58 p.m. - Nick Watney, Las Vegas, Nev.; Hunter Mahan, Colleyville, Texas; Ricky Barnes, Phoenix, Ariz.

8:39 a.m. – 2:09 p.m. - Jason Dufner, Auburn, Ala.; Thongchai Jaidee, Thailand; Ross McGowan, England

8:50 a.m. – 2:20 p.m. - Kevin Na, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; A-Ben Martin, Greenwood, S.C.; Matt Bettencourt, Greenville

9:01 a.m. – 2:31 p.m. - Craig Barlow, Henderson, Nev.; Kent Jones, Albuquerque, N.M.; Bobby Gates, The Woodlands, Texas

9:12 a.m. - 2:42 p.m. - Dan McCarthy, Syracuse, N.Y.; A-Joseph Bramlett, Saratoga, Calif.; Travis Hampshire, Tampa, Fla.

12:30 p.m. - 7:00 a.m. - Steve Wheatcroft, Jacksonville, Fla.; A-Morgan Hoffmann, Wyckoff, N.J.; Rikard Karlberg, Sweden

12:41 p.m. - 7:11 a.m. - Marc Leishman, Australia; Rafa Echenique, Argentina; John Rollins, Colleyville, Texas

12:52 p.m. - 7:22 a.m. - Tbd, Far Hills, N.J.; Graeme McDowell, Northern Ireland; Shaun Micheel, Collierville, Tenn.

1:03 p.m. - 7:33 a.m. - David Duval, Cherry Hills Village, Colo.; Tom Lehman, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Ben Curtis, Stow, Ohio

1:14 p.m. - 7:44 a.m. - Sergio Garcia, Spain; Steve Stricker, Madison, Wis.; Paul Casey, England

1:25 p.m. – 7:55 a.m. - Bob Estes, Abilene, Texas; Brendon De Jonge, Zimbabwe; Brian Davis, England

1:36 p.m. - 8:06 a.m. - Lee Westwood, England; Ernie Els, South Africa; Tiger Woods, Windermere, Fla.

1:47 p.m. - 8:17 a.m. - Ben Crane, Westlake, Texas; Peter Hanson, Sweden; Jerry Kelly, Madison, Wis.

1:58 p.m. - 8:28 a.m. - Martin Kaymer, Germany; Sean O’Hair, West Chester, Pa.; Charl Schwartzel, South Africa

2:09 p.m. - 8:39 a.m. - Heath Slocum, Alpharetta, Ga.; Oliver Wilson, England; John Senden, Australia

2:20 p.m. - 8:50 a.m. - Mathias Gronberg, Sweden; Azuma Yano, Japan; Harrison Frazar, Dallas, Texas

2:31 p.m. – 9:01 a.m. - Jason Preeo, Highlands Ranch, Colo.; A-Kevin Phelan, St. Augustine, Fla.; Mark Silvers, Savannah, Ga.

2:42 p.m. - 9:12 a.m. - Kenny Kim, Korea; A-Bennett Blakeman, Burr Ridge, Ill.; Blaine Peffley, Lebanon, Pa.

Thursday (June 17), hole #10; Friday (June 18), hole #1

12:30 p.m. - 7:00 a.m. - Terry Pilkadaris, Australia; Rich Barcelo, Reno, Nev.; Gary Boyd, England

12:41 p.m. - 7:11 a.m. - Jean-Francois Lucquin, France; Chris Stroud, Houston, Texas; Gareth Maybin, Northern Ireland

12:52 p.m. - 7:22 a.m. - Simon Dyson, England; J. J. Henry, Fort Worth, Texas; Alex Cejka, Czech Republic

1:03 p.m. - 7:33 a.m. - Michael Campbell, New Zealand; Seung Yul Noh, Korea; Paul Goydos, Coto De Caza, Calif.

1:14 p.m. - 7:44 a.m. - Aaron Baddeley, Australia; Pablo Martin, Spain; Rhys Davies, Wales

1:25 p.m. – 7:55 a.m. - Alvaro Quiros, Spain; Ryan Moore, Spanaway, Wash.; Michael Sim, Australia

1:36 p.m. - 8:06 a.m. - Vijay Singh, Fiji; Dustin Johnson, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Davis Love III, Sea Island, Ga.

1:47 p.m. - 8:17 a.m. - Ryo Ishikawa, Japan; Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland; Tom Watson, Stillwell, Kan.

1:58 p.m. - 8:28 a.m. - Kenny Perry, Franklin, Ky.; Miguel Angel Jimenez, Spain; Fred Funk, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

2:09 p.m. - 8:39 a.m. - Ross Fisher, England; Brandt Snedeker, Nashville, Tenn.; Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa

2:20 p.m. - 8:50 a.m. - Daniel Summerhays, Farmington, Utah; A-Scott Langley, St. Louis, Mo.; Matthew Richardson, England

2:31 p.m. – 9:01 a.m. - Erik Compton, Coral Gables, Fla.; A-Russell Henley, Macon, Ga.; Jason Allred, Scottsdale, Ariz.

2:42 p.m. - 9:12 a.m. - Erick Justesen, Sacramento, Calif.; Jerry Smith, Oskaloosa, Iowa; A-Hudson Swafford, Tallahassee, Fla.

By Stephanie Wei

Golf Digest’s made-for-TV US Open Challenge was played on Wednesday and it was a grind-it-out kind of day for the three celebs, Mark Wahlberg, Wayne Gretzky and Drew Brees, and reader’s pick, Peggy Ference.

Teeing up from the championship tees, Marky Mark, the highest handicap in the foursome, was the only one to break 100, firing a 97. Sandbagger!

Meanwhile, apparently if Tony Romo and Drew Brees were to face off on the links, Romo would dominate. Brees, a 3-handicap, opened the round by hitting his first drive on the roof of the spa bordering the hole. He finished with a 102, but the AP report excuses him for being “rusty” because he had just flown in on Tuesday after a trip to the oil spill cleanup effort in the Gulf Coast.

Gretzy almost broke 100, but triple-bogeyed the 18th to shoot 100.

And how about Peggy? The 51-year-old amateur had a rough time reaching most of the fairways from the back tees and shot 118. But she was a good sport and appreciated the experience.

While Ference didn’t meet her goal of breaking 100, she celebrated small victories during her round, such as when she cleared the 150-yard chasm on the eighth hole to stay dry. After the shot, she raised her arms, turned to her caddie Pavin and gave him a hug.

“This was really about the game of golf and how anybody can play it from any set of tees in any conditions,” Ference said. “I have so much appreciation for what the PGA Tour players encounter, not just in the U.S. Open but regular tournaments too.”

I saw some criticisms on Twitter over how poorly she was playing, but seriously, guys, what do you expect? It’s not like any past sweepstakes winners have ever broken 100. But this got me thinking — perhaps I should apply next year. That could be a really fantastic experience to write about, but not sure if I qualify since I guess I’m considered media now. Still, maybe they’d make an exception. I mean, it wouldn’t be a bad PR move. Plus, I played at a high level at one point (no, I’m not talking about Ivy League golf) and with some practice, I think I could break 100 from the big boys’ tees in US Open conditions.

Well, just a thought.

Congratulations to AvatarLee and GLADSTONESCREWER, who won the 2010 USGA Front 9 Challenge and the 2010 Virtual Open Front 9 Challenge, respectively.

For conquering the front 9 of Oakmont, AvatarLee has won a $250 gift certificate for the USGA Online Store, and for beating out the competition on St Andrews, GLADSTONESCREWER will take home The 150th Open Limited Edition Print. 

Congratulations guys!  And good luck to all in the Qualifying Rounds of the Virtual Majors going on now.

Are you on Twitter?  Follow us @worldgolftour and stay up to date with the latest news and updates from the WGT team.

Compete for the Championship Title and Incredible Prizes

The Virtual Majors kick off an exciting phase today with the stroke play Qualifying Rounds of both The USGA Virtual Championship at Oakmont Country Club and The Virtual Open Championship 2010 on the Old Course at St Andrews. Additional events include new Back 9 Closest-to-the-Hole Challenges on both courses. Prizes worth thousands of dollars and experiences money can't buy are up for grabs!

From now until July 11, compete on all 18 holes of Oakmont from the championship tees in the The USGA Virtual Championship Qualifying round. It’s unlimited play and your best scores will automatically post to the leaderboard. The top 156 players plus ties will make the cut to compete in the 36-hole Championship. Those who qualify for the Championship will not only win a 1-year membership to the USGA, but will also have the the opportunity to compete in the Championship round with a grand prize trip for two to the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional as a guest of the USGA. Anyone who posts an 18-hole score will also be entered into a sweepstakes drawing with a chance to win a $500 gift card to the USGA online store.

From now until July 18, compete from the championship tees on all 18 holes of the Old Course at St Andrews in the Qualifying round of the The Virtual Open Championship 2010. The top 156 players plus ties will make the cut and play in the 36-hole Championship to determine this year's winner. Each qualifier will win an official Open 2010 Imperial Cap and will have the opportunity to compete for the grand prize, a once-in-a-lifetime trip for two to Scotland to play golf on the Old Course. Anyone who posts an 18-hole score will have a chance to win a $500 gift card to OpenGolfShop.com via a sweepstakes drawing.

Win Trip for Two to the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional or a Golf Trip for Two to St Andrews!

*Prize eligibility for each event is subject to their official rules. Be sure to read them.

New! Experience Historic U.S. Open shots on Pebble Beach

When you need a break from competing in the Virtual Majors, try testing your skills against those of Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Ernie Els, and more! Watch official archived videos of the best shots from previous U.S. Opens at Pebble Beach, then try to hit those very same shots yourself, and see if you can beat the Pros!

Just go to to USOpen.com and click on the button depicted below to experience US Open History.

Equip yourself for the challenge with the latest new clubs

We have new clubs in our Pro Shop that offer increased distance and power, perfect for hitting from the Championship tees and edging out the stiff competition to make the cut in the Virtual Majors. Check them out in the Pro Shop, and compete with the latest gear.

Heads up!  There will be a brief 20 minute downtime window for some routine maintenance tonight, June 1, at around 11:59 PM Pacific Time.  Please make sure to save your games!

Did you know you have two different sets of clubs in your inventory? When you first join the game, your golf bag is automatically equipped with our Beginner clubs, which offer a slower swing meter, and are a great way to get used to playing the game. But you also have second set of clubs, the WGT Starter clubs, that offer an increase in distance and power with a slightly faster swing meter.

To switch from the Beginner clubs to the Starter set, you'll need to go the the My Equipment tool within the game. To access this tool you must be logged in to the game. Click on the My Equipment option under My Settings from the Main Menu. Alternatively, you can also access My Equipment from your profile page. 

Once you are in the My Equipment interface you need to "click and drag" the club or ball you would like to equip from the inventory section into the In My Bag section. Make sure you click the Save Changes button.  View the video below for a brief tutorial.

You can also purchase more powerful and precise clubs in the Pro Shop.

We hope you are enjoying your Memorial Day weekend. Whether you are traveling, relaxing, or working, we hope you get a chance to pause and remember our country's veterans.

Photo: Chris Inside

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