GolfPlayerMania

The US Open Golf Championship takes place annually in June, each year at a different course across the country. This tournament is the second of four major championships in golf that take place each year. It began in 1895, and is the second oldest of today’s major golf tournaments. It has changed in formats several times over the decades; today the US Open uses a format established in 1965, of 18 holes per day for four days.

This event draws the world’s best golfers, with total prize money topping $7.5 million dollars. The US Open is well known for the suspense and action, and the lead is usually determined by only one or two shots. The rounds are well televised, and draw a large crowd.

This year, the US Open will be held in Farmingdale, New York at the Bethpage State Park Black Course. In 2009, defending US Open and World champion Tiger Woods will try to win it for the fourth time of his career. Woods is only the sixth player in history to win three or more U.S. Opens. However, he has recently suffered a ligament injury which may hurt his chances.

There are many new players joining the ranks, so Woods faces stiff competition. The 2009 US Open will feature an exciting mix of old favorites and relative newcomers. No Europeans have won the tournament since 1970, but in 2009 there are several who will be competing for the top honor. Top contenders include Ernie Els and Retief Goosen from South Africa, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk from the United States, Angel Cabrera from Argentina, Geoff Olgilvy from Australia, and many others from locations around the world.

US Open courses are generally chosen for their difficulty, and this year will be no different. The typical Open course is generally long, with hilly greens and a variety of tough shots for the world’s best golfers to showcase their skills. The winner generally comes in at just under par. The Bethpage State Park Course where the 2009 US Open will be held is known for lots of sand, strategically placed bunkers, and tight fairways. The US Open was also held here in 2002.

The US Open is open to any professional golfer, as well as any amateur with a USGA Handicap Index of under 1.4. 156 golfers are allowed to take part in the tournament; some players are exempt from the qualifying rounds, while others must compete successfully in qualifying rounds to take part in the US Open. About half of the players from each year’s US Open are exempt, while the others make it to the tournament via the qualifying rounds. Exempt players are those who have won the US Open during the last decade or any of the other 3 major tournaments in the last 5 years; there are also several other ways to qualify for exempt status.