USGA official: Pinehurst No. 2 to be set up similarly for both men's, women's US opens

PINEHURST, N.C. – The executive director of the U.S. Golf Association says Pinehurst's No. 2 course will be set up the same way for both U.S. opens it will host later this year.

Mike Davis said Saturday the par-70 course will play at about 7,500 yards for the men's Open and about 6,700 yards for the women.

He says "on a given hole, if the men are hitting drivers, we want to see the women hit drivers."

The USGA is roughly four months away from its first-of-its-kind doubleheader: The men's Open is June 12-15 with the women's event the following week.

Davis says the USGA's reason for going back-to-back was to bring more attention to the women's game and says "this was never about trying to make it operationally easier or save money."