Welcome to the 2008 U.S Open Championship. As one of the 4 majors, this is one of the biggest weeks of the entire year. The Open draws one of the best fields and is played out in tough conditions and so you can only expect great things.
The Open will be hosted this week by Torrey Pines (South Course) in San Diego, California. This is a beautiful course that many of our elite players grew up competing on as juniors and still consider it as one of their favorites. The pro shop walls are lined with photos of a young Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Our Badds even played here as a junior.
I am sure you all remember that Aaron led the 2007 Open for the 1
st 3 rounds. . Angel Cabrera managed to come out on top that Sunday when Badds struggled to maintain his lead for the final round. Aaron played incredibly well and the week was full of great experiences for him. He is looking forward to another shot at the title.
The purse this week is huge at 7 million. The course is 7,643 yards long and par is 71.
Aaron will tee off on Thursday with Retief Goosen and Scott Verplank at 1:14pm from the 1st.
I caught up with Badds today to hear his thoughts on the week ahead:
Hi Badds - Winning a major like the U.S Open is considered a golden ticket with exemptions for the next 5 years on the PGA Tour, Masters and British Open. How much relief would that give a player? Is winning a major more about having the 'title' of the tournament under your belt or the exemptions guaranteeing you play in the top events for years?
Hi Shelley - For me, winning the U.S. Open means more about winning the title and that I beat the best players in the world on a very tough golf course. The exemptions and all that comes with it are just a by product of winning.
You had a sensational 1st 3 rounds last year and held the lead going into the final round. There was a lot of press that your final round must have knocked your confidence and been hard to come back from. Is there any truth in that for you, or did you take all the experience you gained away from it and move on?
Last year helped my confidence a lot. I led the U.S. Open on probably the hardest course in America. It is great to know where my game is at and that if I can play my game, I can have a chance to win a major championship.
You are playing with Retief Goosen and Scott Verplank for the 1st couple of rounds. Have you played with these guys before?
Yes I have, I seem to get paired with Retief often. They are both great guys and great players!
Watching the Open since you were a very young child, which one stands out in your mind as the most memorable and exciting year?
I remember 1995 at Shinnecock Hills very well. Norman was in the lead most of the tournament and Corey Pavin just pipped him at the end.
You have played Torrey Pines a few times since you were a junior. How do you find the course? What will you be looking to concentrate on the most for the week?
U.S Open courses are always set up tough and you always need to hit the ball straight - fairways and greens is a must. And the greens are fast so you need to put well. It’s a tough test, testing all parts of your game.
You have some special guests in the crowd this week. Is it exciting knowing your parents are here with you this week for support?
It is always great to have my parents there, especially when I only see them a few times a year!
Good luck Badds!
Thanks Shelley