2015 US Open Round 1

The US Open comes to the Pacific Northwest!  Chambers Bay Golf Course in Tacoma.

The day was overcast, dry with some light wind at the end of the day.

The best part of the day was spending the entire day with Dad!  Happy early Father's Day, Dad.

Right off the bat within the first half hour we were just off the tee at 18 and watching Rory McIlroy (bright green shirt) walk by.

Walking around, we strolled up the hill to walk along the holes that border the water

Here's the 17th green with a freight train running along side.  There isn't any chance of hitting the ball into the water, but the trains are a cool distraction.

This picture isn't about the crowds...it's the fact that I usually don't notice race, but the crowd was unbelievable Caucasian.  Noticeably so.

This is looking across the course.  As you can see, the course has no trees....most of the holes kind of look the same, with big bunkers.

So Dad and I planted ourselves along the second green for a couple hours.  It's hard to tell the difference between the greens and the fairway.

Ernie Els and Retief Goosen

After Jordan Spieth and Justin Rose came through, the crowd swelled for Tiger.  Of all the players we say come through, only Tiger hit it into this front bunker.

Alas, it wasn't a great day for Tiger.  He made a bogey on number 2 to go +2 for the round on his way to an 80, the highest score in the US Open he has ever shot.  I was there and witnessed part of it.

Lots of cameras followed the big players.  I have to admit though, that the course was not friendly to spectators.  There are very few places where you can get a good view.  The monitors ask you to step off of mounds (bad footing and dry slippery grass) so you can't see much and it's hard to get perspective.

The lone tree on the entire course.  Behind the 16th tee.

Looking down the 11th fairway.

Jordan Spieth teeing off on hole 11.

Dad and I also spent some time here in the grandstand above hole 1.  From here we were able to stand up and look behind to see the action on 11, but also watch the action on hole 1 below and hole 18.  Those are the hospitality tents of the Rainier Village group behind the bunker.

Dad, illegally taking photos, got a picture of me watching the action above hole 1 and the 18th green and grandstand in the background.

Ahhh, something you wouldn't have found at the US Open a decade ago.

We were at the Open because my Dad's financial adviser gave him tickets.  The tickets allowed us access to one of the hospitality tents!

Chambers Bay was a former rock quarry and so some of the remnants of the quarry structures still are standing.

Dad and I took advantage of the tent.  We ate free lunch and dinner.

It was kind of amazing to be watching the action on television and knowing that it was happening live right outside our tent.  I also learned that what happens on television is delayed about five seconds.

Last stop....the merchandise tent.  Dad went crazy, in particular purchasing something for his new grandson!  This shirt can't be worn until the kid is around 5, but we bought it anyway.

The rest of the loot.

The summer days are long here in the Pacific Northwest, this is the light as we were leaving around 745PM as the last golfers were finishing their first round.  It was such a fun day.