THE U.S. OPEN at Chambers Bay is all over but the shouting.
Maybe make that groaning in the wake of Dustin Johnson missing two putts on the 18th green, an eagle from 12 feet for the win and a rubbery-legged 4-footer for a playoff.
Jordan Spieth is a deserving champion and already learning the subtle art of gamesmanship.
His calling the 18th hole “The dumbest hole I’ve ever played” when it played as a par-4 for Friday’s round and his threat to play up the first fairway had to have embarrassed those setting up the course for Sunday’s final round.
The griping concerning green conditions is something viewers and spectators heard all week, so I’ll avoid the overused F-word.
Grousing about Fox Sports’ coverage of the event was certainly warranted.
The USGA went for Fox’s megabucks offer to broadcast the association’s events for 12 years, and that was a mistake.
Golf’s likely the hardest sport to broadcast and Fox’s coverage lacked some of the refinements NBC and ESPN had learned after years of practice.
Little things such as finding the ball after a tee shot, making the right camera switch to catch big moments and showing golfers playing the course rather than pre-taped features or announcers bantering, must improve.
Not having a camera on Spieth during Johnson’s putts was a misstep and Fox let viewers down when commentator Greg Norman didn’t weigh in after Johnson’s miss on the crushing feeling of losing a major in an instant.
I loved the Protracer graphic that showed the arc of tee shots, the decision to go commercial-free for the last hour-plus of the event added to the drama and the microphones dotted around the course gave us more insight — see Spieth’s comments on the 18th.
McLaughlin on duty
Port Angeles volunteer Gary McLaughlin was in the middle of the storm for Sunday’s final round.
McLaughlin’s final shift as the grandstand marshal leader for the 18th hole coincided with the late heroics.
“Sunday was pretty difficult,” McLaughlin said.
He said he watched play in the morning from the grandstand at the 7th hole.
“From there you could see whole western end of the grandstand on 18, and it was essentially pretty full from about noon on.”
McLaughlin was in charge of the seating area right behind the pin on the 18th green.
“The pin was so far back that people sitting on the bottom row of grandstand couldn’t see,” McLaughlin said.
“They would then stand up, so the next row behind would stand up, or even stand on their seats, which we couldn’t allow.
“So we did have some folks yelling at marshals to tell folks to sit down.”
McLaughlin estimated that 85 percent of those he came into contact with were polite, followed directions and appreciated volunteers’ efforts.
“For the most part, especially on Sunday, people knew it was going to be crowded, it was going to be warm and it was going to be a long day,” McLaughlin said.
“We just had a few people ramping up their aggressiveness to try to get what they wanted, but it was manageable.”
McLaughlin said he changed protocol on the fly, allowing spectators to take an hour break from the grandstand before losing seating rather than the 45-minute limit.
“We had fans tell us that the concession lines around the 18th were taking more than 45 minutes,” McLaughlin said.
The toughest rules to enforce were not allowing fans to enter the stands using a handicapped-only tunnel, some cellphone use in the stands and e-cigarette smoking, McLaughlin said.
“It really was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, unless they come back when I’m still able to walk around,” McLaughlin said.
“I enjoyed the massive infrastructure the USGA puts in place, something you never really see on television.
“From where you enter the grounds at the top of the hill, it almost overwhelms the course in a way.”
McLaughlin’s not sure if the U.S. Open will return to Chambers Bay.
“I was told it comes down to property, parking and profit,” McLaughlin said.
“One thing I have heard is Chambers redoing the greens is a tough proposition because the course depends on playing revenue.
“Maybe they can do two or three greens a year and use temporary greens while keeping the course open.”
Cedars hosts amateur
Cedars at Dungeness in Sequim is hosting the 22nd Washington State Women’s Amateur Championship concurrently with the 16th Washington State Senior Women’s Amateur Championship and second Washington State Super Senior Women’s Amateur Championship through Thursday.
Tee times started at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.
For a complete list of tee times, pairings and daily updates, visit www.thewsga.org.
Cedars Director of Golf Bill Shea said spectators are welcome for the tournament, but carts will not be available for fans.
The Women’s Amateur is the state’s premier amateur championship for women and traditionally draws the region’s best players.
Numerous Pac-12 golfers are playing, including Washington State University’s Alivia Brown, Cherokee Kim, Kristen Rue, Bree Wandersched and Rachel Lewis, and Alexis Keating and Lauryn Keating of the University of Colorado.
Brown finished second in last year’s amateur at Port Ludlow to Notre Dame’s Jordan Ferreira.
SkyRidge events
SkyRidge Golf Course in Sequim will host its annual Stars and Stripes tournament Saturday, July 4.
The two-person, 27-hole event has a 9:30 a.m. shotgun start.
Golfers will play better ball from the green tees on the front nine, scramble format from the green tees on the second nine and alternate shot from the silver tees on the final trip around the course.
The event is $90 per team, and includes green fees, range balls and food.
A honey pot is $20 per person and carts are $15 per seat.
SkyRidge also will host its 10th annual Lavender Golf Tournament Saturday, July 18.
The two-person scramble tees off with a 9:30 a.m. shotgun start.
A barbecue burger lunch follows play.
Cost is $40 per player, cart seats are $15 and a $10 honey pot is available.
Phone SkyRidge at 360-683-3673 to sign up.
OCS tourney
Olympic Christian School’s third annual charity golf tournament at Cedars at Dungeness is Saturday, July 18.
The tournament will offer hamburgers made from Kobe beef for post-round enjoyment.
Players can get in on the scramble-format tournament for $90, which covers green fees, cart, range balls and that Kobe beef lunch.
Cedars members can ask about the members discount at the pro shop.
The event tees off with a 9 a.m. shotgun start.
There will be low gross and OCS Eagle flights.
Players also will vie for two hole-in-one prizes: $10,000 on the fourth hole, and a Nissan Versa, courtesy of Wilder Auto Center, on the 17th hole.
Sponsors also are sought, with prices ranging from $1,000 (diamond), to $500 to $750 (platinum) and ($100 to $250) gold.
For more information, or to sign up to play, phone Dan Hendrickson at 360-477-0802 or email golf@olympicchristian.org.
________
Golf columnist Michael Carman can be reached at 360-417-3525 or pdngolf@gmail.com.