2011 US Open Round 1 Jack had Rory McIlroy at 6 under... but no one else under par. While Hans had Schwartzel, Cink and McDowell at 5 under collectively, and rode those boys to a Day 1 victory. Sobo scored second place honors, with Gabes and Jack 2 strokes behind. And your host for this pool sits in the cellar. I am at Congressional, for those that did not know. Hosted golf on Tues w/ Partners, and Willo and Fox joined in on that. Fox joined us at Congressional Wed am for practice round; he and Willo be be using our tickets on Sunday for the final round. Our tix allow Clubhouse access, where food stations are full all day. Omellette stations in the am... full lunch service... late day wings, sliders, etc. Freezers full of Ben and Jerry's.... and open bar all day from 11:00 am till 7:00. I think Fox thought he had died and gone to heaven. You stroll out onto the huge patio/veranda, and overlook 18 green and 10th hole. Fox has a few pictures here: https://picasaweb.google.com/110131111964688785316/USOpenPracticeDay2011?authkey=Gv1sRgCIbz39XG5MPGiQE# I followed Phil, Dustin, and McIlroy a bit. Man, Rory made them look like chumps. Phil was all over the golf course. Given that he started w/ a DB on his first hole, shocking that he finished as good as 3 over 74. Dustin never recovered from his triple bogey early in the round. Meanwhile, McIlroy hit 17 of 18 greens! Round 2 Jack finally got some support for Rory Mc w Stricker, Van Pelt and Wilson going low, and he runs away with day 2 honors. Sobo was solid across the board, and once again captures runner up $$$. No one else was close today. Assuming the cut stays as projected, we have an interesting weekend ahead. Jack has the lead... but only 3 golfers going on the weekend. Andy and Hans have 4. And Sobo has 5. Rory had better keep going low. So... report from Congressional. Weather was great save for a very brief t-storm that was a 30 minute hiccup. My low moment came when I went to bleachers behind 10 to see Glover and Ogilvy... two Dimpled Balls... play the 218 yard par 3 over water. Both had been playing well to that point. And BOTH bastards put their balls in the drink as I watched in dismay, Both made DB's, as I gave up 4 strokes to the field. Yesterday, I offered encouragement to Rory Sabbatini after he hit off on #3, after a terrible DB on #1 (his 10th hole). He had been 4 under... sunk to 2 under. I said something like "Right back, Rory, get it going!" He looked my way, offered a nod of appreciation. And a few seconds later, an attractive young lady taps me on the shoulder and says " I really appreciate that". Surprised, I say "Mrs. Sabbatini?" She nods, and I tell her I am a big Rory fan. She liked hearing that. I didn't get into details about him being a Dimpled Ball, didn't think that was the right venue. And then today... I offered encouragement to Webb Simpson. Like Rory, not even active on my Open pool, but a DB nonetheless, and ya gotta support the team, right? And an older woman comes over to me to express her thanks for my support of Webb... it was his Mom! A sweet lady... and I told her how much I thought of her son, and how he got robbed of a tourney win in New Orleans when his ball moved on a 12 inch putt, and he was forced to take a penalty, and allowed that asshole Bubba Watson to win. And she could not have been nicer, saying "Don't say that too loud... Bubba's wife is right there" Sure enough, this tall blonde... Bubba's wife... was close enough to hear me. Doubt that she did, but funny nonetheless, especially given Ma Simpson's concern. The irony... I did not have either Sabbatini or Simpson on my 6 man team. Both made the cut. Checking out from Congressional.... Exhausted. Big hills... tough to walk for 4 days, I'm sure. OTOH, the golfers aren't pounding Bloody Mary's and beers like I was. But I am spent!!! Hitting the sack at 10:00 pm, driving home in the am. It has been great... Round 3 Hans and Sobo went very low on Sat, and tied for top honors Rd 3. Jack can blame my boy, Phil, for adding 3 extra strokes to his score. 74 was the highest posted score for the day... except for Phil's 77. So he is 4 back of Sobo, and only 4 ahead of Hans. A lock for top 3... but will have trouble hanging in w/ 3 players against Hans' 4 and Sobo's 5. Round 4 Well, to say that this US Open was a bit anti-climatic would be the under statement of the year. But it served as a coronation of sorts... the King is dead, long live the King. There is a new Bubba on the tour, and it isn't watson... nor Woods. It is 22 year old Rory McIlroy. Guess who the favorite is for the Britsih Open? Anybody want to bet against him? I wouldn't... what an incredible performance. OK... on to our little business. Sobo had another solid day... and needed it. Hans boys posted the low score for the day, gaining 2 stokes on Sobo but finsishing 6 strokes back. But his boys did manage to pick up 10 strokes on Jack's threesome, and Hans finsihes second w/ jack cruising to a third place finish. He will be consoled with the Major Skin, I am sure. Only 3 players posted any winnings this pool... everyone is in for $35, and our Top Three split the $245 pool as follows. Fox and Willo, and a number of their friends, were my guests for the final round. The weather was fantastic, and I'm sure they had their fill from the all day buffet and open bar at the Clubhouse. Hope you boys and your friends enjoyed... may not have been exciting but it was historic. I was at Pebble when Tiger lapped the field by 15... this was likely the next biggest ass whuppin' in US Open history. Ranked by Score 1 Sobo 358 353 274 278 1263 2 Hans 355 364 274 276 1269 3 Jack 360 347 282 286 1275 4 Andy 363 365 291 282 1301 5 Gabes 360 363 294 291 1308 6 Fox 365 358 292 298 1313 7 Albert 370 359 304 293 1326 Winners Hans Sobo Jack Day 1 17.15 7.35 Day 2 7.35 17.15 Day 3 12.25 12.25 Day 4 17.15 7.35 Final 36.75 88.20 22.05 Total 83.30 122.50 39.20 245.00