Q&A With Frank Hannigan

Former USGA Executive Director Frank Hannigan was part of the first three U.S. Opens at Pebble Beach and kindly answered a few questions on the eve of this year's event.

GS: It's hard to fathom today that it was a leap to take the Open to Pebble Beach in 1972. Was it really that risky?
 
FH: The USGA had played US Amateur Championships at Pebble Beach.  The place was virtually empty.  Odd, but it seemed remote and inaccessible.   So we inserted a clause in the agreement stipulating we would get $250,000 as our share of admissions no matter what. In 1972 $250,000 felt like real money.  The attendance turned out to be fine.


GS: Besides Jack's 1-iron shot Sunday, what else do you recall from the week?
 
FH: Bing Crosby's brother called to ask for a cart for the great man.  Grace Kelly may not have been able to say no to Bing Crosby, but I could. On Sunday two anti-Vietnam war protesters chained themselves to a tree in the drive zone on 18. They just sat there.  

A marshal on the tee with binoculars informed the players.  So Arnold was seen on television using the binoculars and some idiot called in to say that Arnold was using an artificial device and should be penalized.   


GS: In 1982 you were in the booth with Peter Alliss on 17 when Watson chipped in. Is that correct? And what was your role with the USGA at that point?
 
FH: I was then the assistant director, the #2 bureaucrat. I sat in a booth with Peter supposedly to say pithy things.  Crazy.  It was like putting a hack with one piano lesson to play with Horowitz.

 
GS: You were with ABC in 1992, what was that like when Monty came in and Nicklaus told him he had it won and just about everyone else thought he had the thing wrapped up?
 
FH: Nicklaus congratulated Monty on winning the Open while we were in a commercial and then Monty told everyone in the  press tent what Jack said. Nearly half the field was still on the course. I did not regard it as a prediction but rather Jack sneering that everybody else was choking so badly that Monty's score might hold up.

2010 U.S. Open Week

As usual I'll be trying to spend as much time out on the course as possible so posting will be sporadic and not particularly thorough when it comes to posting various must reads. Naturally, your assistance is always welcomed (Contact page here)!

I do hope to post plenty of early week photos showcasing the nuances to watch for, and I plan to tweet as aggressively as I can, thus explaining the elevation of my Twitter feed to the top of the site.

For each day's tournament telecast, I won't be able to monitor a live chat but I will post open comment threads so that you can tell those of us on-site what you are seeing and hearing on television and in the media.

It should be an incredible week and I look forward to your insights.

The 2010 U.S. Open Pairings...

And as always you're more than welcome to nominate your choice for the annual $#@%& pairing or any other intriguing groupings.

2010 U. S. Open Championship
June 17-20, 2010
Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links
 
Far Hills, N.J. – Groupings and starting times for the first two rounds of the U.S. Open Thursday (June 17) and Friday (June 18) at the par 35-36—71, 7,040-yard, Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links. (A=amateur)
 
All Times PDT
 
Thursday (June 17), hole #1; Friday (June 18), hole #10
 
            7:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Deane Pappas, South Africa; Gary Woodland, Topeka, Kan.; Paul Sheehan, Australia
            7:11 a.m. - 12:41 p.m. - Steve Marino, Tequesta, Fla.; Gregory Havret, France; Charles Warren, Greenville, S.C.
            7:22 a.m. - 12:52 p.m. - Toru Taniguchi, Japan; Soren Hansen, Denmark; Edoardo Molinari, Italy
            7:33 a.m. - 1:03 p.m. - Francesco Molinari, Italy; Soren Kjeldsen, Denmark; Hiroyuki Fujita, Japan
            7:44 a.m. - 1:14 p.m. - Tim Clark, South Africa; K. J. Choi, Korea; Mike Weir, Canada
            7:55 a.m. – 1:25 p.m. - Adam Scott, Australia; Geoff Ogilvy, Australia; Robert Allenby, Australia
            8:06 a.m. - 1:36 p.m. - Matt Kuchar, St. Simons Island, Ga.; Justin Leonard, Dallas, Texas; Scott Verplank, Edmond, Okla.
            8:17 a.m. - 1:47 p.m. - Stewart Cink, Duluth, Ga.; A-Byeong-Hun An, Korea; Lucas Glover, Simpsonville, S.C.
            8:28 a.m. - 1:58 p.m. - Ian Poulter, England; Yuta Ikeda, Japan; Henrik Stenson, Sweden
            8:39 a.m. - 2:09 p.m. Trevor Immelman, South Africa; Robert Karlsson, Sweden; David Toms, Shreveport, La.
            8:50 a.m. - 2:20 p.m. - Jason Gore, Valencia, Calif.; Arjun Atwal, India; Jim Herman, Port St. Lucie, Fla.
            9:01 a.m. – 2:31 p.m. - A-Andrew Putnam, University Place, Wash.; Ty Tryon, Orlando, Fla.; Hugo Leon, Chile
            9:12 a.m. - 2:42 p.m. - Kent Eger, Canada; A-Alex Martin, Liberty Twp., Ohio; Jon Curran, Hopkinton, Mass.
 
Thursday (June 17), hole #10; Friday (June 18), hole #1
 
            7:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. - Rafael Cabrera - Bello, Spain; John Mallinger, Long Beach, Calif.; Stephen Allan, Australia
            7:11 a.m. - 12:41 p.m. - Mikko Ilonen, Finland; Derek Lamely, Ft. Myers, Fla.; James Morrison, England
            7:22 a.m. - 12:52 p.m. - Brian Gay, Windermere, Fla.; Simon Khan, England; Bo Van Pelt, Tulsa, Okla.
            7:33 a.m. - 1:03 p.m. - Camilo Villegas, Colombia; Zach Johnson, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Luke Donald, England
            7:44 a.m. - 1:14 p.m. - Retief Goosen, South Africa; Jim Furyk, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; Angel Cabrera, Argentina
            7:55 a.m. – 1:25 p.m. - Stuart Appleby, Australia; Rory Sabbatini, South Africa; Stephen Ames, Canada
            8:06 a.m. - 1:36p.m. - Phil Mickelson, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.; Padraig Harrington, Ireland; Y. E. Yang, Korea
            8:17 a.m. - 1:47 p.m. - David Frost, South Africa; Kaname Yokoo, Japan; Eric Axley, Knoxville, Tenn.
            8:28 a.m. - 1:58 p.m. - Nick Watney, Las Vegas, Nev.; Hunter Mahan, Colleyville, Texas; Ricky Barnes, Phoenix, Ariz.
            8:39 a.m. – 2:09 p.m. - Jason Dufner, Auburn, Ala.; Thongchai Jaidee, Thailand; Ross McGowan, England
            8:50 a.m. – 2:20 p.m. - Kevin Na, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; A-Ben Martin, Greenwood, S.C.; Matt Bettencourt, Greenville
            9:01 a.m. – 2:31 p.m. - Craig Barlow, Henderson, Nev.; Kent Jones, Albuquerque, N.M.; Bobby Gates, The Woodlands, Texas
            9:12 a.m. - 2:42 p.m. - Dan McCarthy, Syracuse, N.Y.; A-Joseph Bramlett, Saratoga, Calif.; Travis Hampshire, Tampa, Fla.
 
Thursday (June 17), hole #1; Friday (June 18), hole #10
 
            12:30 p.m. - 7:00 a.m. - Steve Wheatcroft, Jacksonville, Fla.; A-Morgan Hoffmann, Wyckoff, N.J.; Rikard Karlberg, Sweden
            12:41 p.m. - 7:11 a.m. - Marc Leishman, Australia; Rafa Echenique, Argentina; John Rollins, Colleyville, Texas
            12:52 p.m. - 7:22 a.m. - Tbd, Far Hills, N.J.; Graeme McDowell, Northern Ireland; Shaun Micheel, Collierville, Tenn.
            1:03 p.m. - 7:33 a.m. - David Duval, Cherry Hills Village, Colo.; Tom Lehman, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Ben Curtis, Stow, Ohio
            1:14 p.m. - 7:44 a.m. - Sergio Garcia, Spain; Steve Stricker, Madison, Wis.; Paul Casey, England
            1:25 p.m. – 7:55 a.m. - Bob Estes, Abilene, Texas; Brendon De Jonge, Zimbabwe; Brian Davis, England
            1:36 p.m. - 8:06 a.m. - Lee Westwood, England; Ernie Els, South Africa; Tiger Woods, Windermere, Fla.
            1:47 p.m. - 8:17 a.m. - Ben Crane, Westlake, Texas; Peter Hanson, Sweden; Jerry Kelly, Madison, Wis.
            1:58 p.m. - 8:28 a.m. - Martin Kaymer, Germany; Sean O'Hair, West Chester, Pa.; Charl Schwartzel, South Africa
            2:09 p.m. - 8:39 a.m. - Heath Slocum, Alpharetta, Ga.; Oliver Wilson, England; John Senden, Australia
            2:20 p.m. - 8:50 a.m. - Mathias Gronberg, Sweden; Azuma Yano, Japan; Harrison Frazar, Dallas, Texas
            2:31 p.m. – 9:01 a.m. - Jason Preeo, Highlands Ranch, Colo.; A-Kevin Phelan, St. Augustine, Fla.; Mark Silvers, Savannah, Ga.
            2:42 p.m. - 9:12 a.m. - Kenny Kim, Korea; A-Bennett Blakeman, Burr Ridge, Ill.; Blaine Peffley, Lebanon, Pa.
 
Thursday (June 17), hole #10; Friday (June 18), hole #1
 
            12:30 p.m. - 7:00 a.m. - Terry Pilkadaris, Australia; Rich Barcelo, Reno, Nev.; Gary Boyd, England
            12:41 p.m. - 7:11 a.m. - Jean-Francois Lucquin, France; Chris Stroud, Houston, Texas; Gareth Maybin, Northern Irelan
            12:52 p.m. - 7:22 a.m. - Simon Dyson, England; J. J. Henry, Fort Worth, Texas; Alex Cejka, Czech Republic
            1:03 p.m. - 7:33 a.m. - Michael Campbell, New Zealand; Seung Yul Noh, Korea; Paul Goydos, Coto De Caza, Calif.
            1:14 p.m. - 7:44 a.m. - Aaron Baddeley, Australia; Pablo Martin, Spain; Rhys Davies, Wales
            1:25 p.m. – 7:55 a.m. - Alvaro Quiros, Spain; Ryan Moore, Spanaway, Wash.; Michael Sim, Australia
            1:36 p.m. - 8:06 a.m. - Vijay Singh, Fiji; Dustin Johnson, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Davis Love III, Sea Island, Ga.
            1:47 p.m. - 8:17 a.m. - Ryo Ishikawa, Japan; Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland; Tom Watson, Stillwell, Kan.
            1:58 p.m. - 8:28 a.m. - Kenny Perry, Franklin, Ky.; Miguel Angel Jimenez, Spain; Fred Funk, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
            2:09 p.m. - 8:39 a.m. - Ross Fisher, England; Brandt Snedeker, Nashville, Tenn.; Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa
            2:20 p.m. - 8:50 a.m. - Daniel Summerhays, Farmington, Utah; A-Scott Langley, St. Louis, Mo.; Matthew Richardson, England
            2:31 p.m. – 9:01 a.m. - Erik Compton, Coral Gables, Fla.; A-Russell Henley, Macon, Ga.; Jason Allred, Scottsdale, Ariz.
            2:42 p.m. - 9:12 a.m. - Erick Justesen, Sacramento, Calif.; Jerry Smith, Oskaloosa, Iowa; A-Hudson Swafford, Tallahassee, Fla.
 

"Watson was what Seve was around the greens and what Tiger is now. So, I thought he had a 50-50 chance of making 3."

Don't miss Chris Millard's recap of Tom Watson's epic 1982 chip-in.



NBC Editors May Seek Raise Before Clipping Latest Golf Digest Challenge

Okay that's not true, but maybe they should since it sounds like a positively excruciating day was had by all.

AP noted...wait, there's an AP game story? Anyway, AP incorrectly reported Wayne Gretzky's score. He posted 100, bested by only Mark Walhberg. Drew Brees fired 102 and readers' choice Peggy Ference took the over, recording 119 from the 7040-yard, par-78 tees.

Alex Myers offered this live blog of the day and clarifies the Gretzky oversight.  Roberto de Vicenzo he is not.

Prepping For Pebble: Lewis Lapham Speaks

GolfDigest.com posts this interview with writer Lewis Lapham, grandson of key Pebble Beach and Cypress Point figure Roger Lapham.

Prepping For Pebble: U.S. Open Memories, Digest Style

"Had I really been invited to play in the Swallows?"

Alan Shipnuck managed to crash the elite gathering where grown men gather to discuss their vegetarian diets, the best Birkenstocks and in general, their desire to foster world peace. Though I'm getting a better idea why SI, the leaflet that it has become, wanted $100 to renew my subscription (and didn't get it!):

Had I really been invited to play in the Swallows? Still, deep down I knew I was unworthy, and I figured Perocchi would either come to his senses or get talked out of inviting me. Months went by without any contact, and slowly my hopes dimmed. Then one day in March, I opened my mailbox to find a beautifully designed invitation. I couldn’t have been more excited had I found one of Willy Wonka’s golden tickets. I read and reread the schedule of events: rounds at Cypress Point, Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill; cookouts by day, ­jacket-and-tie dinners by night. According to the invitation, all events were mandatory to foster “the Swallows spirit.

Well how else are you going to foster Middle East peace?

There was only one problem: The entry fee was $5,500. I have four young kids and a bloated mortgage. Devoting that much of the family budget to three days of golf was out of the question. I called my editor in New York City, who I knew has always had his own fascination with the Swallows. I gingerly explained that I was in need of a corporate sponsorship.
“We’ll pay,” he said, in the tone of a fairy-tale bad guy offering a magic potion, “but you have to write a story about it. ”

Damn editors...

Shipnuck goes on to detail how the Silver Oak set gets Pebble Beach closed for the day so they can brainstorm how to grow the game. I tell you, I was touched. Especially after reading this item from Steve Elling about Open qualifiers having to dodge various outtings the week before the U.S. Open.

"I didn't think I had it in me."

Tim Rosaforte follows up with Erik Compton about his play Monday and about next week. What a contrast to the boneheads who no-showed for the qualifiers.

"Two years ago June 7, I was at my parents house with (wife) Barbara," Compton said. "We had no baby; we didn't know she was pregnant. I was all stapled up, trying to find a comfortable position to lay down in and get up and go to the bathroom. There were staples all down my leg, all down my chest. I was all beat up, man, but I was envisioning what was going on now. It was wild. I was watching the Open at Torrey thinking [about the Open at Pebble]."

What helped were the low expectations based on Compton's 82 on Sunday in the Memorial, and how worn out he felt waking up at 4 a.m. that Monday morning. Disconsolate, he walked off the course with a double bogey and hit balls on the Muirfield Village range until 9 p.m. Sunday night. Quietly he made his fourth cut of the year at the Memorial, but in every case physical fatigue was an issue on the weekend.

After opening with a 69, Compton's tour caddie, Ron "Bambi" Levin had to leave for a commitment with Todd Hamilton at the Memphis St. Jude Classic. Scott Wilke, a massage therapist who had been working on Compton at Muirfield Village, offered to take the bag. Wilke is a member at Springfield CC, and gave Compton a good read on a 50-footer he made for eagle on the 15th hole.