Roughing it in Pinehurst
The crowds are already gathering in full force at Pinehurst No.2. For those driving down from Greensboro, prepare for lengthy stoppages this week at the Rt. 211 exit off U.S. 220 and at the big traffic circle in Pinehurst. The good news there is a couple of state troopers are helping space out the traffic in the roundabout.
Oh, and bring lots of water, or be prepared to buy lots of it at the course. But you probably were already figuring on that, what with the heat index hovering around 110 degrees in the Triad and Sandhills today. Seriously, for those with serious heat-stroke concerns, there are three medical tents set up here, each with an attending physician, two paramedics and two nurses. They pretty much did think of everything.
As for the course itself, the thick rough, whether 3 inches or 3.5 deep, is going to eat a lot of golf balls this weekend, players are predicting. Tiger Woods played 36 holes here last Monday. He said it was like, "What rough?"
"Now you're hoping to advance a 9-iron or wedge down the fairway so you can get it up-and-down," he said. "It's grown quite a bit in a week."
Retief Goosen, who won the Open last year at Shinnecock, says Pinehurst will likely play even tougher this week, especially if it stays hot and dry.
"I can't see that anything really below par could win this week if conditions stay the way they are now," Goosen said.
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