Golf fans excited for first U.S. Open held in Los Angeles in decades
LOS ANGELES -- For the third time in five years, the U.S. Open is being held in California, only this time in Los Angeles, returning for a Hollywood sequel decades in the making.
On Thursday, the tournament teed off at the Los Angeles Country Club, marking the first time the major championship has been played in the city in 75 years.
"It's cool," said Blake Jones from Fresno. "I feel like a lot of the opens tend to be out in New York and a lot of the majors are on the east coast, so it's nice to have something in LA, so close to home."
The host site is an historic course that dates back more than 100 years. However, even though it's been around for a long time, it's essentially unknown, even to many people who live nearby.
"I had no idea there was a north and a south course," said Justin Hart, who lives just few miles away in Palms. "I've driven past in many times, but never had the honor of coming to the country club."
What also makes this tournament so unique is its unorthodox location for a U.S. Open
While most Opens are played on courses typically far removed from the hustle and bustle of a metro area, the LACC is right in the middle of the city, framed by skyscrapers, while situated along busy Santa Monica and Sunset boulevards.
"You wouldn't even know that it's here," said Missy eavenson, from Tampa, Florida. "You are in the city, yet you have all this green space that you can play golf."
"You can see downtown LA and just a few feet later, you're walking on open grass and you're looking around, and saying, oh my goodness, where am I? " said Hart. "It's like a different world."
The talk of the golf world recently has been the stunning announcement the PGA Tour will merge with rival LIV Golf.
While most of the details surrounding the controversial and unexpected union are still unknown, for fans at this tournament, many said they want to concentrate on this week and what happens out on the course.
"It's been an interesting two weeks, but we're here to watch the golf," said Mark Jones from Fresno. "The rough looks really challenging and there's a lot of terrain that's up and down, so it's going to be interesting."
With so much mystery and intrigue going into this U.S. Open, golf fans should be ready to grab some popcorn, since it feels like this tournament could be a blockbuster.
"Anything can happen with a course that nobody has played a lot before," said Jennifer Miller from Newport News Virginia. "That's the exciting part when you get somebody that's maybe an underdog that's not picked to win and you can cheer for them to win the whole thing."
Whatever happens over the next four days, what is known is the wait for this tournament to return to Los Angeles won't be as long the previous one. The U.S. Open will be back at the LACC in 2039.
