Pinehurst is still a special place. That didn’t change since yesterday, but there is a new word of the day: people. There were people everywhere. The 20,000 spaces in the stands filled up before 10:00 and most of the other people on foot were following Tiger.
As soon as we walked through the gate, Tiger’s throng was amassing around the 11th hole. As my friend and I walked over that way, we got to watch the Els group hit their tee shots down the 12th fairway. After that, it was a blur. We went over to 11 to watch Tiger, back to 12 to see his tee shot, over to 13 again to stay ahead of him, then to 14 green to watch Els’ approach shot. We stayed there to wait for Tiger (who hit a monster drive on 14 by the way), and catch our breath.
Later on around 11:00 or so, we decided to run down to the only par 5 (#4) on the front to watch some groups come in and get ahead of the sea of drooling Tiger fans. We found a wonderful spot on the back of #5 tee where we could see the approach shots from #4 and stand directly behind the players on #5 tee where everyone was ripping a driver. This might be a spot I seek out on Saturday morning when the groups are filing through. It is a spot that not many people walk all the way back to as it is the furthest spot from the clubhouse.
After Tiger fanned his drive right on #5 and blessed the ground in the Almighty’s name, we moved on. At least I think he was blessing the ground. Maybe it was the tee or the tuff of grass he lightly smacked back into the earth… I’m not really sure. Anyway, we sought out the nearest concession stand for a $9.00 burger and water after the blessing. Yeah, that was the point I was trying to make. Stale bun and lukewarm burger… just the way I like them.
After inhaling lunch, we made our way over to #1 to watch some of the initial groups go off. We hung around until Mickelson and Scott came through. Lefty shoved is drive into the pines and hit a laser out of there that rolled up onto the green. He did this after I witnessed three other golfers miss the green from the fairway 50 yards closer than him. That was a great way to end the day watching one of my favorites hit an incredible shot.
On the way out, my friend and I made the obligatory stop in the merchandise tent. I had stopped there yesterday, but my buddy wanted something to take home. On the way out, I looked at some of the prices on the registers and came up with the other word of the day: money. $261.40, $159.00… I’m not going to go on, but you get the point. Lots of people (first word of the day) with disposable income = lots of money (second word of the day).
Next report: Moving day. Hopefully there will be some great golf to see on Saturday. Adam Scott, my darkhorse pick, is doing well right now. Today’s weather wasn’t too bad and the forecast is for the upper 70’s this weekend. I’m not sick of seeing the sun, but when the blimp’s shadow passed over us for a brief second today, I was upset it didn’t stay in place. Along with the weather, maybe the buns will be fresh on Saturday as well.
Interesting trip I must say. I have to ask, it sounds like you were walking around allot!
Seeing as these courses are generally very large, your feet must have been swollen at the end of the day?