DID YOU KNOW?

* Last year was the first time the U.S. Open finished in regulation on a Monday since 1983 at Oakmont, when thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon forced play into an extra day. Last June at Bethpage, no round ended on the day it was scheduled to after rain interrupted things early on Thursday.

* This will be the fifth time that Pebble Beach has hosted two events in the same year. Only three other courses have done that once. In 1948, Riviera hosted the Los Angeles Open and U.S. Open. In 1989, Harbour Town Golf Links (Hilton Head, S.C.) hosted the Heritage Classic and the Tour Championship. And 2 years ago, Torrey Pines (suburban San Diego) hosted the Buick Invitational and U.S. Open. In 1972, 1992 and 2000, Pebble hosted what is now the AT&T National Pro-Am (formerly Bing Crosby National Professional-Amateur) and U.S. Open. In 1977, it hosted a Crosby and PGA Championship.

* Ricky Barnes, who led after the second and third rounds last June before tying for second, was trying to become the 12th U.S. Amateur champion to also win an Open. He would have joined (in order) Francis Ouimet, Jerome Travers, Charles Evans Jr., Bobby Jones, Johnny Goodman, Lawson Little, Arnold Palmer, Gene Littler, Jack Nicklaus, Jerry Pate and Tiger Woods.

* In the third round of the 2000 Open, Tiger Woods shot a 71 (to increase his lead from six to 10) despite taking a triple-bogey seven on No. 3 after hitting a drive right into serious rough. But he could have made a 21 on that hole and still won by a stroke. Think about that. Tiger, by the way, hasn't played at Pebble since the 2002 AT&T, when he finished 12th (he'd also won it in 2000). Phil Mickelson, the record five-time Open runner-up, won the AT&T in 1998, 2005 and '07. He tied for 16th at the 2000 Open.

* In the first round that year, John Daly closed with a 14 for an 83 and then withdrew. He pushed his tee shot out of bounds to the right, then pulled two more drives into the water left. His ninth shot also found the wet stuff. He later played a shot lefthanded, after taking a drop against a sea wall.

* Tom Watson, who got in via USGA exemption after nearly winning his sixth British Open last July at the age of 59, is the only bloke in the field who has played in all five Opens at Pebble.