Players love the Pinehurst course and the lack of rough

In his prime, Jack Nicklaus loved to hear his fellow players complain about the narrow fairways and deep rough at the U.S. Open. For each complainer, Nicklaus mentally checked off one more potential challenger.

At the lovefest that is the Open at Pinehurst, Nicklaus can't count anyone out.

The first Open to be played at the venerable Pinehurst No. 2 has drawn nothing but raves from players who not only love the Donald Ross design, but are excited that Open officials did little to trick it up.

"Of all the U.S. Opens I've ever played, this course is 100 percent better than anything else I played," said Greg Norman, who has played 16 Opens.

Rough so low players can find -- and actually advance -- their balls, and a traditional course winding through the towering North Carolina pines have delighted players who feared the United States Golf Association would make the conditions too severe.

Even the treacherous slopes that force balls not hit in exactly the right place off the greens haven't drawn criticism from players respectful of the role Ross had in designing them 92 years ago.

"You've got that many fellows that are happy with the golf course, there must be something wrong," Nicklaus said. "But I enjoy it too.''

The relative lack of rough and rain that threatens to fall much of the week figure to combine for some low scores in the first few rounds, until the greens dry out and the USGA retaliates with pin positions put on precarious slopes.

"I think what is going to happen Thursday is one of this field is going to play very well and score very well," Colin Montgomerie said. "One of these players is going to have a very good day."

Whether a player has enough good days to threaten the Open record of 8-under held by Nicklaus and Lee Janzen is doubtful. But it is clear this Open will be different than many that preceded it.

Instead of hacking balls out of the rough back onto fairways, players will be able to shoot for the greens. The problem won't be getting to the green, but figuring out how to keep the ball on the putting surface.

"The golf course from tee to green is very simple," Tiger Woods said. "It's around the green where it becomes complicated."

Players have spent much of their practice time dropping balls in various areas around the greens, trying to figure out how to chip or putt the ball onto a missed green.

Woods was practicing his little 3-wood chip from just off the green, while other players were experimenting with anything from a 3-iron to a sand wedge to a putter on the shaved surfaces surrounding the greens.

"I think these are more difficult greens than Augusta's, the way they've got it done," Nicklaus said. "These are the smallest playing large greens I've ever seen. There's really not much out there to play to."

The comparisons to Augusta National haven't been lost on the players, who see similarities between the toughness of the greens on the two courses.

Toughness aside, though, the only common factor the two courses have is that it will take someone with a very special short game to win on each.

"I don't think there's any course like this," Montgomerie said. ``There's the odd upturned saucer green on golf courses, and there might be even a third, even six of them. But not 18 of them."

Light rain fell most of the day Tuesday, softening the greens a bit and allowing players to aim directly at more pins.

But the practice pairing of Nicklaus, Larry Mize, Fred Funk and Billy Mayfair found out quickly that firing at the pins is not the smartest thing to do at Pinehurst.

On the par-4 second hole, only Nicklaus managed to hit the ball on the green, and only because he landed it 20 feet short out of the rough and it ran on. The other three players all hit in the middle of the green, only to watch their balls roll off the back of the green into a collection area.

"Any player who thinks he can fly the ball all the way to the pin is going to have 20 to 25 feet coming back," course superintendent Paul Jett said.

Norman made his first trip around the course quickly, playing by himself and playing through a group that included Woods.

He didn't need to linger to know what he liked, though.

"I am absolutely in love with this golf course," Norman said. ``It's truly magnificent. Preparation wise, there's not one bad hole out there."

AP