US Open: Players likely to face brutal weather

US OPEN organisers are preparing for severe thunderstorms and high winds for today’s opening round at Merion, which has already been saturated by more than six inches of rain since Friday.

Though the iconic par-70 East Course drains very well, extra care has been taken over the location of pin positions on greens more susceptible to puddling while the safety of players and spectators has been paramount in contingency plans.

“It could be anything from a quarter or half-an-inch up to two or three inches (of rain),” United States Golf Association executive director Mike Davis told reporters yesterday about the weather expected for this afternoon and tonight.

“It really depends on what hits us or how lucky or unlucky we are. But there could be some really high winds with us, potentially damaging winds, even some hail. That’s kind of the worst case scenario. It’s going to be probably mid-afternoon or later, too, so I think tomorrow morning we’re looking okay.”

The National Weather Service is tracking a derecho, a widespread and long-lived windstorm that is associated with a fast-moving band of severe thunderstorms, that is expected to hit the Philadelphia area this afternoon.

Davis said he had great faith in the state-of-the-art lightning detection devices and radar available to the on-site meteorologist at this week’s US Open, being held in suburban Philadelphia.

“And not only are those devices here on-site at Merion, but they’re actually spread out around Philadelphia,” said Davis. “Our meteorologist can look at what’s happening west of here, north of here, south, east, and it really does give a great picture. We’re quite comfortable with it.”

Asked what precautions were being taken both on and off the course, Davis replied: “Outside the ropes . . . we have done a lot to try to make muddy areas more passable, so that will continue. “In some places we’ve even had to put down rock roads, certainly in parking lots where we’re not on (tar) macadam.

“Inside the ropes it really is just trying to anticipate what you might get. If that means rebuilding bunkers, if that means pumping, that all goes into it.”