The US Open is adamant about keeping the current 18-hole play-off format, despite being the only major that does so.  USGA Executive Director David Fay, when asked if the format would change anytime soon, said, “We are doggedly determined to go 18 holes.”

One has to question why we need a full 18-hole play-off.  Last years battle between Tiger Woods and Rocco Meidate, while fantastic, is a rare occurrence.  The extra day also puts a drain on the USGA’s finances.  With the extra day, the USGA spent extra money on:

- Another day of buses: $120,000 ($45,000 for smaller buses)

- Security: $30,000

- Parking: $60,000

- Lunches and travel costs (no amount given)

Overall, the costs added up to just over a half a million dollars.

It would seem to me that with that much money being shelled out and the rarity of match-ups like last years, the US Open would follow suit with the other majors and go with a sudden death play-off.

And I’d be all for it.

What do you think?  Should the US Open keep the 18-hole format or move to sudden death?

Looks like the US Open will return to Oakmont in 2016.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported on its website today that the Open will make its ninth trip to Oakmont.  The Open has played in Oakmont in 1927, 1935, 1953, 1962, 1973, 1983, 1994 and most recently 2007.  The USGA is expected to make an official announcement later this month.

The Pebble Beach National Pro-Am will be adding a new course to the mix next year.  The Shore Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club replacing Poppy Hills.  Monterey was last used for the Pro-Am in 1977 and it will join Spyglass Hill for the PGA Tour event.

This will mark the first course change in the event since 1991, when Poppy Hills replaced Cypress Point due to membership issues.  Poppy was the least favorite among the players, with rounds lasting upwards of 6 hours due to the 5 par 5’s and bumpy greens.

After determining the course of treatment for his wife Amy’s breast cancer, Phil Mickelson has decided to return to the course for the St. Jude Invitational June 11.  He will use the tournament as a tune-up for the US Open the following week.  After that, his schedule is still uncertain.

John Daly’s 6 month PGA suspension is officially over.  Daly was suspended in November after numerous off the course incidents and had recently been playing on the European Tour.  He has been given a sponsor exemption to play in the St. Jude Invitational June 11-14 and is expected to play.

In other news, Daly wore bright pink trousers in the Sunday’s final round at the BMW PGA Championship as a gesture of support for Phil Mickelson’s wife, Amy, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  “I had a pair, so I figured I’d do that for her today. I thought it would be a good gesture,” Daly said of his trousers. “I know Phil very well and I know Amy. I’ve known them for a long time — we’ve played the Tour together. She’s a great lady. She has always been a sweetheart to everybody.”

Looks like the down economy has struck the golf world yet again.

This time, the British Masters has been dropped from this years European Tour after they were unable to secure a new title sponsor.  Quinn Insurance’s sponsorship ran out and no replacement could be found for the tournament.

The PGA and LPGA tours are not immune to the effects of reduced corporate spending.  U.S. Bank has dropped its sponsorship of the tour stop in Milwaukee, putting that tournament in serious jeopardy.  The LPGA has already begun lobbying hard for Anheuser-Busch to renew it’s deal with the Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill.  The most current tournament at Kingsmill ended Sunday.

While John Daly still has 4 months remaining on his PGA Tour suspension, he is starting to get his game back on the European Tour.

Daly, who had tied for 31st at the Spanish Open last week, finished tied for 2nd at this weeks BMW Italian Open.  Daly shot at 31 on the back nine Sunday, with birdies on 11, 14, 16, and 17, in route to a 5-under 66.  It marked the 5th consecutive round in which Daly broke 70.

Daly has lost about 50 pounds and perhaps has matured since undergoing gastric band surgery in February.  When he finished second to Tiger Woods in the 2005 WGC-American Express Championship in San Fransisco, Daly drove to Las Vegas and lost $1 million gambling in just 30 minutes.

Due to the economic climate, the 2009 Skins Game has been postponed.  The Thanksgiving weekend tradition for nearly 3 decades, was postponed by sponsors.  IMG, which manages the Skins Game, had been negotiating a contract extension with LG, when the Korean based electronics maker decided not to renew the contract.

IMG would like to see the Skins Game return in 2010, but without a title sponsor and declining ratings over the last few years, it seems unlikely that the all-star event will return.

While the PGA Tour and its tournaments have donated over $1 billion to charity in the last 70 years, David Toms wonders how high that number would be if it counted what the players do separate of the PGA Tour.  For example, the figure doesn’t include the millions the Tiger Woods Foundation has contributed to scholarships and grants or Phil Mickleson’s Start Smart or Birdies for the Brave programs.

That is going to change.

Commissioner Tim Finchem announced a plan Tuesday to highlight what golfers do for charity and get more tournaments, sponsors, volunteers and fans more involved so the tour can do even more.  The campaign will be called “Together, Anything is Possible” and will be launched in 2010.

The most visible part will be letting fans know what players are doing through different charities.  The Tour’s website will enable fans to see which players support which charities.  The thought is that this will drive fans to become more involved with charities supported by their favorite players or find out which players support their favorite charity.

Another key piece will be bringing tournaments, sponsors and charities together to learn different ways to raise money.

Finchem has said that the campaign has nothing to do with criticism from Rep. Barney Frank and Senator John Kerry over title sponsorship of golf tournaments.

The 36th annual Players Championship kicks off this week at TPC Sawgrass.  The top ten players in the world are all scheduled to be at this weeks tournament.

The TPC Sawgrass is typically referred to as the unofficial 5th major.  As such, it has a bit more at stake compared to other tournaments.  The winner gets 600 FedEx Cup points.  Only 5 events on tour offer that many points to the champion.  The other 4 are the Masters, the US Open, the British Open and the PGA Championship.

Despite the points that are on the line, 3 of Europe’s biggest stars have decided to skip the event.  Ryder Cup stars Lee Westwood  and Miguel Angel Jiminez are taking some time off and Alvaro Quiros has opted to play in the Italian Open instead.