Phil Mickelson on No. 15 on Saturday.

U.S. Open Notebook

  The Golf Association of Philadelphia is well-represented at Merion Golf Club, site of this week’s U.S. Open. Staff members and volunteers alike are involved in the event, from hole marshals to ticket sales and everything in between. Web site coverage will be provided throughout the week in the “U.S. Open notebook.” The Communications department chronicles its activities in a journal listed below.

Sunday, June 16

  8:30 p.m.: What a glorious day it was at Merion. Golf course was awesome. Crowds were even better. Justin Rose is a well-deserving winner. The week started with torrential rains. Late on the back nine for the leaders a relatively strong shower returned and a rainbow appeared. You know what is at the end of that rainbow? The Amateur Championship at Aronimink Golf Club this week. See you Tuesday.

  9 a.m.: Happy Father's Day to all. Mark Peterson and Kirby Martin are observers today. Martin has the Charley Hoffman/Lee Westwood pairing at 1:41 p.m. Peterson is with the Henrik Stenson/Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano group at 2:25 p.m.

Saturday, June 15

  8:08 p.m.: What an exciting day it was at Merion. Golf course continues to win. Roars from crowd are pretty cool. You can almost tell what is happening if you listen closely. Phil Mickelson appears to have some answers in search of his elusive U.S. Open title. He enters Round 4 with a one-shot lead. Final-round tee times begin at 8:44 a.m. Sunday.

  10:35 a.m.: Third-round tee times begin at 12:28 p.m. off Nos. 1 and 11. Click here for complete set. Leaders start at 2:40 p.m.

  9:17 a.m.: Only 36 holes left, but a lot of drama remains. I have a feeling Merion is going to show her teeth today. Cutline is 8 over.

Friday, June 14

  6:14 p.m.: Luke Donald, Tiger and Rory all addressed the media in the flash area. Tiger: "These conditions aren't getting easier. They're trying to protect par." Merion is certainly holding its own against the world's best. We then traveled to the practice range to catch up with Kevin Phelan, an amateur from Ireland who finished Round One at 1 over. We're working on a story about amateur players in this year's U.S. Open field. We also filed a story to the U.S. Open Web site, this one on the Golf Association of Philadelphia's volunteer team on No. 15.

  3:30 p.m.: After a fair amount of writing in the media center, we're returning to the flash area for a Tiger Woods interview.

  1:13 p.m.: Spent time in the flash area to conduct interviews with a few of the amateurs in the U.S. Open field. Also stopped by No. 15, where the GAP team is stationed, to interview captain Justin Reasy. As we spoke, the power triumvirate - Woods, Mcllroy and Scott - came thru. Crowds followed, of course. We're working on a story for the USGA regarding the GAP squad.

  11:35 a.m.: Spoke with Merion member and 2005 Silver Cross Award winner John Sawin, who now lives in the San Francisco area. He is caddying for friend Grayson Murray, an amateur from Raleigh, N.C.

  9:28 a.m.: Just got a text on grouping changes. Mark Peterson, Executive Director, and Kirby Martin, Director of Competitions, are sticking with the groups they served as observers for yesterday. Martin is with Jason Dufner, Ian Poulter and Boo Weekley as an observer. That group begins at 4:25 p.m. Peterson's group begins at 3:45 p.m. and includes Cliff Kresge, Roger Tambellini and Ryan Yip. He is the official. Set your DVRs.

Thursday, June 13

  5:54 p.m.: The flash area was swarmed with media from around the world, waiting for players to sign their scorecards and to speak in front of the cameras. From Phil Mickelson, who finished Round One at 3 under, to Nicholas Colsaerts to Sergio Garcia to Bubba Watson, we copied notes feverishly. On the walk back to the media center, we spotted the Tiger, Rory and Adam Scott heading to No. 2. Fans roared as they passed. Also saw Jeffrey Lurie, owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, at 5:22 p.m. This event is beyond massive, to say the least.

  2:41 p.m.: We're in the media center working on a couple stories for the official U.S. Open Web site. We'll be leaving shortly to head to the flash area, where player interviews are being conducted. First few groups from the morning wave are expected to finish within the hour.

  12:59 p.m.: Spectators beginning to fill in. Saw Charles Schwartzel hit it long on No. 15 and chip his third shot in for birdie. Almost impossible to do. Cool to hear cheers go up throughout golf course.

  11:16 a.m.: Play to resume at 12:10 p.m. Afternoon tee times delayed three hours and 34 minutes.

  10:40 a.m.: The rain has slowed down considerably over the last hour. No word on when play will resume yet.

  9:40 a.m.: Skies are still crying. Rain coming down in buckets. Ducks are happy. Media guys are not.

  8:38 a.m.: Good crowds. Impending bad weather. Horn blows to take players off course.

Wednesday, June 12

  5:53 p.m.: Spent the past few hours walking the golf course and watching players on No. 16 green and No. 17 tee. Graeme McDowell, 2010 U.S. Open Champion, was among those we spotted. He hit three tee shots on No. 17, using a different club for each. Also saw Bio Kim, Thongchai Jaidee, Matt Goggin, Ryan Sullivan, Hiroyuki Fujita and David Hearn. Some reached the green, others left it in the bunkers, both left and right. Today is crunch time for the field as they get one last feel of the course before Round One.

  2:17 p.m.: Matt Kuchar, coming off a win at Memorial, addressed the media. First, on his hot streak as of late: "This is again one of those tests of golf you come to a U.S. Open if you're not clicking on all cylinders, a U.S. Open golf course is going to really show that and beat you up. I'm looking forward to playing this week and hoping the good performance continues." On his expectations at Merion: "Certainly a Major Championship, a U.S. Open, is one I'm geared up for. I'm looking forward to competing and trying to put my name on this trophy. I think all of us in the field are hoping, have the same hopes. I've made steps in the right direction."

  1:39 p.m.: Serious ground rules for media as tournament gets ready to start. Expect majority of interviews to be conducted at a flash area near 14 tee.

  11:30 a.m.: Mike Davis, USGA Executive Director; Tom O'Toole, Championship Chair and Reg Jones, U.S. Open Championship Director, touched on a variety of subjects from green speeds, expected to be between 13 and 13 1/2 to specator policy in case of inclement weather tomorrow (if four hours of golf is played, tickets are considered valid). A full transciption to come once provided. Full transcript.

  10:10 a.m.: Scurried off the media shuttle to catch the USGA's press conference regarding pace of play. According to a National Golf Foundation study, 91 percent of serious golfers are bothered by slow play. "It's now become one of the most significant threats to the health of the game," USGA President Glen Nager said. Thee USGA unveiled its "While We're Young" initiative, a new positioning to raise awareness across the golf community. The campaign debuts this week, with five public service announcements available for view here. "More difficult [golf courses] has been equated with better. We need to change that paradigm while we're young," Nager said.

Tuesday, June 11

  6:05 p.m.: We just filed a pair of stories to the USGA: one on reigning Patterson Cup Champion Brandon Matthews, the other on Jesse Smith, a true U.S. Open underdog.

  5:40 p.m.: Tons of gems from the David Graham/Lee Trevino joint press conference. Need an example? Graham: "when I think of Merion, I think of history." Trevino, without hesitation: "I think of the guy that I beat." Spectacular.

  4:12 p.m.: In a bit of a catch-up mode right now. More press conference highlights to pass along. First, Graeme McDowell, 2010 U.S. Open Champion. "Obviously it's not a long golf course by yardage, it doesn't suggest that it's a long golf course. Everyone is saying that it's going to be 62s and 63s on this golf course, which I kind of disagree with at the minute." On Merion serving as the tournament's host site: "Logistically, speaking to one of the members on Wednesday, if it wasn't for the cooperation of the community, the houses surrounding Merion, literally we're in someone's backyard, so to speak. If it wasn't for the cooperation of the neighborhood here, literally, we wouldn't be able to be here this week." Rory McIlroy on being paired with Adam Scott and Tiger Woods: "It's always nice to be a part of a group like that. It's something that I'm excited about. I like it because you're in a group like than there's a lot of buzz and a lot of atmosphere around it and it gets you focus from the first shot." On his mindset entering this year's event: "I guess that the two Majors that I've won I've sort of come in a little bit like that with low expectations. I feel like coming into the U.S. Open this year my game's in much better shape than it was last year. I came off the back of three missed cuts in a row and I wasn't playing very well. And this year I feel like my game's actually in good shape. So I feel coming in this year I've got a way better chance than I did last year." Steve Stricker on Merion: "It's a course where you, or a tournament where you need to be patient, keep it in play, par it to death and hopefully make a couple birdies in there somewhere. I like the setup. I enjoy it." On his limited playing time in 2013: "I think that the decision that I made earlier this year about playing less has taken some of the pressure off me. I think I'm completely fine with my career and what I've done. And don't get me wrong, I'm still very competitive and I still really want to win. I still want to play well." Sergio Garcia on his golf game: "I've obviously hit the ball better consistently more often. Obviously I had my off weeks, but I think that the short game is better than it was probably three or four years ago. I think that things outside of golf have improved until lately, obviously. But overall I feel a lot calmer, a little bit more mature, I guess, and all those things probably helped." On Merion's make-up: "If you miss the fairway, it doesn't matter, because you're still going to be hitting a wedge or a 9 iron or maybe a sand wedge from thick rough into tough greens. So if you do drive the ball well on those holes, and you manage to hit a lot of fairways and hopefully you don't get too many mud balls and control your second shots, you can have a good round of birdies."

  2:10 p.m.:A couple press conference highlights to share. First, thoughts from Webb Simpson, the tournament's defending champion, on playing with that label at Merion: "Hopefully it didn't really change me as a person, but I definitely grew from it, I got a lot of confidence from it. I haven't won a tournament since, but I'm always saying, all I care about is getting better, and all I care about is the process. And so there hasn't been a day that went by that I haven't thought about winning the U.S. Open, being the U.S. Open champion, being announced on the first tee as U.S. Open champion hasn't gotten old. I don't want that to change." On the course make-up: "What's interesting here is there's no 18 hole theme. You go through the first 13 holes and if you drive it appropriately you can have, the way I figured it, nine wedge shots. And the last five holes you've kind of got to hang on." Next, Tiger Woods on playing in Philadelphia: "This is one of the great sporting towns in the country. They're passionate about all sports. We had our event at Aronimink, and it was unbelievable. The fans were incredible. It was electric. And I think this week will be the same thing." On carrying a 1-iron: "The running joke out here is, well, when I got here in my teens I used a 1-iron, in my 20s I used a 2-iron, and in my 30s I used a 5-wood. You see where this is going, right? So I think 7, 9, 11. So I'm shaping a 11 wood from about 120 out there, when I get older." On whether his No. 1 standing evokes pressure or motivation: “It's still about winning the event. That's why I played as a junior, all the way through to now is just to try to kick everyone's butt. That to me is the rush. That's the fun. That's the thrill."

  12:30 p.m.: Just returned from a trip to the practice range followed by Tiger Woods' press conference. More details to come.

  9:30 a.m.: Luke Donald, No. 6 in the world, touched on a number of topics in the day's opening press conference. On the wet conditions: "I would have liked to have seen it firmer. I think wetter, damper conditions brings more of the field in play. Certainly, a course where I'm only hitting five drivers and a course where I have a lot of wedges in my hands plays to my strengths. I feel like 100 yards and in I'm pretty good and this course demands a lot of that." On the rough: "It's nasty. You want to stay away from it." On the Merion mystique: "It's has a tremendous history going back to Bobby Jones. It was very cool to walk around this place last week." On walking down No. 18: "There aren't too many moments in golf as iconic as [Ben] Hogan and that 1-iron."

  9:15 a.m.: The sun is shining at Merion. Luke Donald is the first player scheduled to meet with the media today. He ie expected at the podium in 15 minutes.

Monday, June 10

  5:08 p.m.: The USGA called a press conference to address the inclement weather’s effect on conditions and impact as it relates to the golf course. “This golf course is maybe the best draining golf course I’ve ever seen,” Mike Davis, USGA Executive Director, said. “These greens drain beautifully. In terms of set-up, you’re not going to see us do much different. We would let the course play the way it’s going to play.” Merion’s taken on almost four inches of rain [since last week], Davis said. Concerns were raised regarding the 11th hole’s playability given the steady rainfall. “It’s the lowest point on the golf course,” Matthew Shaffer, Merion’s Director of Golf Course Operations, said. “The water comes up fast, but it also recedes very quickly.” Practice rounds are expected to resume tomorrow. Check back for more updates as they become available.

  3:27 p.m.: USGA announces a 5 p.m. press conference with Mike Davis, Executive Director; Matt Shaffer, Mer