Golf Fans Brave Rains To Catch US Open Practice Rounds at Merion
By Mike DeNardo
ARDMORE, Pa. (CBS) -- Fans dodged the raindrops at Merion Golf Club this morning to watch their favorite golfers take their practice rounds.
In between downpours, fans walked the muddy trails to see golf at its best.
Gary Leadbetter of Skippack, Pa. watched Tiger Woods practice the 16th hole here. Leadbetter says he's played Merion before thinks this is a rare opportunity to watch the best golfers in the world decide how they will tackle this storied course.
"There's always high rough," says Leadbetter. "That's always one thing that's indicative of a US Open course. The greens are usually very fast. They tailor the US Open every year to be a very, very hard course."
Some fans are looking at the bright side, saying a little wet weather now may make the course more playable when the real competition begins on Thursday.
Randy Habecker of Lebanon, Pa. noticed that he wasn't alone following Tiger from hole to hole.
"It's kind of amazing how many people just gravitate to him, He tells KYW Newsradio. "He's probably the best thing to happen for golf in generations. At least since Jack and Arnie were playing. So it's great."
Habecker says Woods just seems to have a charisma about him that transcends the course, no matter where he's playing.
