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Thursday, June 26, 2003

By Dave Hackenberg, Block News Alliance

TOLEDO, Ohio -- Players in today's first round of the U.S. Senior Open will enthusiastically report to the first tee at Inverness Club, hoping for a few birdies out of the starting gate.

The first two holes are relatively short and demand the type of approach shots professional golfers and world-class amateurs handle with ease. Red numbers will go up on the scoreboard early and often.

And then everything changes.

Beginning with No. 3 is a five-hole stretch as difficult as any in major championship golf.

"That's the most important stretch of holes on the golf course," Tom Watson said. "You can go for big numbers on those holes."

Players who go the distance in this 72-hole tournament will post 20 scores on those holes. It figures those who finish them at even par or better will be crowding the top of the leader board come late Sunday afternoon, when a champion is crowned in this premier senior event for the 24th time.

A field of 156 golfers opens play today off the Nos. 1 and 10 tees, with starting times stretching from 7:30 a.m. to 9:20 a.m., then from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The 6,983-yard Inverness course has been a load for the players during three days of practice rounds. It has been sunny and hot, and the tight course with its signature small greens has been baked firm and fast.

If rain forecast for later today doesn't materialize or doesn't change the playing conditions appreciably, Watson said he "doubts if below par will be the winning score. This golf course is as tough a golf course as we've played as seniors, no question about it. It's going to create some high scores."

Nowhere will the challenge be greater or the scores potentially higher than on the five holes starting at No. 3 and including the fourth and seventh holes, Donald Ross-designed par 4s.

"Those are the two hardest holes on the golf course, I think," said Craig Stadler, who won the 1973 U.S. Amateur at Inverness. "That whole stretch is awfully good."

It begins with the 194-yard, par-3 third hole that features a pond off the right edge of the green and pin placements that bring the water into play.

"There is nothing on the golf course as severe as the right side of the third green," said Jack Nicklaus, who has played in four major championships at Inverness, three of them since No. 3 was added as part of a late-1970s renovation. "You miss the green, just roll it off the edge, and the ball is in the water every time. And you cannot miss the green left."

The fifth and sixth holes also were added during the renovation by designers George and Tom Fazio.

The fifth hole is relatively short, 431 yards, but has a narrow, dogleg fairway with a creek to the right and a small green featuring what Stadler called "a big old hill" in the middle.

The sixth is another par 3, but it is far from typical at 228 yards, with a green that might be the toughest on the course to read.

Dave Hackenberg writes for The Blade of Toledo, Ohio, and Block News Alliance.