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© St. Petersburg Times, published June 12, 2002
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- They take their sports seriously in New York. Even Tiger Woods was impressed.
Woods is used to a circuslike atmosphere whenever he plays a tournament, especially in practice rounds and even more so at major championships.
But it's different at Bethpage State Park, where the U.S. Open begins Thursday on the Black Course.
"I've been out here (on tour) for a few years now, and I don't think I've ever seen the excitement level that I've seen this early in the week," Woods said. "The fans are definitely into it. A couple of times you've got to remind them it's only Tuesday, or it's only Monday.
"It's really going to be interesting late in the afternoon on Saturday and Sunday, when the heat and humidity and beverage of their choice have taken effect."
Spectators are not afraid to say what they think.
"What I've heard a lot of is, 'Hey, I'd like to see you play after spending the night in your car,"' said Phil Mickelson, referring to the manner in which many players secure a tee time here. "That seems to be a common theme. I guess we are very fortunate to wake up at 8 or 9 o'clock and come out and play, and that's not the case here day in and day out."
YOUNG DRIVER: The youngest player in the field is Derek Tolan, 16, who qualified last week in Colorado by chipping in for birdie from 50 feet in a sudden-death playoff. In addition to getting to play in the Open, Tolan also got a new car as the payoff from a bet with his father.
"We were going against the odds," he said. "Neither of us thought the chances were very good.
"At first it was sort of confusing. It has not hit me that I'm playing in probably the biggest golf tournament in the world. I've been striving to play in some of the big junior tournaments and all of a sudden I'm playing in the U.S. Open. That was sort of a shock. Now I'm sort of starting to settle down."
9/11 MEMORIAL: The United States Golf Association today will conduct a ceremony at Bethpage in honor of those killed in the Sept.11 terrorist attacks in New York. The USGA will present an ambulance to the Fire Department of New York. Also, a golf ball found in the rubble at the World Trade Center site will be presented to the USGA to put in its museum.
FLEISHER OUT: Bruce Fleisher, who won the U.S. Senior Open last year, withdrew from the field after deciding instead to play in this week's senior event in Nashville. Fleisher earned a spot in the field because of his U.S. Senior Open victory and came to Bethpage in recent weeks for practice rounds. He was replaced in the field by Felix Cases of the Philippines, the first alternate from sectional qualifying.