The U.S. Open gets under way this week in the great northwest at the Robert Trent Jr.-designed Chambers Bay public course, which is south of Seattle.

Some 156 players will tee off Thursday in search of one of golf’s premiere championships. There are some marquee matchups in the first round as Masters champ Jason Spieth is joined in a threesome by Jason Day and Justin Rose. They will tee off at 5:17 p.m. Thursday, followed by a group that includes Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler and Louis Oosthuizen.

Defending champion Martin Kaymer is paired with the world’s No. 1 player – Rory McIlroy – and U.S. Amateur champion Gunn Yang. They will start at 11:28 a.m.

The German-born Kaymer became only the seventh wire-to-wire winner a year ago when he posted an 8-shot win at Pinehurst No. 2. He set the 36-hole mark with a 70 and no one got closer than four shots over the final 48 holes.

Gary Player became the only player, 50 years ago, to complete the career Grand Slam at a U.S. Open. Phil Mickelson tries to become the sixth player with a Grand Slam.

There’s been a European theme over the past five years as European golfers have won the U.S. Open four times. it had been 40 years prior to that since a European golfer had claimed the title.

I’m staying with the Americans as I think Mickelson will come out on top.

Country Pride Restaurant

Jim Ennis and Mike Perring tied for the Country Pride Restaurant title by shooting 34s in the medal division.

George Melnik was a stroke back, while Bob Green was two shots back. Art Lightner, Dan Willming and Gary Mercer carded a 38s to tie for fifth place.

In the handicap division, Terry Younkins carded a 32, which was one shot better than Joe Kosar. Paul Carney and Matt DeSantis tied for third at 34, while Russ Travis, Dave Stauver, Bob Hicks and Shawn Schwertfeger all tied for fifth with 35s.

Bethani’s Bouquets

Chris Bommer fired a 34 to win Bethani’s Bouquets medal division by two strokes.

Mike DeSantis, Robbie Evans, George Melnik and Doug Miller carded 36s.

Tony Lira captured the handicap division with a 31, which was three shots better than John Wakim and Matt DeSantis. Ted Koski, Mike Crow, Rick Richmond and Gary Mercer had 35s.

BELMONT HILLS

JUNIOR TOURNAMENT

The annual junior tournament will be held on Monday, July 27 at Belmont Hills Country Club. The event will feature divisions for boys and girls, including ages 17-18, 15-16 and 13-14 for boys; 16-18 and 13-15 for girls. The event will begin at 10 a.m. with a shotgun start.

The top three finishers in each age group, for boys and girls, will receive an award. The entry fee is $30 with checks being made payable to Barnesville Golf Parents.Lunch will be provided for all tournament contestants and available for purchase for all spectators. Carts will be available for spectators, but they must remain on the cart path.The deadline to enter is Monday, July 14. For more information, please contact Nick Bauman at (740) 827-2794.

BELMONT HILLS JUNIOR CLINICS

A chance for area youth to improve their golf games will run throughout the month at Belmont Hills Country Club during it’s annual junior golf clinics. The dates are as follows: Tuesday, Wednesday, June 22, 24 and 29. The cost is $125 for members and $150 for non members.

For more information, or to register, please call the BHCC pro shop at 695-2263.

UPCOMING SCRAMBLES

• The inaugural St. John Central Fighting Irish Football Golf Scramble will be held on Saturday, July 11 at Fairway River Links. The event will begin with a shotgun start at 7 a.m. and registration begins at 6:15 a.m.

The entry fee is $260 per team or $65 per person, which includes golf, cart, door prizes, drink tickets, hamburgers and hot dogs at the turn as well as a rigatoni and sausage meal following the scramble. There will also be a 50-50 raffle.

Players must register as a foursome.

For more information, please contact Scot McMahon, (740) 296-0301.

• The Bellaire Touchdown Club will be sponsoring its ninth annual golf outing on Saturday, June 27 at Fairway River Links. The entry fee is $60 per person or $240 per team of four. The cost includes cart, lunch and beverages during the scramble and a dinner afterwards. Entries forms are available at Gulla’s Lunch, Fairway River Links, Frizzi’s Market or at the American Legion. For more information, please call Norm at 699-0313, Jay at 359-7037 or Bob at 676-5490.

• The Tom Donahue Memorial Classic Golf Scramble will be held on Saturday, July 11 at Horseshoe Bend Golf Course in Armstrong Mills. The entry fee is $50 per player or $200 per team and that must be paid by July 4. The fee includes golf, cart, food, refreshments, prizes and door prizes. The event will be a four-person, best-ball event. There will be an optional skins game for $5. Registration is from 8-9 a.m. and the event will begin at 9. There is a limit of 72 golfers.

For more information, please contact Bill Wilson (740) 391-9841, Harold “Buzz” Donahue (740) 676-4110 or Dick Johnson (740) 359-2301.

• The Ohio Valley Wrestling Officials Association will hold its golf scramble on Saturday, Aug. 8 at Cadiz Country Club. The event will begin at 1 p.m. with a shotgun start. The cost is $220 for a four-person team and that includes golf, cart, prizes, skins game and dinner. There will be special skill prizes for long drive, longest putt and closest to the pin. There are sponsorship opportunities available, too.

There are $50 hole sponsors or $500 for a major sponsor, which includes a team. The proceeds of the event benefit OVAC wrestling and local scholarships. For more information, or to register, please contact Shane Kildow at (740) 391-5928 or Paul Coffland at (740) 491-0786.

• The fifth annual Amanda Rosepapa Memorial Foundation golf scramble is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 1. The event will be a four-person scramble at Horseshoe Bend Golf Course in Armstrong Mills and the entry fee is $200 per team. The cost includes golf, cart, lunch and beverages. There will be prizes for longest drive, longest putt and closest to the pin.

The proceeds of the event will benefit the OVAC softball scholarship and go toward starting a “second chance fund” for nursing students at Belmont College. Registrations are available by contacting Anita Day at (740) 676-0366 or on Facebook through the Amanda Rosepapa Memorial Foundation page.