U.S. Senior Open Fact Sheet

Courtesy of www.ussenioropen.com

The Broadmoor (East Course), Colorado Springs, Colo.
July 31 - August 31, 2008

PAR AND YARDAGE - The East Course at The Broadmoor is set up at 7,254 yards and par is 36-34--70. It will be the longest course in Senior Open history, surpassing the 7,177-yard setup at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis in 2004.

HOLE-BY-HOLE: Holes 1-9 will play at 3,465/3,506 yards and par 36.

Holes 10-18 will play at 3,173/3,748 yards and par 34.

COURSE SETUP -

Fairways - 1/2 inch
Intermediate rough - 1 1/2 inches
Primary rough - Step cut approach where possible (dictated by mounds and bunkers) as follows - 2  inches (first cut primary); 4 inches (second cut primary); length of both cuts of primary rough subject to change with on-site review.
Putting greens - USGA stimpmeter reading at 10.5-11.0
Green approaches and closely mown areas - 3/8 to 7/16 inches
Collars around putting greens - 3/8 to 7/16 inches
Native areas - Left in natural condition
The championship setup will result in a USGA Course Rating® of 74.3 and a Slope Rating® of 140.

ARCHITECT AND THE COURSE - The East Course was designed by Donald Ross in 1917 and opened in 1918. At that time it was the highest golf course in the USA at an elevation of 6,400 feet. The East Course is now a combination of the original Ross design joined with holes designed by Robert Trent Jones in 1965.

USGA AND THE BROADMOOR - This is the sixth USGA championship to be conducted at The Broadmoor. The 1995 U.S. Women's Open (won by Annika Sorenstam) was the last USGA championship at the Colorado resort. Previously, the 1982 U.S. Women's Amateur (won by Juli Inkster on the South Course), the 1967 U.S. Amateur (won by Bob Dickson on the West Course) and the 1959 U.S. Amateur (won by Jack Nicklaus on the East Course) were held at The Broadmoor. The 1962 Curtis Cup (won by the USA) was also played at The Broadmoor. The 2011 U.S. Women's Open will also be contested at the East Course.

CLUB HISTORY - Philadelphia mining magnate Spencer Penrose purchased The Broadmoor Casino property, which had previously been a dairy and crop farm, in 1916 with plans for a multi-faceted resort. The main resort complex was completed in 1917 and the East Course was completed in 1918. The West Course was designed by Robert Trent Jones and expanded to 18 holes in 1955. The Mountain Course, designed by Ed Seay and Arnold Palmer, opened in 1976.

OTHER CHAMPIONSHIP EVENTS - The NCAA Championship has been held at The Broadmoor in 1953, 1957, 1960, 1964 and 1969. The Western Amateur was played twice at The Broadmoor, in 1935 and 1941, and the Trans-Mississippi was conducted there in 1927, 1930, 1933, 1939, 1949, 1964 and 1996.

COLORADO AND THE USGA - The USGA has conducted 28 previous championships in the state of Colorado, the most recent being the 2008 U.S. Amateur Public Links at Murphy Creek Golf Course in Aurora (July 14-19) and the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links at Walking Stick G.C. in Pueblo. This is the second Senior Open in Colorado. The 1993 Senior Open was played at Cherry Hills C.C. in Cherry Hills Village.

Only 10 states have hosted more USGA championships than Colorado.

2007 SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP - Brad Bryant's Sunday 4-under-par 68 was the low round of a hot and windy day at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis., and enabled him to come from five strokes down to win the 2007 U.S. Senior Open with a 6-under-par total of 282. He was followed by Ben Crenshaw at 3-under 285, Loren Roberts at 2-under 286 and Tom Watson at 1-under 287. Bryant's comeback was the second-largest in the championship's history.

After Saturday's third round, Bryant said his "very best round" on Sunday might allow him to leapfrog the five names ahead of him, including eight-time major champion Watson, who held the 54- and 63-hole leads. "I've always been a journeyman," Bryant admitted after his victory. "And to come out here and beat a couple of the best players in the world on a day like this is nearly miraculous."

With an 18-foot birdie putt at the 361-yard, par-4 10th, Watson improved his position to nine under for the championship, three shots ahead of Bryant, who was making par three holes ahead. Watson would, however, play the next four holes in four over par. When the steady and opportunistic Bryant rolled in a birdie putt at the 16th, he owned a one-shot lead over both Watson and Roberts and never trailed thereafter.

PURSE - The 2007 purse was $2.6 million and the winner received $470,000.

FORMAT - The championship is played at stroke play over 72 holes. There are 156 players in the championship field, comprised of those advancing from sectional qualifying and those exempt from sectional qualifying. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the 60 lowest scorers and ties or anyone within 10 strokes of the leader.

PLAYOFF FORMAT - If there is a tie at the end of 72 holes, a three-hole aggregate score playoff, on holes 16, 17 and 18, will follow immediately. If the playoff results in a tie, play will continue hole-by-hole until a champion is determined.

CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY - The U.S. Senior Open was first played in 1980 making the 2008 championship the 29th. A total of 21 players have won the first 26 championships. There have been five playoffs. Twenty-four clubs have hosted the championship.

TELEVISION COVERAGE - A total of 14 hours of live television is slated for the 2008 U.S. Senior Open. All times listed are Eastern and are subject to change.

A three-hole playoff for the 2008 U.S. Senior Open would be played Sunday, Aug. 3, starting immediately after the completion of 72 holes. NBC will broadcast the playoff in its entirety.

REPEAT AND MULTIPLE WINNERS - Allen Doyle (2005 and 2006), Miller Barber (1982 and 1984, 1985) and Gary Player (1987 and 1988) are the only players with back-to-back Senior Open victories. Hale Irwin (1998 and 2000) and Jack Nicklaus (1991 and 1993) are the only other multiple winners.

TWO TEES - Players will start on both the first and 10^th tees during competition on Thursday and Friday, beginning at 7:15 a.m.

WINNERS OF U.S. OPEN & U.S. SENIOR OPEN - With his victory at Riviera Country Club in 1998, Hale Irwin became the seventh man to win both the U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open. Here's a table detailing these multiple winners:

HALE IRWIN AS HONORARY CHAIRMAN - Five-time USGA champion Hale Irwin, who was born and raised in Colorado, is the honorary chairman of the 2008 Senior Open. A graduate of the University of Colorado, he will be playing in his 13th Senior Open. Irwin was the champion in 1998 and 2000.

PAST CHAMPIONS - All past champions are exempt for future Senior Opens.

IRON MAN - Coloradoan Dale Douglass, 71, who won the Senior Open in 1986 on his first try, has entered the championship for the 23rd consecutive year. That is the second-longest string in Senior Open history, surpassed only by the 25 consecutive starts by Arnold Palmer (1981-2005). Douglass, from Castle Rock, Colo., is a 1959 graduate of the University of Colorado. In his 22 previous Senior Open appearances, he has made the cut 14 times and has three top-five finishes.

2008 ENTRIES - The USGA received 2,810 entries in 2008. The record is 3,101 in 2002. Entries for the 2008 Senior Open closed June 11.

WHO CAN ENTER - The Senior Open is open to any professional or amateur with a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 3.4 who turns 50 on or before July 31, 2008.

SECTIONAL QUALIFYING - Sectional qualifying (18 holes) at 43 sites was conducted June 23 through July 7. The closest qualifying site to The Broadmoor was Colorado Golf Club in Parker on June 30. Those who qualified there are: Audie Dean of Centennial (73), amateur David Delich of Colorado Springs, who is a member at The Broadmoor (74), and Jeff Klein of Scottsbluff, Neb. (75).

PLAYER INTERVIEWS - A complete schedule of pre-championship interviews and times at the Media Center on July 30 will be published and distributed prior to championship week.

WWW.USGA.ORG - Log on to the U.S. Senior Open Web site at www.ussenioropen.com

for the latest information prior to or during the championship.

MOST SENIOR OPEN APPEARANCES - Counting the 2008 Senior Open, following is a chart of the most appearances at the championship.

• 25 - Arnold Palmer
• #23 - Dale Douglass (longest active streak)
• 19 - Miller Barber
• 19 - Gary Player
• #17 - Larry Laoretti
• 16 - Chi Chi Rodriguez, Bob Charles
• 15 -- Jim Dent

# = counting 2008

TICKETS - Spectators can select from a variety of ticket options ranging in price from $20 to $250. All tickets include free parking and free shuttle transportation to the admission gate.

One option is the Trophy Club, which provides access to the championship grounds and a tented facility on the 3^rd fairway with food and beverage for purchase. The Trophy Club pass includes seven (7) individual daily tickets and an official commemorative magazine; it is priced at $250 and quantities are limited.

A second ticket option is the Fore Pack, which includes four (4) good-any-one-day championship tickets. The Fore Pack allows tickets to be divided up throughout the week or used all on the same day. The Fore Pack is priced at $135.

Individual tickets are also available for the championship rounds and practice rounds. Thursday and Friday championship round tickets are available for $40 and Saturday and Sunday tickets are available for $45. Tickets for the practice rounds (Monday - Wednesday) are available for $20 per day.

CATCH THE SPIRIT - For the first time at a Senior Open, the USGA will offer its "Catch the Spirit" program. Children 17 and under receive free admission when accompanied by a ticketed adult (one adult may escort up to nine kids). Children are encouraged to visit the USGA Junior Tent at the main admission gate to pick up a voucher for a free lunch, free cap and other USGA goodies as well as take a turn on the kids-only putting green. Plus, the front row of every bleacher is reserved just for kids, providing them the best seats in the house. 

MEDIA CONTACTS - Contact Pete Kowalski of USGA media relations at (908) 234-2300 x1322 or (908) 216-8435 (cell) prior to the championship. USGA media relations staff members on site at The Broadmoor during the U.S. Senior Open will be Craig Smith, Rand Jerris, Suzanne Colson and Kowalski. The media center number is (719) 471-6450.

FUTURE SENIOR OPENS - The 2009 U.S. Senior Open will be conducted at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind., from July 30-Aug. 2, 2009; at Sahalee Country Club in Sammamish, Wash., near Seattle, from July 29-Aug. 1, 2010; at Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, from July 28-31, 2011 and at Indianwood Golf and Country Club in Lake Orion, Mich., from July 12-15, 2012.

THE 74 FULLY EXEMPT PLAYERS FOR THE 2008 U.S. SENIOR OPEN

(a) = amateur

Key to Player Exemptions --

1. Former winners of the U.S. Senior Open.
2. Winners of the U.S. Open in the last 10 years (1999-2008).
3. Winners of the U.S. Amateur in the last 10 years (1998-2007) and semifinalists from 2007.
4. Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last 10 years (1999-2008).
5. Winners of the British Open in the last 10 years (1999-2008).
6. Winners of the PGA Championship in the last 10 years. (1998-2007).
7. Winners of the PGA Seniors Championship in the last 10 years. (1999-2008).
8 Winners of the Senior British Open Championship in the last 3 years (2006-2008).
9. The 25 lowest scorers and ties from the 2007 U.S. Senior Open.
10. From the 2008 U.S. Open, any amateur returning a 72-hole score.
11. The low amateur at the 2007 U.S. Senior Open.
12. From the U.S. Amateur Public Links, U.S. Mid-Amateur and USGA Senior Amateur, the winners from the last two years and the semifinalists from the most recent championships.
13. Playing members of the 2005 and 2007 USA Walker Cup teams and 2004 and 2006 USA World Amateur Teams.
14. Playing members of the two most current USA Copa de las Americas team (2005 and 2007).
15. Playing members of the five most recent U.S. and European Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup teams.
16. The top 30 money leaders from the 2007 Champions Tour money list.
17. The top 50 players on the Champions Tour all-time money list through June 11.
18. The top 20 money leaders on the 2008 Champions Tour money list through June 11.
19. Winners of Champions Tour co-sponsored, excluding team events, events in the last two years (2006-2007) and the current calendar year.
20. The top four money winners from the 2007 Senior PGA European Tour Order of Merit.
21. The top two money winners from the 2007 Japan Seniors Tour.
22. Winners of PGA Tour co-sponsored events in the last five years (2003-2007) and during the current calendar year.
23. Any player in his first five years of age eligibility for U.S. Open winners
24. Any player who has won a U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, Masters Tournament, British Open, British Amateur, or PGA Championship (one-time exemption).
25. Special exemptions as selected by the USGA Executive Committee.

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