Letters

The U.S. Open
Rick Reilly's comments about what a terrible course Hazeltine is (Payne Free at Last, June 24) made me wonder whether he was watching the 1970 Open, which was also held at Hazeltine. This time around, most of the golfers praised the course.

Greg Norman: "Fabulous....It's a tremendous course."

Rocco Mediate: "Absolutely outstanding....I don't think there's anybody who's going to say one thing bad about this golf course."

Lanny Wadkins: "Perfect conditions....It's everything an Open course is supposed to be."

Tom Watson: "It may be the best Open course that I have ever played."

Perhaps Payne Stewart said it best after his victory: "I love Minnesota."
BRUCE DAHLMAN
Coon Rapids, Minn.

Payne Stewart (right) once needed a gimmick to set him apart from the other players on the PGA Tour, so he chose plus fours. Fine. My problem is not with plus fours—Stewart looks great in them, as did Gene Sarazen and Bobby Jones—but with his contract with the NFL to wear the colors of its teams. NFL stadiums are packed. Does the league have to promote its smashmouth sport on the golf course?

Stewart no longer needs a gimmick. His identity has been well established with his Open victory, his second major championship. Besides, would the NFL ever allow the logo of the PGA Tour to be emblazoned at midfield of a Super Bowl?
CLIF CORMIER
Gainesville, Fla.

As for Reilly's referring to the 16th as a hole from hell, I would like to point out that very few of the golfers griped about the hole, and they had to play it. Television commentator Jack Whitaker favorably compared the 16th with the Road Hole at St. Andrews and with the 17th at Pebble Beach. Now that I've seen the 16th, I have to agree.
THOMAS R. MAINE
Bloomington, Minn.

Early on Sunday afternoon, only a handful of fans were at the 13th tee. One of them was a boy confined to a wheelchair. Davis Love III had just hit an effortless drive down the left side of the fairway and was awaiting his partner's drive. As Love stood there, he removed a ball and pen from his bag and wrote something on the ball. After his partner drove, the caddies and scorer headed quickly toward the fairway. Love veered to the right and, without any ado, handed the boy the ball, which was inscribed: BEST WISHES, DAVIS LOVE III. He then whispered to the youngster, "Have a good day," and strode on to hit his second shot.