U.S. Open Arrives in Merion June 2013

Bianca Robinson, for GPA -- The 113th United States Open Championship will be hosted by the Merion Golf Club on the East Course in Ardmore, Pennsylvania from June 13-16 2013.

The Merion Golf Club, which opened in 1912, was designed by Hugh Wilson and is best known as the place Bob Jones won the U.S. Amateur in 1930. This will be the fifth U.S. Open hosted by the Merion Golf Club and the first they have hosted in 32 years. Among the world class players expected to attend the U.S. Open are past winners Webb Simpson, who won last year’s U.S. Open, Rory Mcllory, Graeme McDowell, three time U.S. Open winner Tiger Woods, and two time U.S. Open winner Retief Goosen

The Merion Golf Club was selected to host the Open on June 14, 2006 by the United States Golf Association. Richard “Rick” III, former president of the Merion Golf Club and current head of the club’s U.S. Open Committee, has been preparing both the Club and surrounding community for the Open for months. Club members, representatives from Haverford Township, SEPTA and thousands of volunteers have all worked to make sure that infrastructure, security, transportation, and tent facilities are ready for one of the biggest events in golf.

The Merion Golf Club’s 126 acres are small by today’s golf course standards and will play host to 25,000 spectators. In order to fit this many people, the club will be depending on fans utilizing the grandstands, which can seat 16,000 people and will allow them to see more than one hole of golf. With a length of 6,846 yards, the course will be one of the shortest golf courses to host the open in over 20 years. Merion has a classic golf course that will provide a unique U.S. Open experience in an age of golf’s super long hitters.