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 The 18th hole, initially slated to be converted into a par 4 for the tournament, will instead be kept as a par 5. The USGA, working in conjunction with San Diego golf officials, also decided to overseed the layout's kikuyu rough with rye grass. "Myself and the chairman of the championship committee, Jim Hyler, both were uncomfortable with playing the 18th as a par 4 because it had the water in front and we just felt like, given how tough some of the closing holes are at Torrey Pines, that it would really be fun to have a risk-reward hole as a finishing hole," said Mike Davis, the USGA's senior director of rules and competitions. The 18th hole will play 570 yards, the same length it plays for the Buick Invitational. One key difference, however, will be shorter grass in front of the green, making the water hazard even more of a factor. If the USGA wants to maintain a projected par of 70 for the South Course, the ninth hole, normally a par 5, would have to be converted to a par 4. Davis said a conversion has been considered and a final decision will be made this month. The decision to overseed the kikuyu rough with rye grass came as a result of the kikuyu not growing to desired specifications, particularly in shady spots around the greens. "We couldn't get the consistent kikuyu we wanted," said City of San Diego golf operations manager Mark Woodward, who anticipates the overseeding to begin in September. In other preparations for the U.S. Open, Woodward said construction on a new parking lot has begun and the clubhouse will soon get a new paint job. SG |
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