Scarlet Course Served as Challenging Precursor to U.S. Open – Ohio State Buckeyes
6/11/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Davis Love III, Rocco Mediate among pros to offer comments on recently renovated OSU links, the 2008 U.S. Open gets underway Thursday in San Diego
On June 2, an impressive sample of the world’s best professional and amateur golfers assembled at the Ohio State University Scarlet course with aspirations of qualifying for the 2008 U.S. Open, set to begin Thursday at Torrey Pines in San Diego.
Many players that have seen their names atop the professional leader boards found the Scarlet a tough course to conquer after its renovation and redesign by former Buckeye and golf legend Jack Nicklaus.
Fred Couples, 1992 Masters Champion, and Tom Lehman, the 1996 British Open winner, both were done in by the Scarlet. Lehman carded a 75 and Couples chose not to turn in his score and accepted a disqualification.
“It’s hard,” Davis Love III, who fired a 66 at Scarlet to qualify for his 20th U.S. Open appearance, said. “It’s a big old golf course. I am sure Jack (Nicklaus) made it even harder than it was before. I enjoyed getting the chance to see it.”
The Scarlet was only part of a grueling test for the players, who split 36 holes between OSU’s course and Brookside Country Club in nearby Worthington, Ohio. The 36 holes followed the completion of a four-day tournament for those who competed in the Memorial June 1 in Dublin, Ohio.
Bart Bryant, the 2005 Memorial Champion, closed his day with a strong round of 65 at Scarlet to qualify for the Open. He offered praise for the test the collegiate course presents.
“It’s a great golf course,” Bryant, making his fifth U.S. Open appearance this year, said. “I would say this is as good as any college course I have seen, for sure.”
At the link above, watch interviews with several more pros that took on the Scarlet, including Jay Haas, JJ Henry and Rocco Mediate.
