US Womens Open @ Oakmont

[RemyM]

Kerr in at one over 143
Christina Kim at 144
Stacy Lewis 145
Gulbis 146
Alexis Thompson 147
All in good position for the weekend.
Projected cut is +11 so Wie needs to shoot an even par 71 today to have a chance to hang around.

[kafka01]

There are some lower profile players still on top of the leader board but that will have changed by the end of sunday. We might see something like a +3 or +4 winning, but 90% of the field by then will have racked up some high numbers. Compared to the men thats pretty much the same.

And Kerr seems to look good right now...

[BC24]

Play suspended for the rest of the day due to bad weather. :(

[iacas]

  nike_golf said:

Another; the greens at Oakmount are Poa Ana (sp?), which of course is the same grass of the greens at Pebble.

Different kind of Poa. Oakmont's actually got its own strain of poa... Almost like a mutant strain from them mowing it so low for so long that it's perhaps literally changed its DNA. It might technically be a different species by now. The greens are not bumpy at all.

BTW, I've been there since Wednesday and will be there Saturday and Sunday as well. Cristie Kerr is playing unbelievably well. Paula played really well. Bummer about the rain today... the wind was kicking up and there were going to be some BAD scores out there. That's not why it's a bummer though - the bummer is that some people playing 32 or 33 or 34 or whatever holes tomorrow might literally die if their brain shuts down. This course is a monster for the women. I don't care if it's only 6500 yards - it's a beast. They're 100% not used to green complexes like Oakmont. As one person said, "170 to the pin... hit this 110." And then just try to two-putt it. The winner is going to have to play UNBELIEVABLY good golf. I think that winner is Cristie Kerr - who lucked out in playing late/early.

[mcfc_nick]

the cut for now is at +11 and thats only gonna get higher tomorrow

[iacas]

  mcfc_nick said:

the cut for now is at +11 and thats only gonna get higher tomorrow

It's only at +11 because of the ten shot rule. The ten shot rule will not go up - Cristie Kerr is in the clubhouse after two rounds at +1.

Only if T70 is > 10 will that number go up. Which may happen, or maybe not. +11 is currently T90 (with 101 players at +11).

[nike_golf]

  iacas said:

Different kind of Poa. Oakmont's actually got its own strain of poa... Almost like a mutant strain from them mowing it so low for so long that it's perhaps literally changed its DNA. It might technically be a different species by now. The greens are not bumpy at all.

Awesome info which I love to hear.

I have to wonder though, how Oakmount can have "their" own strain but yet Pebble Beach, the course that charges "visitors" $500 a round and is a world class course, DOESN'T have a better strain or a similar strain of Poa than Oakmount does. That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I don't doubt at all what you're saying, but it seems a bit odd to me. I do like it though that the ladies are challenged in a way at Oakmount that a lot of them have never been challenged before in regards to the greens and by the course in general.

[mcfc_nick]

  iacas said:

It's only at +11 because of the ten shot rule. The ten shot rule will not go up - Cristie Kerr is in the clubhouse after two rounds at +1.

my bad, yes of course it is, i didnt even look for that i just looked at where it was

[iacas]

  nike_golf said:

I have to wonder though, how Oakmount can have "their" own strain but yet Pebble Beach, the course that charges "visitors" $500 a round and is a world class course, DOESN'T have a better strain or a similar strain of Poa than Oakmount does. That doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I don't doubt at all what you're saying, but it seems a bit odd to me.

Completely different part of the country. Completely different weather conditions and patterns. Members don't play the greens at 8 like they do for regular play at Pebble Beach for the past 40 years. Etc.

The poa at Oakmont is a different kind of poa. Been there, played it, walked on it, and in 2007 talked to the superintendent about it. They'd sell it, he says, but it doesn't seed, for example... it only grows out in their sod farm (most courses have a patch of grass they grow to green height to replace damaged sections of greens... Oakmont has one as well, along with sections for fairway too).

[PEZGolf]

It is great to see the Pink Panther tied for the lead. This is only her 4th tournament of the year due to the problems with her left thumb and surgery. She is such a fiery competitior that she is fun to watch. Now, the question is whether she can keep it together on this monster course. 14 on the stimpmeter is a real challenge for these gals.

[RemyM]

  iacas said:

The poa at Oakmont is a different kind of poa. Been there, played it, walked on it, and in 2007 talked to the superintendent about it. They'd sell it, he says, but it doesn't seed, for example... it only grows out in their sod farm (most courses have a patch of grass they grow to green height to replace damaged sections of greens... Oakmont has one as well, along with sections for fairway too).

My super told me that somebody takes Oakmont's cores when they aerate and spreads them out to get them to grow into sod that he then sells. When Pebble built the new 5th hole they did the same thing, uses aeration cores to make sod for the new green so it matched all the others. We've been doing that at my course to develope a nursery green.

[sean_miller]

  RemyM said:

My super told me that somebody takes Oakmont's cores when they aerate and spreads them out to get them to grow into sod that he then sells. When Pebble built the new 5th hole they did the same thing, uses aeration cores to make sod for the new green so it matched all the others. We've been doing that at my course to develope a nursery green.

I've seen a lot of those - if I'd never worked on a course before I might think they were secret holes that I never get to play. Actually one course does have a 19th hole - a little par 3 for settling bets.

Anyway - about this year's venue. I love it. I like to see them play a tough course so the real grinders and veterans can excel. Veterans like Alexis Thompson - holy moly.

[mcfc_nick]

Creamer is hott

[lsuwjk]

Yeah, that is crazy fast..

[iacas]

  lsuwjk said:

Yeah, that is crazy fast..

Love how the coverage ended at 6pm and it's not on ANYWHERE else. Thanks, NBC. I know it's not the men but it's still a major at Oakmont.

[colin007]

  iacas said:

Love how the coverage ended at 6pm and it's not on ANYWHERE else. Thanks, NBC. I know it's not the men but it's still a major at Oakmont.

big +1...

[kris]

  iacas said:

Love how the coverage ended at 6pm and it's not on ANYWHERE else. Thanks, NBC. I know it's not the men but it's still a major at Oakmont.

yeah, major fail nbc. they were only on the 4th hole.

[kafka01]

  PEZGolf said:

It is great to see the Pink Panther tied for the lead. This is only her 4th tournament of the year due to the problems with her left thumb and surgery.

Well she is now leading by 3 - but there might be another Dustin Johnson in the making - she never won a Major and its only her 4th tournament this year - lets see how her nerves can handle that...