Bolt Likes This Kid Irwin’s Chances

At 83, Tommy Bolt knows a thing or two about getting older, which is probably why he was so impressed with Hale Irwin’s opening round of 67.

Bolt, who won the 1958 U.S. Open on the same Southern Hills layout, says that Irwin, 56, is a clear threat to win a fourth U.S. Open title. Irwin was the 1974, ’79 and ’90 champion.

“Mark my words, he’s put himself in position to win this thing,” Bolt said. “You simply can’t count him out. A guy like Hale, with all his experience, he doesn’t all of a sudden forget how to get it done.”

It should be pointed out that Irwin began last year’s Open at Pebble Beach with a 68, which was good for fourth place, then soared to a 78 and wound up tied for 27th at 12 over.

The Tale of the 18th Green, Cont.: Paul Azinger was looking at a difficult 10-footer for par, then decided to ask a USGA official if the green had been mowed.

“He got on his walkie-talkie, talked to somebody under his breath, then said it hadn’t,” Azinger said. “Now, that was a veteran move [to ask].”

Azinger rolled in the putt, signed for a 74 and felt in fairly good shape. The 18th green had been called into question for its severity because of the height of its grass and its firmness that caused well-placed approach shots to roll off the green.

That’s not happening any more. It wasn’t the monster hole that everyone expected, playing to a 4.379 average--the third-toughest hole on the course.

There were four birdies and 36 pars in the incomplete opening round.”

“It’s fine and we knew it would be,” Phil Mickelson said.

A look at where some pre-Open contenders stood after play was suspended.

Mickelson and Sergio Garcia shot even-par 70s.

David Duval, seeking his first major victory, is even through 10 holes.

Bernhard Langer was three under through 11 holes but had a triple-bogey 7 on No. 15. He finished with a 71.

It wasn’t a good day at all for Justin Leonard, who finished with an eight-over 78.

Phil Price withdrew from competition during the first round because of an “undisclosed” illness.

The illness might have been his golf game. He had played 14 holes and was seven over par.

Golf is a proper game, a sport where decorum and civility prevail.

Nice shot, Roger.

No, bully to you, Colin.

Well, at least that’s what they say.

After shooting a 79 Thursday, Clark Dennis had a different take.

“The thing about a U.S. Open is that if it gets to going bad, it can really snowball,” he said. “I hope the wind doesn’t lie down. I hope every S.O.B. out there has to deal with the wind I dealt with.”

From Bolt, when told that Ben Hogan once said Bolt would have won more majors if he had a better temper: “Yeah, and he’d have won more majors if he had putted better.”