I AGREE WITH TIGER WOODS

One of the best tee to green rounds of golf that I have ever played was at Club Hacienda during the 1976 Mexican Open. The course had been set up pretty tough, but, believe me, not even close to the set-up of any U.S. Open that you may want to choose. I had just turned professional and shot a 75. The next day, I "scrapped" it for another 75 and missed the cut by 2. No amateur made the cut. The thing is, I thought I played very well, yet, I was not even close! I mention this because next month, there will be 4 regular, day to day, fairly low handicappers, who will play Torrey Pines the week before the U.S. Open. The amateurs will be: Justin Timberlake, Matt Lauer, Tony Romo and will be joined by a fourth golfer from 4 finalists who have handicaps between 5 and 8. I predict that at least two of them will not break 100, Tony Romo, a scratch golfer,should. A round in the mid 80's should be considered fantastic.

This should be an experience they will never forget. Tony Romo, a scratch golfer at his club, attempted to qualify for the U.S. Open but shot 75 in a course where the highest score that qualified for the next stage was a 70. I have to agree with Tiger Woods, whose comment last year of: "A true 10 handicapper cannot break 100 in a U.S. Open Course" sparked this challenge.

Nothing "undresses" you more than cameras. This round will be televised. Johnny Miller will be the announcer. So, just imagine any of these amateurs, even those used to being in front of a camera, trying not to look too bad in the eyes of the Hall of Famer. That alone, should be about 6 or 7 more shots to their handicap.

Lets see some numbers: First, par has nothing to do with a handicap, handicap is based on what you call "course rating", which for Torrey Pines South is about 76.5 and a "slope" of 143. To put things in perspective: Gallup has a rating of 67.2 and a "slope" of 113. When you combine these, someone who carries a 10 handicap in Gallup, will carry about 16 or 17 in Torrey Pines... and that, under normal circumstances.

Add a U.S. Open set up, cameras (nothing "undresses" a golfer more than cameras), the now famous presence of Johnny Miller and his blunt commentaries, an environment you are not familiar with, and it will add another 10 shots... at least. Once your 10 handicap is 10+6+10= 26.

It would be interesting to see the stats of the last 10 U.S. Opens and see what was the average number of fairways and greens hit... by those who qualified to play in the Open, which, are truly some of the best golfers in the world and who are used to roughs and green speeds of 12 or more in the "stimpmeter". I would be willing to state that these averages for those who qualified for the weekend is about 50% or less in both categories. If the best players in the world miss 9 greens and 7 fairways on the weekend of the U.S. Open, how many do you think a 10 handicapper will do? He may not even be able to reach some of the fairways to start with! And, if he is as human as they come, this poor man will never even make close to a par from the rough.

Now, lets say he hits a fairway, he is 190 yards from the green that looks like a postage stamp, and misses the green on the wrong side of the hole... that is double bogey territory! he is better off laying up to 100 yards than trying to save par from inside 20, from a terrible lie.

In 1978, I had the pleasure of witnessing one of the best shots I ever saw from the rough. Seve Ballesteros was in matted rough that was about 4 inches tall, and about 180 yards from the green. When I saw his ball, my first thought was "he has to wedge it out and try to save par with an up and down"; instead, he powered his forearms through the thick grass, got it on the green and one putted for birdie. THE "THESE GUYS ARE GOOD" saying on TV, does not begin to describe what "GOOD" means!