Today's other stories in brief
By the numbers
22 - For the 22nd consecutive year the US Open is a sell-out. Daily attendances have been limited to 42,500 spectators. The USGA estimate that ticket-buyers include residents of more than 25 countries
19 - The youngest winner of the US Open was John McDermott, who was 19 when he won in 1911.
Eight players aged 21 or younger have won the championship but none since Bobby Jones (21) in 1923. Since then, Jack Nicklaus was the youngest winner at 22 years and four months in 1962. The oldest winner is Hale Irwin, who was 45 when he won in 1990.
Amateur Ricky Fowler is the youngest player in this year's field, at 19 years and five months.
515 — The sixth hole at Torrey Pines, at 515 yards, is the the longest par four in the history of the US Open. The longest par five was the 12th at Oakmont last year, which measured 667 yards.
Son Tway knows when to shut up
KEVIN TWAY, the teenage son of 1986 US PGA champion Bob, the man who broke Greg Norman's heart by holing out with a bunker shot on the 72nd hole in that major at Inverness, has a familiar face on his bag
. . . his dad!
The father-son combination is a rare one at the US Open, especially when the elder Tway is still playing tour golf - albeit infrequently - and the younger Tway is an amateur.
Tway (a student at the University of Oklahoma), the son, came through sectional qualifying for a place in the US Open field.
Of his role in switching from player to caddie for the week, Bob Tway observed: "It's fun. We're interacting and talking, not necessarily about golf but about different things . . . we've always had a good relationship.
"He knows when to shut up and when not to."
Devlin is not for the Billabong
FIRST-TIME major participant Chris Devlin will be hoping that he doesn't emulate the antics of a namesake of his on the 18th hole this week. In the 1975 San Diego Open, Australian Bruce Devlin hit his approach into the pond that guards the green on the finishing hole and took six hacks to get it out.
The pond is now known as "Devlin's Billabong" and, reputedly, incidentally, Devlin - the Irish version - had a bit of drama of his own when his three-wood broke with just his second swing on the practice range yesterday.
"It'd nothing do with my strength," quipped Devlin, adding: "I'm glad it happened here, and not out on the course." Devlin enjoyed playing a full practice round with Padraig Harrington on Tuesday.
Immelman says no, no to Slam
WHETHER HE likes it or not, US Masters champion Trevor Immelman heads into the 108th US Open here at Torrey Pines as the only player who can win the Grand Slam this year.
Had he given it any thought? "No." No? "No," he replied. "I would be the happiest guy on earth if I did win it over the span of a career.
"We can safely say that, if I do it this year, I will retire. Okay? There's no chance of that (happening).
"I haven't even for one second thought about it. No."
Immelman, who claimed the green jacket at Augusta in April, has finally shown some decent form again. After a series of missed cuts and illness since his major win, the South African reproduced some of his best play in last week's St Jude Classic in Memphis where he finished tied second, losing a play-off to Justin Leonard.
