Thank the powers that be that I'm not heavily into sport betting, or the U.S. Open would have bankrupted me. I would have bet the farm, including the chickens and the outhouse, that
1. Tiger Woods would make the cut.
2. Phil Mickelson and Colin Montgomerie would at least be in an 18-hole playoff for the title (this wager would have been made after Montie birdied 17).
3. Mike Weir, who was contending on Saturday and finished tied for 6th, would have qualified for more than 60 seconds of television time.

The only one of the above that really bugs me is No. 3. I mean what is it about the US television networks? If you're Fijian, Australian, British, Scottish, German, Korean, Japanese, etc., etc., you seem to get some T.V. time. Canadians seem to rank somewhere between Tongans and Lichtensteiners on the golf celebrity food chain. Maybe we're just too boring and non-controversial. Maybe we should wear mukluks with golf spikes on them and have polar bear skin bags. I just don't get it! Stephen Ames shouldn't tell anyone that he's no longer Trinidad –Tobagon. If they find out that he's a Canuck now the best chance he'll have for some T.V. time is a Foot Joy commercial.

Ledgeviews – James Lepp finished a credible 15th in his first pro tournament and was solid except for a third round 77. Maybe we all should putt left-handed. Look for Lepp to contend in his next couple of events.

Recent dry weather is making the course play hard and fast. Add in pin setter, Fred Robinson's sadism and we continue to have one the greatest golf challenges in the province.