We bet your office is buzzing with excitement about this weekend’s U.S. Open. While there is an U.S. Open in tennis, this weekend features the ultimate executive pastime, golf. Impress your boss and your dinner date with today’s five things to know about the U.S. Open.
Fore!
The Last Night’s Game Team
Five things to know about the U.S. Open
- The U.S. Open is the second of the four majors on the schedule (Masters, U.S. Open, The Open Championship, PGA championship). Last year’s U.S. Open champ Jordan Spieth is currently ranked #2 in the world, behind Jason Day (#1).
- The tournament location rotates every year. This year the course is Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania which has hosted the most U.S. Opens (18). The course is considered to be extremely difficult; it’s predicted the winner won’t break par. We don’t know about you but that’s a great golf day in our world. (Click here for more about keeping score in golf).
- The worst single hole score in a U.S. Open belongs to Ray Ainsley in 1938. The tragedy began when he hit his ball into the creek on a par four (means he had four swings to get the ball into the hole to make par). He kept swinging while his ball floated down the stream. When it was all said and done, the ball made it into the hole after 19 swings.
- A challenging course is the MO for the U.S. Open. In fact, former USGA competition committee chairman Sandy Tatum defended the challenging courses by saying the now famous line of "We're not trying to humiliate the best players in the world, we're simply trying to identify them."
- Technically, the tournament is open to all golfers rather than restricted to a certain group of golfers. Both amateurs and professionals can compete. Theoretically any golfer in the world is eligible. Hence why it’s an “open” tournament. Amateurs with handicaps of 1.4 or less can play in the Open if they make it through the lengthy qualifying process. So you’re saying there’s a chance?
- Grab the remote and prepare to take a nap because TV coverage begins Thursday on Fox Sports. See the full schedule here.
NBA (National Basketball Association)
- Cavs for the win. The Cleveland Cavaliers went into Oracle Arena, home of the Golden State Warriors, and made a statement by beating them by 15. Cavs teammates Kyrie Irving and LeBron James lead the charge by scoring 41 points each. Warriors Draymond Green, who was suspended for exceeding the NBA’s playoffs flagrant fouls limit and therefore wasn’t allowed in the arena, watched his team lose from the Oakland A’s game next door with NFL pal Marshawn Lynch. The two teams will face off in game six on Thursday (9 pm EST on ABC). The Warriors lead the series 3-2.
Soccer
- In Euro 2016 news. UEFA (governing body of European soccer) has fined Russia 150,000 Euros and has told the team they will be disqualified if their fans do not stop their vicious antics. France has already deported groups of violent Russian fans. Russia plays rivals Slovakia today.
- Pep talk. The Copa America Centenario quarterfinals are set and the United States plays Ecuador on Thursday (9:30 pm EST on Fox Sports 1). U.S. head coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, has told the team to stop playing the underdog role and “go for it!”
Overtime
- In Iceland’s first appearance in a major soccer tournament (Euro 2016) they managed to tie Portugal. This is a big deal since Team Portugal is pretty good and has arguably one of the best players in the world on its team – Cristiano Ronaldo. Being a good sport, Ronaldo took to Twitter after the match to slam Iceland’s play and the Twittersphere wasn’t happy about it. For what it's worth, Iceland has a population of 330,000 and Ronaldo has 41 million Twitter followers.
Sideline stat
- The Philadelphia Eagles (NFL) signed a player to the highest non-quarterback contract ever. Defensive lineman Fletcher Cox signed a six-year, $103 million deal. Pay day.
Coaches’ Corner
- There is already a lot of controversy heading into the Olympics in Brazil this summer. Adding fuel to the fire, Brazil has fired their head soccer coach after the team’s early exit from the Copa America Centenario tournament. The search for a new coach is already underway.
