US Open golf: Merion to be in ‘good shape’ come Thursday
Mike Davis has said he expects Merion to be in ‘good shape’ when the US Open gets underway on Thursday.
The USGA Executive Director, also known as the US Open doctor, believes the course can cope with the heavy rains that have battered Philadelphia over the last week.
“It is maybe the best draining golf course I have ever seen,” he said.
“If you walk this course you know there’s hardly any flat lies at Merion. It surface-drains beautifully.”
Flooding is a worry on the course’s 11th and 12th holes and practice rounds were suspended on Monday as a precautionary measure. Davis plans to play the 4th and 5th holes on Merion’s other course – the West – if the inclement weather persists, but doubts it will come to that.
“When it rains hard you get these streams moving quickly and that’s what fills up and ultimately in some cases causes you to go over the 11th green,” Davis said.
“But we got three and a half inches over roughly 24 hours and the course handled it beautifully because it really does surface-drain well. In terms of setup I really don’t think you’re going to see us do much different.”
According to AccuWeather.com, more rain is expected Thursday, but the weekend is set to be sunny and clear.
