Pudgie Wudgie the purrfect addition to the U.S. Open
Join the Club by John Patrick
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Living here, we’re all more than familiar with the Augusta National’s practice of purchasing land around the club for various reasons, primarily to improve the patron experience at the Masters.
The United States Golf Association, seeing what Augusta National has done, is beginning to take a page from its playbook when it comes to the U.S. Open.
The USGA has announced three “anchor” sites for upcoming U.S. Opens. As of now, the three sites include Pinehurst, North Carolina, where the Open will be contested at Pinehurst No.2 five times over the next twenty years.
Pebble Beach, California is another of the anchor sites, and the Open will return there four times between 2027 and 2044.
The other anchor site is Oakmont Country Club just outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The U.S. Open will return there next year, for the tenth time in the club’s history and then again in 2033, 2042, and 2049. The USGA has been known to say that the U.S. Open could be played at Oakmont with just a few weeks’ notice. It’s that good, all the time.
So, with the anchor sites comes the ability for the USGA to establish, when possible, some permanent structures and accommodations. At Oakmont, there was a home across the street from the third hole that the USGA coveted for parking. There were several discussions with the occupant of the house, and he made it clear that he had no intention of selling until after his passing.
The gentleman passed away a couple of years ago and the USGA began discussions with the family members about purchasing the property. After months of negotiations, the parties came to an agreement and moving forward the USGA will have the opportunity to utilize their newly acquired land, with one caveat.
In the negotiations, the owner of the property made it clear that he would sell on two conditions. One, that his family benefit from the sale, and that after he died, the USGA would agree to erect a statue on the land. A statue dedicated to his cat, Pudgie Wudgie.
Now with the U.S. Open only nine months away, the USGA is tasked with finding a sculptor to create the statue.
But the organization is determined to fulfill the final wishes of the homeowner, and when the best golfers in the world gather at Oakmont next June for the 2025 U.S. Open, behind the third tee, across the street, Pudgie Wudgie will be there cheering them on.
Gone but not forgotten. Although Pudgie Wudgie passed in 2001, fans of cute cat pics can still find him living his best life on social media.