When you tune into all of the best golfers in the world competing at Bethpage Black on Long Island this weekend you’ll want to think ahead to the year 2011 when our own Congressional Country Club in will host the United States Open once again. Think about how much has changed in the world of golf since the venerable Blue last hosted the Open in 1997.
To present that fact with more detail, here is the list of major champions in the two years leading up to the 1997 U.S. Open
1995 1996
Ben Crenshaw – Masters Nick Faldo – Masters
Corey Pavin – U.S. Open Steve Jones – U.S. Open
John Daly – British Open Tom Lehman – British Open
Steve Elkington – PGA Mark Brooks – PGA
Photo by: Alan Bushnell
Tiger was in his first full year on the PGA TOUR, and while he was coming off an historical Masters victory in 1997, full TigerMania was a few years away. We saw it hit it’s peak at last years U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. Of course, Tiger now has a special connection with Congressional, as the host of the AT&T National. We may see things hit a fever pitch in 2011 as one of D.C.’s newly adopted sons takes aim at another U.S. Open trophy. I’m assuming that he will win at Bethpage this week, as no one else could really compete with him in 2002 on the same golf course, and in the same conditions that we will see this week. Next year the Open is at Pebble Beach, where Tiger won by 15 strokes in the year 2000. You see where I’m going with this? Tiger could be going for his 4th consecutive U.S. Open title in 2011 at Congressional!
If you think that this is premature hype, you are correct. Though the USGA doesn’t need Pros N’ Hackers, or anybody else for that matter to sell this event for them, but I can spot a trend when I see one.
So let’s sit back and see what happens, if Phil or Vijay or Camilo, Ogilvy or anyone else happens to have an out of body experience this weekend, then my theory is out the window. After all, it’s the U.S. Open and anything can happen.
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