Virginia Golfer May/June 2014 | Page 28

U.S. Opens at Pinehurst ReplayDays Replay A reborn layout and the world’s best players will be in the national spotlight this summer as the men’s and women’s U.S. Opens visit Pinehurst No. 2 in back-to-back weeks | by SCOTT MICHAUX I If there is one word to best describe everything revolving around the upcoming midsummer fortnight’s dream in the North Carolina sandhills, it’s ambitious. The United States Golf Association was ambitious in its desire to stage back-to-back men’s and women’s U.S. Opens on the same iconic course in consecutive weeks. Pinehurst Resort was ambitious in its willingness to tear up and remove 40 acres of turf from its most valuable asset, Donald Ross’s No. 2 course, and restore its original distressed charms. Phil Mickelson is ambitious in his goal to complete the career grand slam by snaring the missing major trophy that’s teased him as runner-up six times, starting on a grassier Pinehurst No. 2 in 1999. If everything goes right with the weather and the presentation, it could be the “twoweek celebration of golf” that USGA e X