ARDMORE, Pa. – The horn blew. Darkness had come to Merion Golf Club.

And Phil Mickelson's ball sat at the edge of the 18th green, 30 feet away from the last hole of the second round
of the U.S. Open. He had a birdie chance on a day when he had not made one birdie.
He had the option to take out a ball marker, place it on the green and call it a night;
he certainly didn't expect to make such a tricky putt at the end of a day when putting....
....................
....There is a sense that a legendary name will be called on Sunday night. Eventually this tournament will belong to history.
For now, it belongs to Phil.

Please click the following URL for the full story.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/golf--phil-mickelson-s-magical-putt-has-him-tied-for-the-u-s--open-lead-020339803.html

Eric Adelson Author Award-winning writer Eric Adelson is a feature writer for Yahoo! Sports. A graduate of Harvard University and Columbia University's School of Journalism, Eric previously wrote for ESPN the Magazine and is the author of the book "The Sure Thing: The Making and Unmaking of Golf Phenom Michelle Wie."

The above article is by Eric Adelson.

요즈음 한국에서는 '甲'과 '乙'이라는 말을 많이들쓰는데 이번 US Open에서
아직까지는 Merion Golf Course가 갑이고 선수들이 을인것만큼은 틀림없는
사실이네요.

이코스는 fairway가 좁고 전통의 US Open의 high rough로 악명이 높은데
아직까지 이사람의 눈을 놀라게 하는것은 무었보다도 대부분의 선수들이
짧은 putt들을 놓치는것입니다. 그래서 36홀후에 많은 내노라는 선수들의
score가 double digit over par의 경이로운 현상이 일어나는듯합니다.

이번 주말 2 라운드에서 누가 가장 인내력있게 치느냐가 관건이겠지요.
첫 라운드를 even으로 마치고 2nd round를 잘시작했던 최경주 선수는
+6로 겨우 컷을 면한상태입니다.  Good Luck!    규정

Why does U.S. Open venue Merion Golf Club use wicker baskets instead of flags?

The red baskets are unique to Merion, where they have been in use since at least 1915,
when William Flynn, Merion’s superintendent, received patent approval for his design.

BY HANK GOLA / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS PUBLISHED: FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2013, 8:46 AM

What are those things? Wicker baskets top the flag sticks at Merion since 1915.
If the wind whips up at Merion Golf Club at this week’s U.S. Open,
players and caddies can’t look to the greens for help.
Wicker baskets don’t flap in the breeze and that’s what’s going to be in place instead of flags....



For the remaining story, please click the following URL.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/red-baskets-u-s-open-article-1.1372005

Thanks for the comment, Dr. Hwang.
A little of golf history class here for all golfers.

ARDMORE, Pa. (AP) -- Phil Mickelson has the lead after three rounds at the U.S. Open.
Mickelson shot an even-par 70 Saturday, including three birdies on the back nine, for a 1-under 209 total on the hard-to-read greens at Merion Golf Club.
Mickelson took the lead with a birdie at No. 17 and had a hard-fought bogey at the 18th - a hole that none of the 73 players in the field birdied in the third round.
He is one stroke ahead of Hunter Mahan, Charl Schwartzel and Steve Stricker.
Mickelson is seeking his first U.S. Open title. He's been a runner-up a record five times.
Tiger Woods finished 10 shots off the lead after a 76, matching his worst U.S. Open round as a pro.

Century later, Ouimet's Open win still resonates By JIMMY GOLEN

(AP Sports Writer) | The Associated Press

BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) -- At the entrance to the Putterham Meadows golf course stands a statue
of 1913 U.S. Open champion Francis Ouimet. Also in bronze, dwarfed by the bag he carries,
is the 10-year-old caddie who walked all 90 holes by his side. It is fitting that the two are together,
for Ouimet's loyalty to Eddie Lowery is as much a part of his legend as the playoff victory over British stars
Harry Vardon and Ted Ray. And it's fitting that the statue is at the municipal track rather than The Country Club,
where the Open took place 100 year ago, because the victory by the blue-collar American is credited for a golfing boom
that spread the sport beyond its cloistered realm of gentlemen and foreigners.

For remaining story, please click the following URL.

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/century-later-ouimets-open-win-still-resonates

I watched a part of 3rd round yesterday of 113th US Open
at the Merion G.C (Par 70/ 6,996 yds) at Admore, PA.
Looked very tough course requiring precision shot.

I noticed Michael Kim, Born on 07/14/1993, Univ. of California Junior,
 Amateur, Winner of Jack Nicklaus Award, was playing well, better than
Tiger Woods, and finished +4(vs Phil Michelson at -1 at the top).

He makes me interested and I shall watch the final round to see
who'll take the first prize out of total $8 million purse.

In Golf, Moments Good and Bad Are Well Remembered

By JERE LONGMAN

ARDMORE, Pa. — When Luke Donald arrived at the United States Open, having played two practice rounds
a week earlier, he remembered the name of Scott, the local golf pro who had assisted him.
He reminisced about Jack, a caddie at Merion Golf Club for 30 years. He even recalled Dolly,
noting that she had served lunch there for more than three decades.
If there is one thing more extraordinary than the skill of the world’s top golfers, it is their memories.
Like elephants, they seem to forget nothing....

Please click the following for the remainder of the story.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/16/sports/golf/in-golf-moments-good-and-bad-are-well-remembered.html

Note: I have re-arranged the comment articles, so that it can be easily readable by our members.
The way the articles were moved on to the comment column, it is too chaotic for easy reading.
I wish that any further quotes should be arranged this way, instead of haphazard copying.

It is a bit sickening that the media is cheering for Phil Mickelson again !!
Eric Adelson is thinking that he's the only American boy among the field of PGA players this weekend.
The yearning and the idea of "the white supremacy" is still going on even today.
Let them know that the golf doesn't work according to their wish.
Actually, it tends to work in reverse. When are these stupid whites going to learn?
I hate this notion of Phil being the only American boy they can cheer.
In a way, this is an expression of racial bias still existing today.
Doesn't Eric Adelson or don't they know that Obama rules the White House?

Even though I hate Tiger Woods, I think I am going to cheer Tiger in response to the first article in the comments.
Of course, if any other guys other than Phil and Tiger win, that's perfectly fine with me.

I see no reason for such racially motivated article by Eric Adelson to take a full space in our website.
Just my 2cents worth idea.

Phil Mickelson, sentimental favorite and leader/co-leader every night of the U.S. Open, the guy who's somehow golf's everyman despite being a private-jet-flying multimillionaire, has once again fallen just short at the U.S. Open.

Justin Rose, an exceptional golfer whose time as a major winner has come, triumphed by two shots over Mickelson. Rose finished at +1 by playing smart golf, and even in the moments in which he had opportunities to fall short, controlled the damage. When he finished out with an unlikely par on 18, the toughest hole on the course, he dabbed at his eyes, the enormity of the moment finally catching up with him.

From there, it was just a matter of time. Mickelson hadn't even finished out the 17th when Rose tapped in his par putt on 18, so Rose had to watch as Mickelson tried to birdie either one of the two final holes to force a playoff.

He came so close, so very close ... but yet again, fell short.

He wasn't alone. This was a tournament in which each of the challengers coming into Sunday had a defining moment that cost them an opportunity:

— Luke Donald struck a spectator on #3, and proceeded to card over-par scores on that and the next three holes;

— Steve Stricker hit two shots out of bounds on #2;

— Jason Day lipped a virtual tap-in on 18 that could have put him into a playoff;

— Hunter Mahan pushed an easy short putt past the hole on 15.

Much will be written in the coming hours and days about Mickelson and whether he "deserved" to win this. Maybe he did, maybe he didn't. Either way, Rose did.

Whether this is the start of a tremendous major-winning career for Rose, or whether Rose is stepping into the shoes of Stewart Cink, winning the 2009 British Open that everyone had wanted to go to Tom Watson, is a story for another day. In a week in which most of the best in golf surrendered to the brutal rough and treacherous greens of Merion, Rose was just good enough to win.

-Follow Jay Busbee on Twitter

I watched the game to the end at my son's "Father's Day barbecue".

Justin Rose looked at the sky and pointed his finger up there after the final putt for par.
I thought he was thanking God for the final par he made after the second iron shot of 229 yards
just past the hole, almost hitting the pin at the 18th, and also for being the leader at the moment.
Standing at the side of the green, tears came out of his eyes.
I loved his attitude and humbleness as the about-to-be-champion of the US Open.
I guess he realized sometime ago that one can not win US Open without the explicit help of God.
Winning the championship in golf doesn't simply follow the wish of a human being, smart or stupid.
The Yahoo Sports writer who bravely predicted Michelson's victory should have known that.
The stupid article may be the one that could actually have cost Michelson's victory.
The golf stays as a wonderful game just because it defies the wishful thinking or optimistic prediction.

When we had PGA tournament in our village, Michelson was known to be the most generous
and humble golfer to the working staffs in Castlepines Golf Club.
No doubt he's a wonderful person.
In being so, he must have a gentle mind that can not stand the stress of the expectation to be the king of PGA.
I felt a lot of stress in his face under the heavy mental burden of great expectations that is not within his control.
I wish people just leave him alone and let him be what he is. No more hero stuff.
The 6th second place in US Open is just too unfortunate.
I wish him a better luck next time.

In a way, Phil Michelson is very similar to Payne Stewart.
(I am not going to start a long story.)

I noticed a Korean amateur, Michael Kim, at the 17th place in the score board. That's wonderful.
Then, let's forget about Tiger. I had trouble finding his name somewhere in the hohum middle of the list.

- by SNUMA WM

That was indeed moving scene when he pointed up to the sky with tears in his eyes,
when his 2nd shot landed safely around the green to most likely secure the par.

He mentioned during interview, he was thinking and thanking to his late father,when
he was pointing up to sky.

I felt sorry to Phil Mickelson for another runner up in US Open. As a great player and
nice human being(family man) as he has been,he deserves better than 6 times runner
up in US Open and shadow of Tiger Woods during all these years. 

He was selected as one of 100 most trusted Americans by Readers Digest and he was
a only golfer to achieve this.

Justin Rose excuted brilliant game managements especially for last 4-5 holes and that
was the difference to me.  Congratulation to him for his first Major winning!    KJ

 

It was really moving scene when Rose pointed at the sky
after he finished the 113th US Open final round - and tears!

And let's see what DonA.com says;

http://news.donga.com/View?gid=55911714&date=20130617

And more about Michael Kim - Korean American Golfer
who came to America at his age of 7;

http://news.donga.com/View?gid=55917824&date=20130617

http://news.donga.com/View?gid=55916136&date=20130617

Justin Rose의 돌아가신 아버지에대한 인터뷰 동영상을 옮겨옵니다.

그리고 Justin Rose는 남아프리카 사람이 아닌 영국 사람 이지요.
동아 닷컴같은 큰신문사가 이런 오류를 범한것이 놀랍습니다.  규정

Maybe they were confused, sunbaenim.
Justtin Rose was born in South Africa
on 7/30/1980 and moved to England
at his age of 5 - we can say South African
-British/ or English as we call ourselves as
Korean American?

Here's all about Justin Rose;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Rose.

Gary player,Ernie Els,Retief Goosen으로 이어지는 유명한 골퍼를낸
남아공의 땅의 기운을 받아 아마도 Justin Rose의 오늘이 있었는지
모르지요. 그러나 19996년 Nick Faldo Masters Champion 이후 17년
만에 처음 영국선수로 major 우승을해서 들떠있는 영국사람들이
동아 닷컴을 보았다면 아마도 화를 냈을것입니다.

'South African British' is somewhat differnt meaning to me comparing
to 'Korean American',I think.

Thanks for the information!  Dr. Bang!    KJ

ARDMORE, Pa. (AP) -- Next week marks four years that Justin Rose first began working on his swing with Sean Foley. But in the moments after winning the U.S. Open for his first major championship, Rose referred to him as more than just a swing coach.

He gave credit to Foley for improvements each year, particularly being able to hit the ball a little longer and a little straighter. Rose also mentioned a text that Foley sent him Sunday morning before he closed with an even-par 70 for his two-shot win.

''He said something along the lines of just go out there and be the man that your dad taught you to be and be the man that your kids can look up to,'' Rose said Sunday. ''Really, that was my goal. Today was about winning the U.S. Open, but it was also about honoring great men that have come before us. A lot of us have that sort of situation with their fathers.''

Rose lost his father, Ken, to leukemia in 2002 when Rose was 21 and is just starting to recover from a rocky start to his pro career. Rose describes their time together as quality over quantity.
As for Foley?
''I would say it's more than just a player-coach relationship,'' he said. ''I regard him as a true friend, and I regard him as someone who if I ever had a question about golf or about life, he would be very much at the top of my list. He's a very interesting character and very strong mentally. And he passes that on well.''