Open Reads Monday

Plenty of Payne Stewart tributes, as usual, John Huggan’s is probably the only one worth your time. Peter McCleery's lengthy but gripping oral history recounting of the 99 Open is posted on ESPN.com. Joe Logan writes about the USGA taking courses to the edge , and how difficult it is to turn them around once they go over the edge (that light syringing is very difficult, and we know how difficult modern irrigation systems are to handle). The article features this nugget from the Executive Director and Senior metaphor man of Far Hills, David Fay.

"In attempting to get to that tough edge - that mythical edge - sometimes we fall over on the other side," Fay said. "It's not by design. You know, as expert as the agronomic work is today, trying to adjust a U.S. Open course on the fly from one day to the next, it's not like bringing a Boston whaler into a pier, it's like bringing the QE II."

Nothing like a nautical analogy to discourage those classic USGA stereotypes. J erry Sullivan in the Buffalo News writes that "the USGA has instructed Meeks to tone it down as he prepares for the 105th U.S. Open," which is an interesting way to say that Mike Davis and Jeff Hall are handling the setup this year. John Huggan remembers all of Meeks's boondoggles and says he won't be missed. AP's Doug Ferguson profiles Meeks. He recounts the story of the '99 setup. And he includes this nice jab from Davis Love: “I think he's ... um ... what's a good word? Very testing," Davis Love III said. "He wants you to be tested. The only problem the USGA has is that they think we're better than we are."

Bryan Strickland in the Herald-Sun of somewhere goes to Joe Ogilvie for a Pinehurst quote, and as usual, the last quotable Tour player comes through. "If it doesn't get 'USGAed' too bad, it should be a great course," Ogilvie said. "That is a verb. Take a wonderful golf course and ruin it. That's the definition."

Johnny Miller talks to Art Spander about who he likes this week. And finally, if you are shopping for a Father’s Day book and you have a Borders nearby, here's a printable 25% off coupon that will ease the pain of some of today’s book prices.