Maybe Phil Mickelson wasn’t the only casualty of the recent U.S. Open at Oakmont. Chris Lewis reports the following:
USGA Head Agronomist Ousted: U.S. Open Fallout?
Word on the superintendent grapevine is that Tim Moraghan, the USGAís head agronomist, has been relieved of his post.
USGA spokesperson Marty Parkes, contacted by telephone at the U.S. Womenís Open site at Pine Needles in North Carolina, would not officially confirm or deny the rumors, but did say the grounds were being overseen this week not by Moraghan, but by ìan agronomist from the green section in this part of the country.î
The talk of Moraghanís dismissal, which surfaced on Monday, suggested it had to do with disagreements among USGA personnel about course set-ups and playing conditions at recent U.S. Opens.
Moraghan had been with the USGA for about 20 years.
Given the recent criticism of USGA president Walter Driver here and here, perhaps the USGA is in need of more than a shakeup than merely firing the agronomist?