OAKMONT, Pa. -- A brief look at the 107th U.S. Open golf
championship, which starts Thursday:<
Site: Oakmont Country Club
Length: 7,230 yards
Par: 35-35--70
Format: 72 holes of stroke play
Cut: Top 60 and ties, and anyone within 10 strokes of the lead
after 36 holes
Playoff, if necessary: 18 holes of stroke play on June 18
Field: 156 players (142 professionals, 14 amateurs)
Defending champion: Geoff Ogilvy
Past U.S. Open champions at Oakmont: Tommy Armour (1927), Sam
Parks Jr. (1935), Ben Hogan (1953), Jack Nicklaus (1962), Johnny
Miller (1973), Larry Nelson (1983), Ernie Els (1994).
Noteworthy: For the first time since 1991, there are no players
in their 20s who have won a major.
Quoteworthy: "It does make Winged Foot seem very pleasant." --
Padraig Harrington.
Key tee times Thursday: Tiger Woods, Geoff Ogilvy, Richie
Ramsay, 8:06 a.m.; Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Adam Scott, 1:36 p.m.
Television (all times EDT): Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 3
p.m. ESPN; 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., NBC Sports; 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., ESPN.
Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., NBC Sports. Monday playoff
(if necessary), Noon to 2 p.m., ESPN; 2 p.m. to conclusion, NBC
Sports