Simpson ready to defend US Open at Merion

ARDMORE, Pa. — Webb Simpson already played for an amateur championship at Merion.

He’s ready to win a major there on his next visit.

Simpson is one of the few active PGA Tour members to play at the suburban Philadelphia course, competing at the 2005 U.S. Amateur. When he returns in June, Simpson has a grander goal in mind for his return visit than finishing 72: Simpson wants to defend his U.S. Open championship.

“I tell people all the time it is my favorite golf course in the world,” he said Monday. “What it demands out of the players is so different than most golf courses, and it seems like most golf courses now are evolving to be bombers paradise. Every par-4 is 500 yards, and you hit a driver on every hole. Merion’s the opposite.”

The U.S. Open is set to return in June to Merion Golf Club for the first time since 1981. With good reason. The U.S. Open at Merion will be the shortest course for a major championship in eight years.

The U.S. Open was played at Merion in 1934, 1950, 1971 and 1981. Bobby Jones won the U.S. Amateur in 1930 and tournaments from the Curtis Cup to the Walker Cup have all been played at the course.

With a shorter course, birdies could become more expected over the weekend. USGA executive director Mike Davis said Merion will play at 6,996 yards on the scorecard. The last major course that was under 7,000 yards was Shinnecock Hills for the 2004 U.S. Open, which played 6,996 yard. Merion will be the shortest since Southern Hills, which was 6,973 in 2001.

“There’s going to be more birdies made at this U.S. Open than any we have seen in recent history,” USGA executive director Mike Davis said. “There’s just some holes out here that lend themselves to it. Which is wonderful. Then there’s some holes that are very tough. I would contend that you’ve got this balance of some of the easiest holes for U.S. Opens that you’ll see in the modern era, yet at the same time, they have got some tough holes.”