An Interview With:

Stan George, Prairie Dunes C.C. Superintendent

Tim Moraghan, USGA Director of Championship Agronomy

Q. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our first interview of the day. And on my immediate left in the center is Tim Morghan, the USGA director of championship agronomy and to Tim's left, Stan George, who is the superintendent of this magical Prairie Dunes Country Club. First of all, Tim, let me start out, did you ask Prairie Dunes to make any significant changes to prepare for this championship?

TIM MORAGHAN: Actually, nothing significant. I think Prairie Dunes is one of those special places that is probably as perfect golf course you can have for the U.S. Women's Open, which I don't know if Stan wants to elaborate, but it's one of those courses where you just have to bring the field, go to the first tee, let's have at it.

This is one of those golf courses that is going to really elevate the championship higher than it's already at, and it reminds me what Shinnecock did for the Men's Open.

Q. Stan, it is a beautiful golf course. How do you condition your golf course for an Open championship?

STAN GEORGE: We work closely with Tim, to start with. I always told my staff Tim has been doing it for 16 years, and the USGA has been doing it for 57, so if we have a question, we defer to their experience.

On the flip side of that, I've been here 11 years, and I've got staff that's been here a lot longer than that, and we know how the golf course is going to react to certain things  -- how it's mowed, how it's dried out, how much water we get for rain -- so that's the give and take we found with the USGA that's been beneficial for both sides.

We know what's going to happen under certain conditions because we've been here every day.

I guess the biggest difference that Tim asked us to complete would be the grooming. We actually groomed fairways or brushed fairways, which is unusual for us. But for daily play, it's not necessary. For players of this caliber, those types of tiny tweaks just make the difference, and that's what we concentrated on the last three months.

Q. I probably should know this, but explain to me what you mean by brushing the fairway?

STAN GEORGE: It's a common practice on greens and sometimes tees, and certainly approaches and collars. But if the nap of the carpet is laying down one way, you brush it with a mat or broom or something to get it to stand up prior to mowing, and you get a cleaner cut, and the grass stays up a little cleaner.

Q. So you brush it against the grain, sort of?

TIM MORAGHAN: Yeah. You brush and crosscut against the grain. We've done that as many times as we thought were necessary.

Q. Tim, I know the USGA likes the courses to be fast and firm for championships. How is the course holding up with the rain we've had this week?

TIM MORAGHAN: Judy Bell and Kendra Graham were setting up the Back 9 this morning, and I think there is a little moisture, but I think on a normal Kansas day, we don't have to worry about it. They will get fast and firm. Stan and I have had some conversations about water management throughout the week because we'd like the members of Prairie Dunes to have a well-maintained golf course when they come back next week.

A very typical day, round 1 through 4, we'll have fast conditions.

Q. Questions? And if you'll please wait for the microphone, we can also get your question on our transcript.

Tim, I was wondering if you could elaborate on what you were saying the reference to Shinnecock in the Men's Open. Can you elaborate what you mean by that.

TIM MORAGHAN: I think Prairie Dunes and Shinnecock are among the top 10 golf courses in the world, and I think it's great that we can bring the best players to either golf course, male or female, and I think this is a special place. I mean, you can't find a bad hole or a bad shot. It's going to test the competitor's skill top to bottom.

The U.S. Open tests the players' skill in general, but it also tests their patience.

I think you come here with the wind, the undulating greens, the difficult shots, uphill, downhill -- you're going to identify a true champion. And when I made reference to Shinnecock, it's one of those special places that is going to identify the best player in the world.

Q. This is an offbeat question, but the rumor is that there are snakes in the rough. Is that true? Are we going to find some snakes?

STAN GEORGE: I guess the bad news is there are snakes in the rough. The good news is I have not found a poisonous one or one that would do much damage. The one that looks a little bit like a rattle snake is actually a bull snake. It's very beneficial in controlling rodents on the golf course. We try not to disturb or kill them or anything else. They are actually beneficial.

Q. Tim, what's the rough height, the speed of the greens, and is that the same as what you guys were looking at coming into this?

TIM MORAGHAN: The rough height is 3 1/2 to 4 inches, depending whether it gets irrigated or not, whether it's southern exposure with sunlight or gets beat all day long. Green speeds are mid- to high 9s. I always pick green speed based on surface contour and grass type, and the event being played, and here you have to be careful we don't have an issue of ball arrest getting moved by wind, so we didn't want to get the greens  -- we could get them very, very fast, but I don't know if that rewards a good shot or a well-struck putt.

In talking with Stan, he knows how fierce the winds can get, and I think we kind of established that 9 1/2 would be our starting point.

If you've gone out and had a chance to look at the putting surfaces, they are not flat, that's for sure. They require some skill and management to get the ball in the right place, but if you get on a hole such as No. 5, 4,

No. 17, with the wind howling, and we had excessive green speeds, a player makes a well-struck putt, and all of a sudden, it's off the front of the green, down the hill, and I don't know if that's where we should go.

Q. You mentioned the rough height 3 1/2 to 4 inches. That sounds to me longer than it's been. Is that longer than usual for the U.S.  Open?

TIM MORAGHAN: I think we've always been in that 3- to 4-inch range. I don't know exactly -- it depends on the length of the golf course, what we're trying to move. Again, this is the U.S.  Open, and the key is hitting fairways and greens, and we would like to have a penalty for being in the rough and provide the player a chance to show us how good they are.

Q. Stan, can you talk a little bit about how big this event is for Hutchinson as a town and community?

STAN GEORGE: Sure. I think, obviously, it's been billed as the largest sporting event in the history of Kansas. I think that's probably true unless and until Kansas Speedway adds to 20- or 30,000 seats. It's tremendous, and I'm proud to be a part of the good old Midwesterner who is, I think you'll find, from the sandwich shop to volunteer from around the state, and several states that I run into at every crosswalk and merchandise pavilion and everywhere in between.

This week I have staff from Oklahoma, Missouri, Colorado, not to mention from far-flung areas of Kansas. It's just been a community effort from the beginning, and Prairie Dunes has taken the position that it's almost our gift back to the community and to the region from a financial standpoint and an exposure standpoint.

So the community, I think, has been on the bandwagon for two years now, and everyone is excited and the adrenalin is running, and every parade for the last two years has had a representative of the U.S.  Open and floats and golf carts and everything, it's what you would expect from -- not a small town, but a small city in the middle of Kansas. When the world comes calling, we're glad to have everyone here.

Q. For both of you guys, can you tell us what score would surprise you? What would the score have to hit for you to drop your jaw and say you're surprised?

STAN GEORGE: Daily or composite?

Q. Winning score?

STAN GEORGE: Double figures under would surprise me. Double figures over would not surprise me as much as double figures under. If you're going to give me even par, I got a good chance of winning, and I won't tee it up. 2 to 4 under, I think, is absolutely a pretty good chance of winning. I'd be surprised if it's much better than that.

TIM MORAGHAN: I have to agree with Stan. 280 and sitting in the clubhouse is a pretty good number.

Q. Questions?

STAN GEORGE: Now, if it rains again today, softens them up  -- and, unfortunately, the meteorologist is calling for more rain today -- we get a high pressure system, and it absolutely kills the wind. These are the best players in the world. Somebody could shoot three 67s easily, or a 71 and a 69, and be 8 under, but those conditions we can't do much about.

Q. For both of you, is there any stretch of holes or one particular hole that you find to be could be really tough, be a nemesis for these players?

TIM MORAGHAN: Well, I kind of like all the golf holes. I don't want to sound politically correct, but if there is one hole or a stretch of holes that may define the U.S.  Open, it's going to be 15, and especially 16, and the third shot into 17.

STAN GEORGE: The third shot into 17, about 100 yards, I think, is the toughest shot on the golf course. If you had a par 3 of 100 yards, that would be the toughest

par 3 on any golf course. I think No. 5, obviously, into the wind, it's a good hole. It's not one of my favorite holes, but if you're looking at where a good portion of the field is going bogie, I'd say 5 and 16 as well, two long par 4s right into the wind.

Q. For both of you in setting up the course, there is some tees on the Front 9, 2, 3, 6, where you could have gone to the back tees. Could you explain why you didn't go to those tips?

TIM MORAGHAN: Well, if you're going to look at Hole No. 2, I think we like the angle from the current tee. I don't know if it was exactly an original position. We kind of like to play the golf courses the original way the architect intended. Only Hole No. 3 -- Kendra and Judy and C.J. and I had a lot of conversation about No. 3, but it's a different angle.

The expression is it's only blind once, but it adds a different flavor than going on top. We take into consideration approach shots, hole locations, do you want to fire a little longer or shorter club, but on 2 and 3, I think we kind of like those positions just for getting the player to think a little bit. Hole No. 6, we added a new tee.

Again, I don't know if -- i can't recall  -- stan, you might be able to help me, but it sets up a good angle. If a player hits it far enough, it might catch the downslope on the right, you get a shorter shot in. If the wind is blowing, you might not be that fortunate.

Q. All right, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much, and thank you, Stan and Tim. It will be a great week. Thank you very much.