PGA Preview: 2013 US Open

USGA U.S. Open Merion Golf Club, Haverford Township, Pennsylvania Members from all men’s professional men’s golf tours as well as qualifying amateurs all converge on historic Merion Golf Club this week for the 2nd major championship of the 2013 season, the U.S. Open. This week should prove to be exciting, and will answer many questions about the state of players’ games like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlory and more. Merion is full of U.S. Open as well as general golf history. The course has hosted four U.S. Opens. Merion is the home of Bobby Jones’s 8 and 7 victory in the 36-hole final of the U.S. Amateur match play, golf’s original Grand Slam. Merion is also the home of possibly the most famous photo in golf history, Ben Hogan’s 1-iron on the 18th hole in the 1950 U.S. Open. The course will play very short at only 6,996 yards. Don’t expect to see low scores however, as the USGA U.S. Open setup will include extremely penal rough combined slick and fast greens. The ultimate setup is one which is geared toward a winning score around even par. Weather is a huge factor this week as the course has been hammered with roughly seven inches of rain, and it is still raining. If the players are allowed to lift-clean-place, there will be some lower scoring. Should those players miss the fairway, the rough could be even more difficult. Television Schedule Thursday/Friday - June 13/14 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on ESPN 3-5 p.m. on NBC 5-7 p.m. on ESPN Satruday/Sunday - June 15/16 1:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. on NBC All times eastern.