2013 U.S. Open: Golf Tee Times, Pairings for Rounds 1 and 2

2013 U.S. Open: Golf Tee Times, Pairings for Rounds 1 and 2











Bradley Ryder June 11, 2013 4:01 PM




COMMENTARY | The 113th U.S. Open takes place at the Meri



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on Golf Club on June 13-16 in Pennsylvania.





Pairings and tee times are set for the par-4 golf course, slightly soggy in the wake of Tropical Storm Andrea. While all eyes are on Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia, defending 2012 U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson hopes to repeat.



U.S. Open 2013: Rounds 1 and 2 (groupings and starting times)

Note: All times in Eastern Standard Time (Thursday, tee 1/Friday, tee 11)

1. Cliff Kresge, Roger Tambellini, Ryan Yip: 06:45 a.m./12:45 p.m.

2. Rikard Karlberg, Yui Ueda, John Parry: 06:56 a.m./12:56 p.m.

3. Nick Watney, Peter Hanson, Hunter Mahan: 07:07 a.m./01:07 p.m.

4. Lucas Glover, Paul Casey, Bill Haas: 07:18 a.m./01:18 p.m.

5. Aaron Baddeley, Rory Sabbatini, David Lingmerth: 07:29 a.m./01:29 p.m.

6. George Coetzee, Martin Laird, Marcel Siem: 07:40 a.m./01:40 p.m.

7. Jerry Kelly, Charley Hoffman, John Huh: 07:51 a.m./01:51 p.m.

8. Henrik Stenson, Ryan Moore, Robert Garrigus: 08:02 a.m./02:02 p.m.

9. Ryan Palmer, Simon Khan, Ted Potter Jr.: 08:13 a.m./02:13 p.m.

10. Shawn Stefani, Michael Kim, Nicholas Thompson: 08:24 a.m./02:24 p.m.

11. Chris Doak, Andrew Svoboda, Douglas LaBelle II: 08:35 a.m./02:35 p.m.

12. Kevin Sutherland, Matt Weibring, Randall Hutchison: 08:46 a.m./02:46 p.m.

13. Cory McElyea, Ryan Nelson, John Hahn: 08:57 a.m./02:57 p.m.

14. David Toms, Darren Clarke, Jose Maria Olazabal: 12:30 p.m./07:00 a.m.

15. Geoff Ogilvy, Angel Cabrera, Paul Lawrie: 12:41 p.m./07:11 a.m.

16. Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer: 12:52 p.m./07:22 a.m.

17. Jim Furyk, Graeme McDowell, Zach Johnson: 01:03 p.m./07:33 a.m.

18. Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott: 01:14 p.m./07:44 a.m.

19. Thongchai Jaidee. G. Fernandez-Castano, Thorbjorn Olesen: 01:25 p.m./07:55 a.m.

20. Webb Simpson, Steven Fox, Ernie Els: 01:36 p.m./08:06 a.m.

21. Kyle Stanley, Joe Ogilvi, Luke Guthrie: 01:47 p.m./08:17 a.m.

22. Josh Teater, Yoshinobu Tsukada, Eddie Pepperell: 01:58 p.m./08:28 a.m.

23. Edward Loar, Morten Orum Madsen, Jung-Gon Hwang: 02:09 p.m./08:39 a.m.

24. Max Homa, Russell Knox, Matt Bettencourt: 02:20 p.m./08:50 a.m.

25. Adam Hadwin, John Nieporte, Jim Herman: 02:31 p.m./09:01 a.m.

26. Brandon Brown, Grayson Murray, Jesse Smith: 02:42 p.m./09:12 a.m.

27. Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson, Nicolas Colsaerts: 07:00 a.m./12:30 p.m.

28. Phil Mickelson, Steve Stricker, Keegan Bradley: 07:11 a.m./12:41 p.m.

29. Matt Kuchar, Justin Rose, Brandt Snedeker: 07:22 a.m./12:52 p.m.

30. Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Tim Clark: 07:33 a.m./01:03 p.m.

31. Sergio Garcia, Stewart Cink, Padraig Harrington: 07:44 a.m./01:14 p.m.

32. Ian Poulter, Jason Dufner, Boo Weekley: 07:55 a.m./01:25 p.m.

33. Rickie Fowler, Matteo Manassero, Jason Day: 08:06 a.m./01:36 p.m.

34. Y.E. Yang, Fredrik Jacobson, Hiroyuki Fujita: 08:17 a.m./01:47 p.m.

35. Scott Stallings, John Peterson, Robert Karlsson: 08:28 a.m./01:58 p.m.

36. Jay Don Blake, Brandt Jobe, Michael Campbell: 08:39 a.m./02:09 p.m.

37. David Hearn, Mike Weir, Jaco Van Zyl: 08:50 a.m./02:20 p.m.

38. Kevin Phelan, Wil Collins, Harold Varner III: 09:01 a.m./02:31 p.m.

39. Cheng-Tsung Pan, Mackenzie Hughes, Geoffrey Sisk: 09:12 a.m./02:42 p.m.

40. Justin Hicks, David Howell, Brian Stuard: 12:45 p.m./06:45 a.m.

41. Brendan Steele, Estanislao Goya, Peter Hedblom: 12:56 p.m./06:56 a.m.

42. Marc Leishman, John Senden, Marcus Fraser: 01:07 p.m./07:07 a.m.

43. Scott Langley, Chris Williams, Morgan Hoffmann: 01:18 p.m/07:18 a.m.

44. Michael Thompson, Michael Weaver, Casey Wittenberg: 01:29 p.m./07:29 a.m.

45. K.J. Choi, Francesco Molinari, Carl Pettersson: 01:40 p.m./07:40 a.m.

46. Scott Piercy, Kevin Chappell, Jamie Donaldson: 01:51 p.m./07:51 a.m.

47. Bo Van Pelt, Kevin Streelman, D.A. Points: 02:02 p.m./08:02 a.m.

48. Branden Grace, Sang-Moon Bae, Russell Henley: 02:13 p.m./08:13 a.m.

49. Hideki Matsuyama, Billy Horschel, Jordan Spieth: 02:24 p.m./08:24 a.m.

50. Mathew Goggin, Steven Alker, Alistair Presnell: 02:35 p.m./08:35 a.m.

51. Matt Harmon, Gavin Hall, Bio Kim: 02:46 p.m./08:46 a.m.

52. Zack Fischer, Ryan Sullivan, Brandon Crick: 02:57 p.m./08:57 a.m.

2013 U.S. Open date: June 13-16

U.S. Open location: Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, Pa.

Quote from Rory McIlroy (World No. 2) on playing with Tiger Woods (World No. 1) and Adam Scott (World No. 3) in the first and second rounds of the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion: "It's always nice to be a part of a group like that. It's something I'm excited about. It's a good think I like it and enjoy it because there will obviously be a lot of attention come Thursday afternoon on our first tee shots."



(Via U.S. Open/USGA website)

Bradley is a professional writer, journalist, sportswriter, and avid fan of the NBA, Motorsports, NFL, PGA and all things tennis. He keeps a watchful eye on Miami Heat developments.

Tiger Woods deserved more from PGA Tour after Sergio Garcia's racist comment

Tiger Woods deserved more from PGA Tour after Sergio Garcia's racist comment











Eric Adelson June 11, 2013 5:42 PMYahoo Sports





ARDMORE, Pa. – Tiger Woods did the game of golf a favor by the way he handled Sergio Garcia's tone deaf and racist joke at his expense.

Unfortunately, the leaders of the sport did nothing in return.

The PGA Tour whiffed in its response to Garcia's "we will serve fried chicken" barb, announcing no punishment where one was clearly needed.

Garcia is sorry – he said so multiple times on Tuesday at Merion Golf Club, where he's preparing for the 113th U.S. Open – but PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem should be just as sorry for staying silent on the matter. He was in the room when Garcia dropped his stink bomb last month at an awards dinner.

"We don't comment on player disciplinary matters," said Tour spokeswoman Laura Neal in reply to an emailed question about whether Garcia was sanctioned.

"No comment" is not enough. The game of golf has a long history of unfair treatment toward minorities, notoriously keeping African-American members out of Augusta National until the 1990s. This was an opportunity to show progress, to show awareness.

Opportunity lost.

Just recently, NBA star Roy Hibbert made an off-color comment in a press conference, and he was heavily fined. When Kobe Bryant used a derogatory epithet, he was punished. Commissioner David Stern made it perfectly clear that insensitive remarks will be met with fines or worse, calling Bryant's gay slur "offensive and inexcusable." We are in an era where racist, sexist, and discriminatory remarks are rebuked quickly and forcefully – even when they're intended as humorous.





View gallery.

Sergio Garcia emerges from a meeting with George O'Grady, CEO of the European Tour (L) and Tim Finchem, PGA Tour …But apparently not in golf.



Finchem did meet privately with Garcia. "Following our meeting," said European Tour CEO George O'Grady, speaking on behalf of Finchem, "we have accepted his full apology, and we consider the matter closed."

Perhaps a reprimand was dealt. That's not nearly enough, though. Garcia's joke, although made at a private dinner, went viral. The response should be public too. "Behind closed doors" is exactly golf's problem, not its solution. Finchem didn't even follow up on O'Grady's comment that most of Garcia's friends are "colored athletes."

Instead, it was left to Woods and Garcia to address the media. Both did so admirably. Woods could have justifiably skewered Garcia, fueling another news cycle. Instead he said it was time to move on and play golf.Garcia opened his remarks Tuesday by apologizing again. He could have and should have apologized in person on Monday when he saw Woods on the practice range, but he did write Woods a note and he has been public in his expressed contrition. His chief sponsor, TaylorMade, is reviewing its agreement with Garcia, and the golfer is scared (if not scared straight).

The temptation is to move on. And, with such a distinguished tournament about to start on this jewel of a golf course on Thursday, few will complain about placing the game front and center.

But in moving on, the leaders of the sport have set a bad precedent. If the No. 1 player in the game is the victim of a joke like that, and no official word of punishment ever comes, what's the implicit conclusion about the sport's commitment to openness?

Finchem can get away with his silence. Few will call him out, on or off the course. ESPN's Bob Harig and the Boston Globe's Michael Whitmer both demanded punishment for Garcia. But that's hardly a groundswell of an objection.

The shame of the situation was brought into high relief Tuesday when a reporter for The Trentonian, L.A. Parker, sat in the front row and told Garcia his words were "stinging" not just because of the affront to a minority golfer, but also to himself and other African-Americans who love golf.

Garcia said he felt the weight of the responsibility. He took the charge seriously. "I can obviously see that I hurt a lot of people," he said. Yet Parker is still quite upset not only at the situation, but at Finchem.

"Finchem should have done a better job with this," Parker said. "Is he serious about this or not?"

Parker rightly pointed out that this controversy has become wholly about the two men involved – Woods and Garcia. It's become a soap opera – a diversion from a deeper problem. Will they be paired together over the weekend? Will animosity linger? Will we see the aftereffects in their individual games?

Enough of that. The two men have done a great deal publicly to put the incident behind them. Woods deserves to focus on his game, and Garcia, despite his abhorrent comments, should be taken at his contrite word. (Though a face-to-face apology would still be appropriate.)

The Tour? It did nothing to protect its modern pioneer, the man who has lined everyone's pockets and kept the game from the fringes of irrelevance. It made no sound when it should have been screaming that it would make the sport a discrimination-free zone for minorities of all backgrounds.

This week is a celebration of accessible golf: Merion is located a short train ride from one of the most diverse cities in the nation. Simply by holding the U.S. Open here, the USGA took a step closer to making the sport approachable for those living far from gated communities and fenced-in pools.

The sport is better because the U.S. Open is here. The sport is better because Tiger Woods is here.

The sport should also be better from this racist incident. Sadly, it's not.

Merion seeks sunshine as U.S. Open week opens

Merion seeks sunshine as U.S. Open week opens











PGA.COM June 11, 2013 6:36 PM

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View gallery
an already-soggy Merion got three more downpours on Monday.(Getty Images)


By Doug Ferguson, Associated Press

ARDMORE, Pa. -- The most popular piece of equipment Merion was not a golf club but a squeegee.

More heavy rain at the U.S. Open flooded a bunker by the 11th green and filled fairways with large puddles and tiny stream. The course was closed for four hours during the first full day of practice, and then shut down for good later in the afternoon.

Brandt Jobe played three holes when he heard a horn to stop play. Jim Herman managed to play one hole. Practice rounds are important because only a dozen or so players have ever seen this 100-year-old course, which has not hosted a U.S. Open in 32 years.

Workers were busy running squeegees across the greens and fairways during the afternoon before another downpour arrived.

"After the rain this morning, it's going to be very sloppy now," Ernie Els said. "You're not going to see a firm U.S. Open this year, I'm sorry. I don't care if they get helicopters flying over the fairways, it's not going to dry up. We're going to have a soft golf course this week -- all week."

The forecast was for mostly dry conditions Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a 40 percent chance of rain on Thursday for the opening round.

Merion received more than 3 inches of rain on Friday, and Monday's downpours -- three of them -- didn't help. The low point on the East Course is the 11th hole, and a bunker was filled with water from an overflowing stream.

Course Superintendent Matt Shaffer said the base sand was left alone. Workers removed the silt and put about three tons of new sand in the bunker, tamped it down and "we were ready to go."

For now, officials are hopeful.


Shaffer said Merion has had two big rains, and both times the 11th green has stayed above water. And while there were tiny streams running through fairways and large pools of water on sections of the greens, the water appeared to drain quickly.

"This golf course is not built on sand, so it's got the heavier soils," USGA Executive Director Mike Davis said. "But it is maybe the best draining golf course I have ever seen. If you walk this course, you know there's hardly any flat lies at Merion."

Merion is 6,996 yards on the scorecard, the shortest U.S. Open course since Shinnecock Hills in 2004. The rough is thicker than usual compared with most recent U.S. Opens, though soft greens are a recipe for low scoring no matter the golf course.

Congressional was softened significantly by rain, and Rory McIlroy shattered the scoring record at 16-under 268 for an eight-shot win. As for the week, it rained so much at Bethpage Black in 2002 that the tournament barely finished 72 holes on Monday, with Lucas Glover winning.

Els mentioned the firm fairways because that's what can make Merion tricky. Tiger Woods, Adam Scott and Rory McIlroy were among those who came to Merion early, and they all spoke about the experience necessary to find the right angle off the tee to keep the ball in the fairway. Geoff Ogilvy played Sunday for the first time and mentioned the best driver would fare well -- but not necessarily the straightest driver.

With soft fairways, it becomes more of a target.

"Obviously with it being a little soft, it becomes a little more simple than what it was," Scott said. "The ball is just going to stop where it lands."

Davis said the USGA would try to move the hole locations to some of the higher spots on the greens to avoid standing water if it rains on Thursday. As for the fairways, even with standing water, the U.S. Opencould be played as long as players could move the ball to a dry spot that didn't add significant distance to their shots.

The next two days could be crucial.

"We just need a little bit of sunshine," Shaffer said.