That Pinehurst Par of 70? Don’t Believe It

John Cook finished with a 77 and you couldn’t exactly say he enjoyed the experience. He also predicted a difficult day for everybody else.

“I played this as a par 88,” Cook said. “I had 12 birdies. A birdie today is out of the question unless you are off the green and chip it in or hole a bunker shot or make a 30-foot putt. You’re not going to get it close from anywhere on the fairway.”

Cook went from seven over after two rounds to 14 over after three.

“This isn’t like any golf course we’ve ever played. If anybody hits 10 greens today, it will be five more than anyone else.

“If anyone shoots even par today, it will be the round of the year.”

*

Tom Lehman on Pinehurst: “This makes Augusta look tame.”

Lee Janzen, a two-time Open winner, on Pinehurst: “I have been asked many times what the hardest golf course I’ve ever played is. Now I have the answer.”

*

Hank Kuehne, the 1998 U.S. Amateur champion, plans to turn pro Monday, but he is limited to seven sponsor’s exemptions because he doesn’t have a PGA Tour card.

Kuehne, 23, a senior at Southern Methodist, shot an 81 Saturday in a wild round, especially on the front, which began when he hit his tee shot out of bounds, and went this way: triple bogey, bogey, par, birdie, double bogey, par, bogey, quadruple bogey, par. Through three rounds, Kuehne is at 18-over 228.

*

The U.S. Open winner will receive a record $625,000. Janzen, last year’s champion, won $535,000.