Weather may keep scores down at Old Course
Rich Lerner and Jim Furyk teed it up at Saucon Valley Country Club’s Old Course a few weeks apart under similar conditions: Sun-soaked, dry, breezy.
The Golf Channel anchor with Lehigh Valley roots and the defending U.S. Senior Open champion born in West Chester had a similar analysis when it came to how the course could play for this week’s major championship.
“It was 17-under in 2000 when the great Hale Irwin won,” Lerner said, “but it was a soft golf course, had a lot of rain.
“If we have firm, dry conditions, then you could see a real U.S. Open test. You could see something in 4-, 5-under par. It’s all weather dependent.”
The National Weather Service forecast is calling for precipitation the next three days. It will be mostly cloudy with a 20% chance of showers for Tuesday’s practice round with a high of 76 degrees. There is a better chance for showers and thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon. Thursday’s first round will feature a high of 82 with a 40% chance of showers and storms.
Friday and Saturday are dry with temperatures in the low- to mid-80s. There is a 40% chance of showers/storms for Sunday’s final round with a high of 85.
Furyk never played SVCC before last month despite living about 75 miles away in Lancaster County. He said the Old Course will provide a challenge regardless of the weather.
“I heard so much about all three courses growing up,” the 52-yearold said. “It lived up. Sometimes you hear great things about a course and they don’t.
“This course is really good tee to green. It’s already challenging, but the greens just have a ton of slope in them. Depending on how fast the USGA wants them, if they want them up at 12 like a U.S. Open-type setup, that’s going to limit where they can put the pins because there is a lot of movement out there. That’s the teeth here. If you get the ball in the wrong spots,
you’re in trouble.”
Furyk’s issue this season has been off the tee. He is 70th (263.1 yards) in driving distance and just 59th in driving accuracy (66.2%).
The University of Arizona product made a PGA Tour career out of being accurate with his drives, but recent struggles have led to lessthan-stellar results. He has not finished inside the top-25 during the last eight PGA Tour Champions events and missed the cut by one shot at last week’s U.S. Open.
“I’m not hitting enough fairways,” Furyk said. “It’s funny, in an era when hitting fairways is not as important, it is for me.”
Furyk is playing for a fourth week in a row. He was tied for 35th at the Principal Charity Classic, 64th at the American Family Insurance Championship and missed the cut at the U.S. Open.
Big two weeks for Country Club of Scranton
The significance of the moment hit Mike Molino as he walked early Monday afternoon to the practice putting area nestled in between the first and 10th holes.
The Country Club of Scranton head professional’s dream was a reality.
“To be inside the ropes is a dream come true,” said Molino who has been trying for the 25 years to qualify for a professional major championship.
Molino secured a spot in the 156-man field by registering a birdie on the first playoff hole at last month’s qualifier at Indiana (Pa.) Country Club. He shot a 3-underpar 68 to get into the playoff.
The 53-year-old Dallas (Luzerne County) resident is excited his dream is being fulfilled 77 miles from his home so that family and friends can make the trip, too.
Molino has played SVCC’s Old Course several times, so he is well aware of the challenges. He’s hoping to do what Pittston Area graduate and Country Club of Scranton member Brandon Matthews did last weekend.
“My first goal is to make it to the weekend,” the South Williamsport native said.
Matthews finished 60th at the U.S. Open with rounds of 71-69-7977 (plus-16).
Alum from 2014 mid-Amateur
There are four players in this week’s field who played in the 2014 U.S. Mid-Amateur at SVCC — Ken Tanigawa, who reached the round of 64, and is now a pro; Jon Veneziano, Todd White, who advanced to quarterfinals; and Ned Zachar, who made it to the round of 16.
St. Luke’s swag, contest
The St. Luke’s Health & Wellness Pavilion — just inside the main entrance along the promenade — features the latest medical technology, meet and greet our celebrity
ambassadors (including Steve Carlton, Larry Holmes and Andre Reed), plus giveaways and raffles.
There are free daily giveaways for the first 1,000 fans who visit the pavilion Thursday through Sunday, plus a grand prize $500 Galaxy Golf gift card and a $250 Galaxy Golf gift card runner-up prize.