Mikes US Open Preview

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 01:52:05

"As you're reading this, I'm preparing for the year's second major, the U.S. Open at the Olympia Fields Country Club near Chicago. Although I played the course a couple of weeks ago, Tuesday was the first day that I saw it under tournament conditions. I played a practice round with Ian Leggatt, my former college teammate Dean Wilson and Chris Baryla, an amateur from Vernon, B.C., who made it through the qualifying. (This guy has lots of game, to be sure!)

My impressions of the course are that although it's listed as being just a few yards shorter than last year, it doesn't play nearly as long as Bethpage Black did. There are some very long holes, like the 496-yard, par-4 ninth, and some more reasonable holes that will not be quite as punishing. As well, the rough isn't quite as nasty as it was last year - depending on your lie, you can actually hit the ball more than 20 yards or so.

Overall, the golf course sets up pretty well for me. Like every U.S. Open, you're going to have to drive it straight but you're not going to beat it to death with length. For that reason, I think there will be more players who will have a chance this week, it won't just be the big bombers. You can actually score out here and depending on the conditions, I think someone could shoot five or six under.

As for me, I'm very happy about my game right at the moment. I've worked extra hard on my short game this year and have continued that this week. I know it will be very important this week because with the way the USGA sets up the course with hard greens and long rough, I'm going to be relying on my short game more this week than usual. Just like Augusta, I'm expecting to have a lot of those par-saving putts.

Of course coming in here as the winner of the last major has brought a lot of attention with it. On the course, I'm probably feeling more relaxed; I know what it takes to win a major and I know I can do it again. There's also the fact that having won one already, I don't have as much pressure to do it again. Off the course, there's been a lot of demands on my time, things that I wouldn't have had to do or been asked to do a year ago. I've been pretty strict about my schedule, though, and have done a pretty good job in sticking to it. I've been diligent with my practicing and spending time with my family who are here this week and that's been good.

Today in my press conference someone asked whether I was insulted that not too many people are talking about the possibility of winning the Grand Slam as they might if Tiger had won the Masters. Well, no, I'm not. Tiger's won four majors in a row so there's a genuine possibility every time he wins one that he might go on a run. For me, I've only won one. At the same time, I think I'm capable of winning this week and if I didn't think that way, I probably shouldn't be here. To win all four this year things would have to fall into place and the stars all line up, but I'll tee it up Thursday and go from there. So I'm definitely excited about this week and about playing here at Olympia Fields. Playing in the majors is what we gear our seasons for and I'm looking forward to getting going.

Perhaps the only disappointment to my week was watching the Mighty Ducks lose to New Jersey. My buddy Adam Oates was so close to getting the Stanley Cup and after almost 20 years in the league, I was really pulling for him. The Devils were just tough out there - they deserved to win.

Thanks again for your support and enjoy the U.S. Open, wherever you're watching it from.

Mike"