Right now, the Merion Golf Club Green Department headed by director of golf course operations Matt Shaffer and superintendent Arron McCurdy are enjoying some cold beverages.
And why not? The East Course, under their preparation, showed its teeth in the 113th U.S. Open that Justin Rose captured a couple of hours ago. Nobody broke par, including Rose, who was good enough at 1-over to record his first major championship. He beat runnerups Phil Mickelson and Jason Day by two strokes.
Reached by phone, McCurdy tells GCM that this post-event celebration that he is sharing with more than 150 staff, including volunteers, is bittersweet.
"It feels good to be done, but it's kind of a bummer, though," McCurdy says. "You work all that time to get ready for this, and now it's done."
He says that he and Shaffer thanked the crew for their effort.
"Everybody kept congratulating us (McCurdy and Shaffer). It wasn't about us," McCurdy says. "The focus should be on them (crew), not us."
"We should've listened to him," Nobilo said.
The fact nobody broke par was just fine by McCurdy, who credits those who came long before him to make it possible.
"I just think it shows someone 100 years ago saw what it could be like here and built something astronomical," he says. "It feels good the golf course held up. I definitely think Merion should get another shot at it (U.S.Open), I would think."
The recovery process at Merion for Shaffer and McCurdy will start Tuesday. That is because tomorrow at 8:30 there is a shotgun play day for the corporate sponsors. McCurdy says some of the volunteers will stay, but all the green department plans to do to prepare the course is roll the dew off of the playing surfaces.
Nice overall coverage of the U.S. Open, Howard. Thanks for the behind-the-scenes info. lw
Posted by: Lisa Wick | June 17, 2013 at 09:45 AM