THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 13, 1996 TAG: 9606130532
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: BLOOMFIELD HILLS, MICH. LENGTH: 58 lines
The more it rained at Oakland Hills Country Club Wednesday, the better Carl Paulson felt. Considering the course absorbed 2 1/2 inches in less than two hours, the best word to describe Paulson's mood on the eve of his first U.S. Open could be giddy.
``The course is playing real long and real soft,'' Paulson said after finishing final preparation and heading for the movies. ``That's not the way the USGA wants it - but it fits my game better.''
After averaging 278.7 yards per drive last season, the 25-year-old Virginia Beach native has a well-deserved reputation as one of the Tour's big knockers. The softer the course, the better his chances of landing the ball in the fairway and having a shot into Oakland Hill's serpentine greens. Since no one who drives into the rough here can do anything more than just gouge the ball back out into the fairway, long hitters should have a distinct advantage until things dry out at this 6,974-yard, par-70 classic.
This could be an intriguing week for Paulson. He says he's close to making a breakthrough that could vault him into the top-125 money-winners and keep him from having to return to Qualifying School.
``I've been making too many birdies to not play better than I have been,'' he said. ``I'm on the verge of playing great, and I can't think of a better time for it to happen. I'm really looking forward to it.''
Through Saturday's round of the Buick Classic, Paulson had made 14 birdies, but was over par for the tournament. On Sunday, with a chance to make his biggest check of the season, he shot 76.
``It doesn't do anything to my confidence,'' he said. ``I just hit a few bad tee shots and a few bad irons. And my tempo got a little fast.
``It's really, really close. It's just a matter of cutting down on my number of mistakes and not getting too down when they happen.''
That's much easier said than done, Paulson admits. But it's the price that has to be paid, especially in the majors. No tournament demands a mellow, teflon-like approach to the game like the Open.
``Bogey is not going to be a terrible score out here,'' Paulson said. ``There are going to be a lot of them made. That's been a hard thing for me to learn, especially as competitive as I am. This is a week to really sit back on your heels.''
Paulson, who has earned $17,269 this season in PGA events and another $24,500 in NIKE Tour play, Tuesday played a practice round with Ben Crenshaw, seeking a couple of hints that might help him hang around this weekend.
``I was basically just watching the way he played, the way he putts the ball,'' Paulson said. ``We discussed where some of the pin placements might be, some things like that. There are things out there that you have to learn for yourself, too. After all, it had been 11 years since he last played here.''
Even though it's his first U.S. Open, Paulson has been through enough not to make a big deal out of having ``arrived.''
``I'm excited about it, but I don't consider qualifying for the Open a great feat,'' he said. ``Ninety people qualified. I expected to be one of them. But it is my first major and I plan to play well. That I could get excited about.'' by CNB