U.S. Senior Open Championship set for June 23-26 at Saucon Valley Country Club

​If you’re an avid golfer or duffer like me, you can’t miss attending the upcoming USGA U.S. Senior Open Golf Championship being held at Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem. 

Saucon Valley Country Club (SVCC) will be the first club to host the U.S. Senior Open three times, having hosted the 1992 and 2000 championships. And this year golf fans can see the over 50 golf greats in action and maybe learn a tip or two by watching them compete and practice. 

Exempt from qualifying and who have already filed entries include Pennsylvania’s own Jim Furyk, one of eight players who have won the U.S. Open (2003) and U.S. Senior Open (2021). Others include past U.S. Senior Open champs Fred Funk (2009), Bernhard Langer (2010), Roger Chapman (2012), Colin Montgomerie (2014), Gene Sauers (2016) and Michael Campbell (2005). Runners-up are also entered and include such notables as David Duval (2009), Ernie Els (2000), Tom Lehman (2000), Davis Love III (1996), Rocco Mediate (2000) and Jeff Sluman (1982). 

Major champs are also among the group of exempt players and include Masters winners Freddie Couples, Langer, Mark O’Mara, Vijay Singh and Mike Weir.

According to John Bodenhamer, USGA chief Championships officer, “The USGA is thrilled to return to Saucon Valley for the third time where the finest senior players will compete for the Francis D. Ouimet Memorial Trophy.”

The U.S. Senior Open is open to pro golfers and amateurs with a Handicap Index of not exceeding 3.4 who are at least 50 years of age by the start of the championship play. Qualifications are currently ongoing at 33 sites across the United States, two of which are in Pennsylvania. 

For those of you who attended the 1992 championship at SVCC, you may recall when Larry Laoretti posted a four-stroke victory over Jim Colbert. In 2000, that I attended and covered, five-time USGA champ Hale Irwin defeated Bruce Fleisher by three strokes for the second of his two Senior Open titles. 

My major memory of the 2000 championship was how super nice and friendly  Gary Player was. He would sit in the press room for as long as you wanted him to for interviews on a variety of topics. Not all players were that hospital. 

Now’s the time to purchase tickets for the Senior Open. Merely go to ww.ussenioropen.com. 
As we get closer to the championship there will be further information to share. 

WHITEHALL TOWNSHIPS ANNUAL FREE FISHING DERBY

Whitehall Townships 2022 annual free Fishing Derby for children will get underway May 28 at Hokendauqua Park on Lehigh Street in Whitehall. 

Children 15 and under may enter with first, second and third place awards given for the largest fish caught for four age groups of 6 and under, 7-9, 10-12 and 13-15.    There will also be a special prize for the youngster who catches the overall largest trout. 

Over 100 sizable trout will be stocked that morning in a portion of the Hokey Creek that runs adjacent to the baseball field there. Youth anglers must bring their own bait and tackle. 

Registration opens at 8 a.m. to 8:45 on derby day. The contest runs from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. 

The annual derby is hosted by Whitehall Township Recreation Bureau with refreshments provided by Hokendauqua Park & Playground Association. It’s also sponsored by Willie’s Bait & Tackle in Cementon and Coplay News Agency’s Bait & Tackle shop.