2013 PGA Professional National Championship

The 2013 PGA Professional National Championship consists of 312 top PGA Professionals playing four rounds at Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, OR. The PNC began in 1968 to provide additional playing opportunities for PGA Professionals. Past champions of the event include Sam Snead and Bruce Fleisher, both well know on the PGA Tour.

To qualify for the event, a PGA Professional must compete in one of the 41 PGA Section Championships that they are a member of. The Nebraska Section PGA has had multiple professionals qualify for the event.  You can follow Nebraska's PGA Professionals Bryan Hughett, PGA, Chad Lydiatt, PGA, Matt Nice, PGA, Chris Wiemers, PGA and Jim White, PGA MP as this championship will air live on the Golf Channel.

Coverage will air:

Monday June, 24, 3:30-6:30

Tuesday June, 25, 4:00-7:00

Wednesday June, 26, 4:00-7:00

You can also follow coverage at nebraskapga.com

The top 20 will qualify for the 2013 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club.

Wilderness Ridge Jr Golf Camp

Wilderness Ridge hosted their first Jr Camp of the season this past week. Sixty kids participated in full swing, chipping and putting stations. The camp ended with a competition day where the golfers played a number of different games including speed golf and golf tic-tac-toe.

There is limited availability in Session 2 of the Jr Camp.  Call the golf shop 402.434.5106 or stop in the sign up.

2013 US Open

The 2013 US Open returns to the East Course at famed Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, PA. Merion Golf Club was established in 1896 and the East Course was built in 1912.

Merion has been host to 18 USGA Championships, the most of any course. It held US Opens in 1930 (Olin Durta), 1950 (Ben Hogan), 1971 (Lee Trevino), and 1981 (David Graham).

The course measures almost 6,900 yards from the back tees which is relatively short for today's standards. The short holes at Merion and short but the long holes are really long (see the 521 yard par 4 18th). The defense at Merion is long rough and small greens. If the course plays firm we will see a tough to make pars US Open despite the length.

Instead of flags, Merion has wicker baskets on top of their pins. The course designer, Hugh Wilson, was on a trip to England and noticed that the sheep herders had staffs with wicker baskets. The baskets held their lunch so the sheep couldn't get to it. Wilson used the idea for the pins for Merion and the wicker baskets will be used for the US Open.

My predictions:

     -2 if the course is firm
     -11 if the course is soft