The USGA yesterday formally announced that L.A. Country Club, which "has never hosted a major," will host the '23 U.S. Open, ending "more than a year of negotiations -- and an even longer courtship -- to return golf’s national championship to one of America’s largest markets," according to Ryan Kartje of the ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER. The USGA had monitored the club as an option "for decades, but, in spite of its interest, it hadn’t received an invitation to consider the club’s North Course until last year." Recent renovations "seemed to change perspective of the club, which has hosted just four USGA events in its history." LACC will host the '17 Walker Cup, and that event "should now serve as a test run" for the '23 Open, which "will require substantial planning and infrastructure to deal with the challenges presented by a city known for its traffic and parking issues." Nearby Riviera Country Club has "made its share of attempts to bring the event back to its most recent home" in L.A. But USGA VP Diana Murphy said that with "tens of thousands of spectators and a host of corporate elements in need of space, the Riviera ... doesn’t have the 'operational capabilities' of a larger course" such as LACC (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 7/23). In L.A., Bill Dwyre reports parking for the Open "will be at UCLA and entry will be via shuttle bus," which is a "decent plan." Golf at LACC "can really be special, assuming the USGA doesn't tinker too much with the challenges and wonderful feel of the North Course" (L.A. TIMES, 7/23). In California, Larry Bohannan noted the USGA going to LACC does not necessarily mean Riviera is "out of the question for another Open in the future." It will host the '17 U.S. Amateur Championship, and that "could give the course another chance to shine for the USGA in hopes for an Open" in '26 or '27 (DESERTSUN.com, 7/22).
CAROLINA IN MY MIND: In Raleigh, Chip Alexander notes the USGA yesterday also officially announced Pinehurst as the host for the '24 U.S. Open, marking the "fourth time in 25 years" that the No. 2 course will host the event. Pinehurst Resort President Tom Pashley said that there had been "no discussions" with the USGA about the course hosting the '24 U.S. Women's Open, as it did in '14, but added that Pinehurst "would agree to do it, if asked." In fact, Pashley "didn't completely rule out a U.S. Open-U.S. Women's Open repeat" in '24. He noted the USGA "made its announcement" on the '14 U.S. Women's Open site two years after its '14 U.S. Open selection (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 7/23). Golf Channel’s Matt Ginella said Pinehurst has become "an extension" of the USGA. He said, "They've got now a relationship with the ‘Cradle of American Golf,’ not unlike what the R&A has with the ‘Home of Golf’ at St. Andrews. ... It's really nice to be able to have the ‘Cradle of American Golf’ be a place where we know the (U.S.) Open championship can come on a regular basis” (“Morning Drive,” Golf Channel, 7/23). In Greensboro, Ed Hardin writes the USGA "has made Pinehurst a destination." The No. 2 course has become part of the USGA's "regular rotation, a prize once reserved for courses that seemed light-years from North Carolina." It is "now recognized as one of the great courses in the world" (Greensboro NEWS & RECORD, 7/23).
MASS APPEAL: The AP's Doug Ferguson reported the Country Club of Brookline outside Boston is "getting its first U.S. Open in three decades" with the '22 event. The U.S. Open "starts its East Coast-West Coast rotation" in '18 at Shinnecock Hills on Long Island. It then "goes to Pebble Beach" in '19, Winged Foot in '20, Torrey Pines in ’21, Brookline in ’22, LACC in ’23 and Pinehurst in ’24. That is "as far out as the U.S. Open is planned, and even nine years out is a long time for typical USGA planning" (AP, 7/22).
