Bethpage Black on Long Island will be 212 yards longer for the U.S. Open in June than it was in 2002 when Tiger Woods triumphed by three shots over Phil Mickelson.

But the fairways will be a little wider and the rough won't be as thick - at least for the first 20 feet off the fairway. The USGA will continue to enforce the gradual rough theory where the further golfers drive off-line, the more rough, they will encounter.

Also, there are five new tees (Nos. 3, 5, 7, 9 and 13. The long carry at No. 10, which many of the pros complained about in 2002, has been shortened with the fairway having been brought closer to the tee.

The seventh hole has been increased by 36 yards to 525, making it the longest par-4 in Open history. Three par-4s at Bethpage are over 500 yards.

Lastly, tickets for the U.S. Open will be available at Bethpage beginning June 11 at 10 a.m. on a first-come, first-serve basis. Keep checking back here and in the Register in the coming weeks to see the hours and prices for tickets to the 2009 Open.

The Travelers piggy-backed off of Sean O' Hair's victory at the Quail Hollow Championship today by announcing he is in the field at the Travelers Championship June 25-28 at TPC River Highlands.

O'Hair shot a final-round 69 to hold off Lucas Glover and Bubba Watson by a shot and Tiger Woods by 2 in the event held in Charlotte, N.C. O'Hair missed the cut in his only trip to River Highlands in 2006.

The Travelers has already announced commitments from Sergio Garcia, Kenny Perry, Anthony Kim, Vijay Singh, Stuart Appleby and Chad Campbell.

Speaking of Woods, the reigning U.S. Open champion will be speaking to the tri-state media via teleconference on Monday at the U.S. Open media day, which will be held this year at Bethpage Black on Long Island, where Woods won the Open in 2002.
Tune into another Woods press conference at 10 a.m. Tuesday on the Golf Channel live from the Players Championship in Florida.