Unity at the US Open
The 2023 US Open will herald a new era in professional golf, being the first Major championship since the unification of the US PGA Tour, the DP World Tour and LIV Golf into one commercial entity.
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The Los Angeles Country Club will play host to the third Major of 2023, where for the first time since LIV’s inception, LIV golfers will no longer be outsiders at a Major Championship.
The news of the merger of the tours has not gone down smoothly with all involved and while nothing changes practically for the tournament and the player that qualified for their shot at glory, that atmosphere in LA will probably be as tense as it was at the 2022 US Open when LIV golfers appeared at a Major for the first time despite being suspended by their respective legacy tours.
CONTENDERS
Brooks Koepka stock continues to rise, having won a fifth Major at the 2023 PGA Championship last month, and very few would bet against the LIV man being in contention again this week.
Of course, World No 1 Scottie Scheffler will be a threat in LA, with the 2022 Master champion finishing inside the top 10 at four of the last 6 Majors.
Jon Rahm will be hoping to avenge a rather poor showing at the PGA Championship, where he finished T50 after winning the Master in April. The Spaniard is a former US Open Champion, having broken his major duck at the 2021 edition, and he will be hoping to summon some of those memories to mount a title challenge in 2023.
Nine years on from his last Major triumph, some would say that including Rory McIlroy in the conversation of favourites is undeserved. However, with 23 wins on the PGA Tour and 19 wins on the DP World Tour, the Northern Irishman’s talent and ability to win golf tournaments, his chances cannot be written off ahead of the marquee tournaments.
THE BATTLE GROUND
The Los Angeles Golf Club’s North Course is the venue for the second-oldest National Championship (behind only the Open Championship). Between 1897-1910 the golf club was located in no fewer than three different spots (the first two being nine-hole layouts before and 18-hole layout at the third location), until it found its permanent home in Beverly Hills, where a stately clubhouse tennis courts and 36 golf holes were laid out. Since opening in 1911 the club has undergone several renovations, the latest of which was completed in 2010 which positioned the North Course to be a sustainable championship course well into the future.
At over 7 400yards, the par-70 layout will provide a stern test for the world’s best golfers. Traditionally, US open courses are set up to be some of the most demanding the golfers will face all year, characterized by unforgiving rough and hard, fast greens, which leads to tight scoring with the winners emerging at close par (two of the last 10 winners were at +1).
2023 US OPEN BROADCAST DETAILS
DAY 1 - THURS, 15 JUNE
Feature Group
1:30-5pm | SS Golf and Grandstand
Feature Group
5pm-2am | SS Variety 2
Main Feed
5pm-2am | SS Golf and Grandstand
DAY 2 - FRI, 16 JUNE
Feature Group
1:30-5pm | SS Golf and Grandstand
Feature Group
5pm-2am | SS Action
Main Feed
5pm-2am | SS Golf and Grandstand
DAY 3 - SAT, 17 JUNE
Feature Group
4-6pm | SS Golf
Feature Group
6pm-2am | SS Action
Main Feed
5pm | SS Golf
DAY 4 - SUN, 18 JUNE
Feature Group
1:30-5pm | SS Golf
Feature Group
5pm-2am | SS Action
Main Feed
5pm | SS Golf
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