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Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Oakmont's lone tree offers reprieve for sun-kissed U.S. Open fans
Jun 11, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; General view of the on the 18th green in front of the clubhouse during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament at Oakmont Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images REUTERS OAKMONT, Pennsylvania - Shortly beyond the third tee box at Oakmont Country Club sits the only tree on the interior of the course, a stately American elm whose sprawling branches provide the only reprieve from the blaring sun at this week's U.S. Open. The 120-year-old tree may not be anywhere near as famous as Oakmont's Church Pews Bunker but it has been more popular this week for sun-kissed golf fans drawn in by the promise of shade and cool grass under its canopy. "We've been here since about 8 o'clock this morning in the sun the entire time and this is the only shade we could find," Mark Finley, a 41-year-old accountant from New Jersey, told Reuters while he set up his chair under the tree. The typical American golf course has trees, and lots of them. There was even a time when Oakmont, which opened in 1904 and this week is hosting the U.S. Open for a record 10th time, was transformed into a traditional "parkland" course with trees. Oakmont, the vision of late founder Henry C. Fownes, was originally designed as an "inland links" course styled after the open and barren nature of Britain's traditional links courses despite not being set along a large body of water. During the 1950s thousands of trees were planted and by the early 1980s the course hardly resembled its original rugged identity as trees flanked all 18 holes. But, in a bid to revive Oakmont's original links-style identity, a tree-removal process began in earnest during the mid-1990s and ultimately led to some 15,000 trees removed. While there are still trees along the outer edges of the course, the purge left just one remaining on the interior of the layout. The tree does not come into play, leaving the layout effectively treeless. Devin Gee, head professional at Oakmont, told Reuters the tree at the Oakmont's third hole has not only escaped weather-related damage but has never been suggested for removal. "I wouldn't say it's because people think it's such a magnificent tree," said Gee. "It doesn't come into play, it doesn't come into line of flight or the way the hole plays in any way whatsoever. "But it's left standing, it's just sort of been the one that made it through for sure." For golf fans looking to get their souvenir U.S. Open pin flag signed by the likes of world number one Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Bryson DeChambeau, the tree is serving as the perfect waiting area. "It's a pretty nice day out, pretty hot, sun is beating down on us a little bit so to get out of the sun we came over here for shade and are waiting to see if we can get an autograph," said Rocco Jerrome, a 15-year-old golf fan from West Virginia. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
2 days ago
- Sport
- The Star
Golf-Oakmont's lone tree offers reprieve for sun-kissed U.S. Open fans
Jun 11, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; General view of the on the 18th green in front of the clubhouse during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament at Oakmont Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images OAKMONT, Pennsylvania (Reuters) -Shortly beyond the third tee box at Oakmont Country Club sits the only tree on the interior of the course, a stately American elm whose sprawling branches provide the only reprieve from the blaring sun at this week's U.S. Open. The 120-year-old tree may not be anywhere near as famous as Oakmont's Church Pews Bunker but it has been more popular this week for sun-kissed golf fans drawn in by the promise of shade and cool grass under its canopy. "We've been here since about 8 o'clock this morning in the sun the entire time and this is the only shade we could find," Mark Finley, a 41-year-old accountant from New Jersey, told Reuters while he set up his chair under the tree. The typical American golf course has trees, and lots of them. There was even a time when Oakmont, which opened in 1904 and this week is hosting the U.S. Open for a record 10th time, was transformed into a traditional "parkland" course with trees. Oakmont, the vision of late founder Henry C. Fownes, was originally designed as an "inland links" course styled after the open and barren nature of Britain's traditional links courses despite not being set along a large body of water. During the 1950s thousands of trees were planted and by the early 1980s the course hardly resembled its original rugged identity as trees flanked all 18 holes. But, in a bid torevive Oakmont's original links-style identity, a tree-removal process began in earnest during the mid-1990s and ultimately led to some 15,000 trees removed. While there are still trees along the outer edges of the course, the purgeleft just one remaining on the interior of the layout. The tree does not come into play, leaving the layout effectively treeless. Devin Gee, head professional at Oakmont, told Reuters the tree at the Oakmont's third hole has not only escaped weather-related damage but has never been suggested for removal. "I wouldn't say it's because people think it's such a magnificent tree," said Gee. "It doesn't come into play, it doesn't come into line of flight or the way the hole plays in any way whatsoever. "But it's left standing, it's just sort of been the one that made it through for sure." For golf fans looking to get their souvenir U.S. Open pin flag signed by the likes of world number one Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Bryson DeChambeau, the tree is serving as the perfect waiting area. "It's a pretty nice day out, pretty hot, sun is beating down on us a little bit so to get out of the sun we came over here for shade and are waiting to see if we can get an autograph," said Rocco Jerrome, a 15-year-old golf fan from West Virginia. (Reporting by Frank Pingue in TorontoEditing by Toby Davis)
The Star
13-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Golf-Schauffele to open PGA Championship title defence with McIlroy and Scheffler
FILE PHOTO: May 10, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Xander Schauffele chips onto the green during the third round of the Truist Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images/File Photo CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Reuters) -Xander Schauffele will launch his PGA Championship title defence on Thursday at Quail Hollow Club alongside Masters champion Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler, a high-profile group featuring the world's top three players. World number three Schauffele, bidding to become the first repeat winner at a PGA Championship since Brooks Koepka retained the title in 2019, will go out in the eighth group from the 10th tee at 8:22 a.m. ET (1222 GMT). This week is McIlroy's first major since completing the career Grand Slam of golf's four majors at the Masters while world number one Scheffler, who has four top-10 finishes in five PGA Championship starts, seeks his second win of the season. Reigning U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, who briefly held the lead early in the final round at the Masters, will play the opening two rounds in the company of Viktor Hovland and Gary Woodland, starting at 1:47 p.m. from the first tee. Playing two groups ahead will be Jordan Spieth, who needs a win this week to complete the career Grand Slam, 2018 Masters winner Patrick Reed and Swede Ludvig Aberg. That group will be following Justin Thomas, who won the PGA Championship when it was last held at Quail Hollow in 2017, and twice major champions Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa, around the course. The first shot of the tournament will be struck at 7:00 a.m. by European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, who will set off from the first tee in the company of Ireland's Padraig Harrington and Germany's Martin Kaymer. (Reporting by Frank PingueEditing by Toby Davis)
Straits Times
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Five storylines to follow at this week's PGA Championship
May 11, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Justin Thomas plays his shot from the 13th tee during the final round of the Truist Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images REUTERS May 10, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Xander Schauffele chips onto the green during the third round of the Truist Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images REUTERS May 8, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Jordan Spieth plays his shot from the first tee during the first round of the Truist Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images REUTERS May 10, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Rory McIlroy plays his shot from the tenth tee during the third round of the Truist Championship golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images REUTERS CHARLOTTE, North Carolina - Five storylines to follow as the best players in the world descend upon Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, this week for the May 15-18 PGA Championship. MCILROY ENCORE? Rory McIlroy arrives at Quail Hollow as a hot favourite after finally securing the career Grand Slam of golf's four majors with his playoff win at the Masters in April. The Northern Irishman will now turn his attention to capturing the second leg of a calendar-year Grand Slam and will like his chances at Quail Hollow, where he has enjoyed more success than any other player. McIlroy won a record fourth Wells Fargo Championship last year at Quail Hollow with a dominant performance that saw him earn a five-stroke victory. - - SPIETH'S GRAND SLAM BID Just over a month after McIlroy became the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam, and first since Tiger Woods in 2000, Jordan Spieth will make his ninth attempt at joining golf's most exclusive club. Seeking his first win on the PGA Tour since earning his 13th in April 2022, Spieth arrives at the year's second major with three top-10 finishes in 11 events this season, and a share of 14th at last month's Masters. If Spieth can triumph at the PGA Championship, where his best result is a runner-up finish in 2015, he would join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Woods and McIlroy as the only men to win all four majors. - - DEFENDING CHAMPION SCHAUFFELE Xander Schauffele birdied the final hole at last year's PGA Championship at Valhalla to secure his first major title and is aiming to become the event's first repeat winner since Brooks Koepka in 2019. Schauffele, who went on to win the British Open three months later, lost about two months of competition this year due to a rib injury suffered during the offseason but has shown no ill effects since his return. The 31-year-old American finished tied for eighth at the Masters and will be eager to get back to Quail Hollow where last year he led after each of the first three rounds but was unable to fend off McIlroy on the final day. - - JUST-IN TIME Justin Thomas ended a three-year victory drought last month and finished tied for second in Philadelphia on Sunday, and the former world number one will be full of confidence ahead of his return to the site of his major breakthrough in 2017. The PGA Championship was held at Quail Hollow for the first time that year and Thomas picked up the title with a closing three-under-par 68 that saw him chip in from 40 feet for birdie on the 13th hole to seize control. Thomas won a second PGA Championship title in 2022 but his form bottomed out in 2023 and he went without a win until winning this year's RBC Heritage in a playoff. - - THE GREEN MILE The last three holes at Quail Hollow -- the unforgiving 'Green Mile' == form one of the most difficult finishing stretches in golf. The white-knuckle, water-lined stretch demands both precision and poise with a lake surrounding the par-four 16th and par-three 17th holes, while a creek winds all along the left side of the closing par-four 18th. The last time the PGA Championship was last held at Quail Hollow in 2017 the treacherous Green Mile accounted for 12 triple-bogeys or worse, matching the same amount that was made on holes 1-15. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yankees could get back veteran infielder this month
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images DJ LeMahieu's spring didn't exactly bloom as planned. During a routine spring training matchup against the Houston Astros on March 1, the veteran infielder felt something tug at his left calf—a small signal from his body that something wasn't right. It wasn't the kind of tweak players usually shake off by the next day. LeMahieu knew it. The New York Yankees knew it. Advertisement And soon enough, an MRI confirmed it: a mild calf strain that would put the brakes on his Opening Day plans. A Familiar Detour For the second year in a row, LeMahieu found himself on an all-too-familiar path—rehab instead of third base. It's like déjà vu with cleats and a clipboard. Credit: David Rodriguez Munoz / USA TODAY NETWORK What was supposed to be a smooth takeoff into the season became a wait-and-see game. The timing couldn't have been worse. At 36, LeMahieu isn't just trying to stay sharp—he's trying to prove there's still fuel in the tank. Injuries at this stage of a career can be like potholes on a highway: the bumps feel a bit harder, the recovery a bit longer, and the destination sometimes feels a little farther away. The Comeback Trail But there's light at the end of the tunnel—or at least, a rehab assignment. Yankees insider Greg Joyce recently shared that LeMahieu has rejoined the team in Detroit. He'll be spending three days working out with the squad, and if his calf holds up, he's slated to begin a rehab stint starting Friday. That won't be a quick tune-up, either. The Yankees are planning a slow, deliberate return—like fine-tuning a classic car rather than rushing it back on the road. They want LeMahieu to get a solid stretch of games in the minors, piling up plate appearances and shaking off rust before heading back to the Bronx. Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Filling the Gap In his absence, the Yankees have pieced together a third base solution using a mix of Oswaldo Cabrera (.697 OPS), Oswald Peraza (1.182 OPS), and Pablo Reyes (.143 OPS). It's been a patchwork effort with varying results, though Peraza's bat has stood out in a small sample. Advertisement LeMahieu's return isn't guaranteed to flip a switch, but it could bring a steadying influence to a team that's trying to get all its gears clicking. That's if he can return to his best version, or at least back to being a league-average bat, of course. If he's going to play like he did last year, when he put up a horrible 52 wRC+ and looked done as an MLB contributor, the Yankees might be forced to make tough decisions. In any case, if all goes well in the minors, LeMahieu could be back in pinstripes before April ends. How quickly he returns depends entirely on how he handles minor league pitching—and how well that calf holds up to the grind. Related Headlines
