YEAR OF THE MAJOR: Someone such as Rod Pampling or Frank Lickliter might not be a bad pick to win the U.S. Open next year, not because of their games or the course, but the year on their birth certificate.
Indeed, 1969 is proving to be a pretty good year for U.S. Open champions.
Angel Cabrera became the third U.S. Open champion in the last four years who was born in 1969, the others being Michael Campbell and Retief Goosen. Throw in Shaun Micheel ('03 PGA Championship) and Ernie Els ('02 British Open), and 1969 has produced six of the last 26 major champions.
Only 1975 has produced more majors (10) this decade. That was the year Tiger Woods was born.
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DIVOTS: Ping has three more clubs for its "Gold Putter" vault. That company has a solid gold model built any time someone wins a major. Suzann Pettersen used a Doc15 at the LPGA Championship, Angel Cabrera used the Redwood Answer in winning at Oakmont and Cristie Kerr used a G59 Craz-E putter, which she bought at a golf store in South Korea. ... The Nationwide Tour had eight regular members qualify for the U.S. Open at Oakmont, although none made the cut. The Futures Tour had an even stronger presence at Pine Needles, with 25 current members making it to the U.S. Women's Open. Five made the cut, with Kris Tamulis finishing the highest at 9-over 293 to tie for 35th. ... Jay Williamson has earned $699,100 the last two weeks, more than his best year on the PGA Tour (he won $660,038 in 2004).
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STAT OF THE WEEK: Of the top 15 players at the U.S. Women's Open, the oldest was Mi-Hyun Kim, who turned 30 in January.
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FINAL WORD: "That 130-mile-an-hour swing and hitting it 350 (yards) in the air passed me by a long time ago. I just have to hit it straight, hit it solid and make putts, and I can hang in there with most people." — Scott Verplank.
