Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/934374
have to battle each other in match play, they have to take on a monster of a course. There's going to be some carnage." Television. With the Tiger-era TV contracts expiring amidst this cord- cutting epoch, getting more eyeballs on the pricey golf telecasts is an imperative. Northern California championships can be broadcast in prime time to the eastern U.S., greatly increasing the potential audience. Additionally, in 2019, the PGA Tour is going to a shorter, rejiggered sched- ule, largely to avoid having to compete with football in the fall. The PGA Championship, which has traditionally been played in August, is moving to May and there are widespread concerns that many eastern and northern courses will no longer be able to host the event, as turf conditions will be substandard coming hard on the heels of the winter months. There are no such concerns about San Francisco. So, while this has never been a more felicitous time to be a Northern California golf fan, plenty of insiders are rejoicing, too. Says veteran pro Paul Goydos, "If you're a golf writer, why would you possibly live anywhere else?" The Olympic Club has hosted the U.S. Open five times, including in 2012, when Hiroyuki Fujita of Japan teed off. These Opens are best remembered for Billy Casper's triumph in 1966 and Ben Hogan's collapse in '55. Photo: Koji Aoki/AFLO SPORT Photo: Marc Howard for Monterey Peninsula Foundation Pebble Beach Golf Links, taken from behind the 5th tee, with Arrow Head Point visible in the distance. 128 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • W I N T E R 2 0 1 8