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Southern Hills: a test of power and accuracy

It is not the longest course in U.S. Open history, but Southern Hills Country Club nonetheless will be quite a test. It has been lengthened to 6,973 yards, yet has just two par 5s. Here are four holes that could have a major impact on the 101st U.S. Open.

By BOB HARIG

© St. Petersburg Times,
published June 14, 2001

No. 5, 643 yards, par 5: This is the longest hole in the history of the U.S. Open, bettering the 17th at Baltusrol by 12 yards. No. 5 has a new tee that was built about 35 yards behind the old one, bringing fairway bunkers into play on the right and left sides. Most players will strive for accuracy rather than length off the tee, hoping to set up a good third shot to the green. But with 300-yard-plus drives, a few players, including Tiger Woods, will have the opportunity to go for the green in two shots. For Woods, and players such as Phil Mickelson, David Duval, Vijay Singh and Davis Love, hitting a good tee shot will offer a big advantage over the field.

No. 12, 456 yards, par 4: This is another hole that has been lengthened since the PGA Championship was played at Southern Hills in 1994. The new tee adds 10 to 15 yards and brings the fairway bunker on the left more into play. It also makes it more difficult to hit a big draw off the tee and catch the fairway's downward slope. The green is guarded by two bunkers on the left and a creek on the right. For Woods, a tee shot in the fairway will leave him a medium-to-short iron to the green.

No. 16, 491 yards, par 4: This is the longest par 4 in Open history, bettering the 16th at Pinehurst No. 2 by 2 yards. The 16th was a par 5 during the 1977 Open at Southern Hills. The drive has to carry 275 yards downhill and avoid a fairway bunker on the left to find a shelf in the fairway that gives the best angle and lie for a downhill approach to the green. The green is designed to accept short iron shots, so this will be a difficult par, even for Woods.

No. 18, 466 yards: This hole has been made more strenuous with an extra 20 yards of distance. And the green slopes severely from back to front, making it difficult for even the most exact iron shots to stay on the putting surface. None of the previous major championship winners at Southern Hills -- Tommy Bolt, Dave Stockton, Hubert Green, Raymond Floyd and Nick Price -- managed to par the hole during the final round of their victories.

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