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CNN Live Today

Golfers Get Set for Start of U.S. Open

Aired June 12, 2002 - 12:57   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The impending start of the U.S. Open has the gold world buzzing. There's even more excitement than usual this year because the Open is being played on a muni course.

CNN's Bob Fiscella is at the Bethpage State Park in New York, where the tournament starts tomorrow.

I hear it is one tough course, Bob.

BOB FISCELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's what the players are saying: the toughest golf course they have ever played. Tiger Woods is saying that. He is part of the story this week, as he tries to win the second major of the year. He has already won the first, the Masters, trying to become the first player to win all four professional majors in one year.

And the other story is the golf course: Bethpage Black, the first publicly owned facility to ever host the Open championship.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): For the first time in the 102-year history of America's national championship, the Open is being contested on a daily-fee municipal course. It's been dubbed the people's Open, with Tiger Woods clearly the people's choice as well as the odds-on favorite. Tiger has won six of the last 10 majors, including this year's Masters.

TIGER WOODS, PGA GOLFER: The only thing I can do is go out there and play and give it my best. Whether that puts higher expectations on it, I really don't know. I think everyone here and the public is going to have to decide that. But I think, for my own expectation level, I come to every tournament to try and win. And that's what I'm going and try and do this week.

PHIL MICKELSON, PGA GOLFER: It is a very difficult challenge to compete against him, because he is able to do things with a golf ball that not many can even envision. And so a lot people see that as a difficulty. And it is. But it's also a wonderful challenge. It's a wonderful challenge to be able to play against potentially the greatest player of all time.

FISCELLA: Part of what makes Tiger one of the greatest of all time: his keen ability to block out distractions. But even Woods is having a hard time ignoring the spirited banter of the outspoken New York galleries.

WOODS: Some of the stuff here I can't really repeat. It'd be rated R. But let me just put it this way. The fans are certainly into it. And, even early in the morning, when we teed off this morning at 7:00, they were still into it.

SERGIO GARCIA, PGA GOLFER: They like to talk. There's no doubt about that. But it's the way New Yorkers are. But it's fun, though.

FISCELLA: With Bethpage less than an hour's drive from ground zero, remembering 9/11 very much a part of this open: Many of the volunteers are either police officers or firefighters who lost close friends that day.

DAVID FAY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, USGA: Certainly having this golf in the shadow of Manhattan, in the shadow show of ground zero, there is some poignancy to it. And people have asked, "Will this help in the healing process?" We will never forget 9/11. We never should forget 9/11. But if, in some small way, having the U.S. Open here at Bethpage Black helps in the healing process, then that's great.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FISCELLA: And the players are well aware of the that many of the marshals out here are firefighters and police officers that worked closely with that perished on 9/11 -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Ah, sentimental touch.

All right, Bob Fiscella, thanks so much. Look forward to that tournament.

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