At least one player here thought the United States Golf Association was a little slow in getting out the warning Thursday.
Dave Rummells, who shot a par-72, was on the 10th tee when play was suspended.
”It`s just too bad they didn`t get people off sooner,” said the West Branch, Iowa native. ”If the PGA Tour had been running things, we would have been off the course sooner. We have a lightning detector that shows lightning 50 miles away. They get us off the course if there is lightning within 20 miles, even if it`s not in our area.”
The United States Golf Association also has a lightning detector. It said it called off play when lightning was sighted.
– Lance Ten Broeck was Chicago`s leader in the clubhouse with a par-72.
Playing in his first U.S. Open since 1985, Ten Broeck shot 35-37 and is in good company with Nick Faldo, Fuzzy Zoeller, defending Western Open champion Wayne Levi, Paul Azinger and Peter Jacobsen.
”I had just made two birdies when the rain came,” said Ten Broeck, who is playing the Hogan Tour this year. ”I bogeyed two holes in a row when I came back.”
Chip Beck, who lives in Highland Park, opened with a 75. Scott Beaugureau of Schaumburg had an 81, Joe Hajduch of Burnham an 88 and Rick Price of Medinah was five over par with four holes to play.
– John Inman shot even-par but it was all downhill after the first four holes. Inman birdied the second hole and made a hole-in-one on the fourth to go three under par after four holes.
”They say you never hit a perfect shot but I did,” he said of the 186-yard 4-iron. ”They went crazy up at the green. I thought I could still see it. It`s special anytime but under these circumstances, at the U.S. Open, it`s great. Those ones don`t add up fast.”
– Former Chicagoan Dean Reinmuth is caddying for pupil Phil Mickelson this week. The former Downers Grove North golfer is carrying a small Sunday bag for the U.S. Amateur champion.
”This is the second time I`ve done it and probably the last,” said Reinmuth, who has been teaching Mickelson since he was in grade school.
”We`re just trying to do some good work this week, trying to improve each time.
”I`m the envy of all the caddies with this small bag. I told him at the prices he can afford, I`m not carrying a big bag. Fifty percent of nothing is still nothing.”
