By BOB HARIG, Times Staff Writer
Published June 23, 2005
CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. - It happened 45 years ago, but there is little doubt a good number of players in this week's U.S. Women's Open know Arnold Palmer drove the first green at Cherry Hills Country Club on his way to winning the 1960 U.S. Open.
Next year, they'll know they are playing the same course where the first U.S. Open was played in 1895.
In three years, they'll know they are on the same course where Bobby Jones won the third leg of the Grand Slam in 1930.
History is a huge part of golf, which is why it is smart for the U.S. Golf Association to bring the premier women's event to some of those famous courses. On Wednesday, it announced the 2009 U.S. Women's Open would be at Saucon Valley Country Club, another famous layout that has hosted five USGA events.
"This is an expression really of our commitment to taking the Women's Open to well-known golf courses that have great championship pedigree," said David Fay, executive director of the USGA. "Three of the next four Women's Opens are going to be played at U.S. Open sites. Not only U.S. Open sites but historic sites.
"This is the site where Arnold Palmer became Arnold Palmer. Next year we're having it in Newport (Rhode Island), which is the site of the first U.S. Open. And in 2008, we're going to Interlachen (Minneapolis), which was the third leg of Jones' Grand Slam in 1930."
Cristie Kerr said she had done research on the USGA championships played at Cherry Hills. Michelle Wie said she tried to see if she could drive the first green, as Palmer did. (She didn't miss by much.) Annika Sorenstam said playing the old venues is great for the game.
"For me personally, I love the traditional golf courses, and this is what we've got," she said. "To come here on a course like this ... it just doesn't get much better than that."
And name recognition helps with fan support.
"We think the biggest and most important event in women's golf ... (we want to) take it to golf courses that the average fan can relate to and can sort of fall back in time," Fay said. "Whether it's Oakmont, Cherry Hills. I think that's a good thing. All of these courses are proven championship courses."
CAMPBELL'S FUTURE: One of the perks for winning the U.S. Open is a five-year PGA Tour exemption. And for Michael Campbell, that is huge. Campbell had little success when he attempted to play the tour full-time, opting instead for Europe.
"Winning has changed my attitude or direction a little bit," he said. "I might just come over here ... among my fellow peers like Darren Clarke, Ian Poulter, ( Padraig) Harrington. I think it's time for a move now. I really enjoy playing here. I really enjoy playing Europe as well."
Look for Campbell to try to keep his card on both tours, sort of like Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Harrington, Clarke and Poulter.
GIVING BACK THE TROPHY: After having her name engraved on the U.S. Women's Open trophy, Meg Mallon had to give it back this week. She kept it in her home in Boynton Beach - except when the various hurricanes approached.
"I actually had to store it away because I was worried about it floating away somewhere," Mallon said. "Then I gave it to my club that I am a member at in Boynton Beach. They had a big party for me there and I brought the trophy in, and I left it there for about two months, and then I had to send it off to be engraved."
Mallon is not a big favorite to defend her title. She has been in a slump and has no top 10s.
"It's the longest I have struggled in my whole career," she said. "I am on my 14th driver and in my 10th week. I guess that's where you can start where my struggles are."
AROUND GOLF: In addition to announcing Saucon Valley as the site for the 2009 Women's Open, the USGA announced the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs as the site for the 2008 U.S. Senior Open. Sorenstam won her first LPGA event, the U.S. Women's Open, at the Broadmoor in 1995. ... It was mostly overlooked at the U.S. Open, but Jay Haas, 51, after shooting an opening-round 83, bounced back with even-par 70 - not good enough to make the cut, but still pretty impressive. ... A day after David Toms finished tied for 15th at the U.S. Open, his wife, Sonya, gave birth to the couple's second child, Amanda Camille.
