2008 U.S. OPEN PREVIEW EXTRAVAGANZA

We're underway at Torrey Pines for the 108th US Open tournament.

There's been little to no buzz surrounding this event, and golf in general this year. More attention has been payed to the NHL Stanley Cup playoffs! (Think about THAT.) What little I've heard all have the word "Tiger" or "Phil" in the sentence--god, I'm so bored with mainstream media's coverage (and it's only going to get worse, with the Endlessly Self-Promoting Network covering this for the first two days). This is "Phil's home turf", where he feels most confident and where he'll get a nauseatingly embarrassing amount of adulation from the gallery. On the flipside, this is Tiger's first tournament after having knee surgery almost 2 months ago, and he's been rather playful/annoying in interviews leading up to it--which means he's ready. (As much as I'd like to be there, it will be a complete mess as 90% of the spectactors try to follow them around.)

Because of the world rankings, these two will be in the same group for the first two rounds, along with Adam "Great" Scott. I'm really just hoping for some awkward photos of these guys together (like the 2006 PGA).

The last filthy European to win was Tony Jacklin in 1970, and if Sergio 'Los Pantalones Feos' Garcia is their best chance this time around, it should stay that way.

Local flavor: 21 year old Michael Quagliano from White Plains, playing in his first US Open.
Best name: Derek "Fatso" Fathauer.

MY PICKS
IN THE HUNT: Lee Westwood, FIGJAM!
MY DARK HORSE: Jerry "Cheesehead" Kelly.
MY BLOGNOSTICATION: Tiger Woods. (I know, boring pick. But it turns out that he's very, very good.)

Regardless of who wins, this should be a fantastic tournament.

COURSE INFO
COURSE: Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course)
LOCATION: La Jolla, CA
PAR: 35 - 36 - 71
YARDAGE: 7,643
DESIGN: William F. Bell and his son, William Bell, provided the original design, which opened in 1957. Rees Jones carried a redesign in 2002.
COURSE RATING: 79.7
SLOPE RATING: 153
USGA SET-UP: Fairway width varies from 24 to 33 yards. The intermediate rough running 6 feet on each side will be set to 1¾ inches. A 15-foot swath of primary rough will be kept to approximately 2¼ inches. The deepest rough will be grown to 3½ inches left and right of the landing areas. The greens will be set to run at 13 to 13½ feet on the Stimpmeter. The primary rough for 12 feet around the greens will be maintained at 3 inches. Beyond that, the rough will be grown to 4 inches.

Hole/Par/Yds
1/4/448
2/4/389
3/3/195
4/4/488
5/4/453
6/4/515
7/4/461
8/3/177
9/5/612
Front/35/3,738
10/4/414
11/3/221
12/4/504
13/5/614
14/4/435
15/4/478
16/3/225
17/4/441
18/5/573
Back/36/3,905

NOTABLE TEE TIMES (Starting hole/PDT):
(1st - 8:06) Adam Scott, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods
(10th - 7:22) K. J. Choi, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker
(1st - 12:52 Stewart Cink, Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh
(1st - 1:47) Bubba Watson, J.B. Holmes, Brett Wetterich (the "overrated Americans" group)

ODDS
11/4 Woods
6/1 FIGJAM!
20/1 Paddy "Whiskey" Harrington
20/1 Sergio "Los Pantalones Feos" Garcia
25/1 Ernie "The Kaiser" Els, Donald
33/1 V-GER, Rose, Ogilvy
35/1 Jim "Hitch" Furyk, Stewart "Kitchen" Cink
40/1 Immelman
45/1 Scott
50/1 Karlsson, Goosen, Weir
66/1 J. Leonard
80/1 Westwood
100/1 Casey
125/1 Poulter, Montgomerie, Jimenez

TV SCHEDULE
This is baffling: ESPN has it early and late on the first two days, with NBC showing it in the middle? What, was there an important NCAA women's softball game or poker tournament they have to show? The Hell?

Thursday, June 12
1 - 3 p.m. ET on ESPN
3 - 5 p.m. ET on NBC
5 - 10 p.m. ET on ESPN
Friday, June 13
1 - 3 p.m. ET on ESPN
3 - 5 p.m. ET on NBC
5 - 10 p.m. ET on ESPN
Saturday, June 14
4 - 10 p.m. ET on NBC
Sunday, June 15
3 - 9 p.m. ET on NBC

WEATHER
Thursday: Partly Cloudy 68°F | 59°F
Friday: Partly Cloudy 74°F | 61°F
Saturday: Partly Cloudy 76°F | 59°F
Sunday: Partly Cloudy 74°F | 59°F

(Gotta love San Diego weather.)