The recent Illinois graduate will play in the U.S. Open for the second time.
FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS WEEK. IT’LL BE HIS THIRD TOUR EVENT AND HE’S HOPING TO MAKE A CUT FOR THE FIRST TIME AS A PRO. BUT THE COURSE AT OAKMONT IN PENNSYLVANIA IS NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY. A FEW THINGS THAT MIGHT HELP– THERE ARE TWO OTHER FORMER ILLINI THERE– THOMAS DETRY AND BRIAN CAMPBELL MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP THE YOUNGSTER GET COMFORTABLE — HE’S ALREADY MORE COMFORTABLE THAN LAST YEAR- KNOWING HIS WAY AROUND WITH REGISTRATION, TICKETS, WHERE TO BE, WHEN TO BE THERE — ALL A LITTLE LESS STRESSFUL ON THE SECOND GO. AND HE SAYS THEY PLAYED HARD COURSES AT ILLINOIS- THEY HAD TOURNAMENTS WHERE PAR COULD WIN. ALL THAT BEING SAID- BUCHANAN ADMITS THE ROUGHS AT OAKMONT COULD BE A CHALLENGE UNLIKE HE’S EVER SEEN BEFORE. JACKSON BUCHANAN: “I’ve never played rough where you just hack it out. I think that’s where a lot of players are complaining. You hit it in the rough you just hack it out. It doesn’t require as much skill but if I started bogey, bogey, bogey, I’m still in it. That’s how hard this course is. So, definitely an adjustment.” IT’S A FOUR DAY TOURNAMENT STARTING ON THURSDAY — IT’S 156 PLAYER FIELD- THE TOP SIXTY AFTER ROUND TWO ON
