ABOUT THE COURSE

HOLE-BY-HOLE

HoleParYards

1. . . 4448

2. . . 4389

3. . . 3195

4. . . 4488

5. . . 4453

6. . . 4515

7. . . 4461

8. . . 3177

9. . . 5612

Out353,738

10. . . 4414

11. . . 3221

12. . . 4504

13. . . 5614

14. . . 4435

15. . . 4478

16. . . 3225

17. . . 17441

18. . . 5573

In363,905

Total717,643

Note: Nos. 3, 11 and 16 can be played from shorter tees.

Stretching it out

Torrey Pines is the longest course to host a U.S. Open, by over more than 300 yards. The previous record belonged to Winged Foot, in 2006, at 7,264 yards. Here's the record for the other three majors:

Masters: 2008, Augusta National, 7,445 yards.

British Open: 2007, Carnoustie, 7,361 yards.

PGA Championship: 2006, Medinah, 7,561 yards.

The winning scores the past 2 years were both 5-over par. The last time the winning totals were over par in consecutive years was 1974 and '75. For whatever it's worth, Winged Foot measured 6,961 in 1974, and Medinah 7,032 (to a par of 71) the following June.

Feature hole

Is it me, or does every Open end with a tediously cruel par 4, where bogey's almost an acceptable number? Well . . .

The par-5 18th is listed at 573 yards on the card. In its infinite wisdom, the USGA has chosen not to convert it into a par-4, as it often does. And as it saw fit to do at No. 6, which will play at 515.

Instead, the closing hole of this Open now becomes a birdie (dare we say, eagle) waiting to happen. Or double bogey. There is a pond guarding the front left portion of the green. Think we'll see a front-left pin placement on the last day? Just a thought.

It's risk-reward. It could determine the championship. What a concept. In the final round of the 1975 Andy Williams-San Diego Invitational, Bruce Devlin made a 10 there, after taking six strokes to extricate his ball from that hazard.

Keep in mind there's a slippery slope that rolls back from the putting surface, into the wet stuff. Shades of the 15th at Augusta National.

Viewers can only hope it comes into play on Sunday.

- Mike Kern