SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — The story yesterday was Parker McLachlin getting to play with Phil Mickelson, Lee Jansen and Dennis Paulson. Parker more than held his own, really matching each of these seasoned veterans shot for shot from tee to green, and showing a lot of finesse around the greens.

It may not look like it here, but Phil Mickelson was truly impressed after playing with Parker McLachlin, in rear. Associated Press

Each of the players was very helpful to Parker throughout the round, giving different tips around the course. Phil even asked the Titleist rep out there to make special specs for Parker's driver, making changes that would allow Parker to drive the ball higher. He really made Parker feel like he's one of the guys.

One of the funny incidents happened going up to the 17th hole. The 17th is an extremely difficult par 3, 185 yards uphill to a crown green. Phil told Lee and Dennis that he and Parker were going to press the hole (a type of bet). Phil promptly hit his tee shot into an unplayable lie. Parker hit his tee shot to about 20 feet, then sank his birdie to win the press bet. Walking off the green, Jansen told Parker, "About five minutes ago, I was starting to like you but I don't know about now."

After the round, Jansen asked Parker whether he was going to the driving range and hit some balls. Parker said "yes," and Lee said, "Only hit two buckets, focus on every shot, and that's it. Don't overdo and tire out. I've seen a lot of people, when they first qualify for a big event, come in with too much adrenaline and overdo it and get tired out before the tournament even starts."

It was really impressive watching Parker play with these guys. He really did seem at ease playing with these superstars. The crowds were huge, calling for Phil, but some were cheering for Parker, too, so that was nice to see.

After the round was over, I asked Bones Mackay, Phil's caddie, what the strategy was for the week, and his comment was, "Hit the fairways and chip your (blank) off." What he meant by that, was because of the conditions, no one's going to hit a lot of greens. But if you hit in the rough, you're not going to have any chance at all. You'll have to be able to chip well to win, which I think suits Parker's game. He has a great short game, and has a lot of creativity. The key is how he manages his tee-to-green play.

This is my first time coming to Shinnecock Hills, and I am really surprised how hilly the terrain is. Almost every fairway has elevation changes, whether going downhill or uphill. The course is really firm and playing very fast. The conditions are perfect for a U.S. Open. The fairways are extremely narrow and the rough is up to 2 feet deep in spots. Players could literally lose their ball in the rough, it's that thick.

The other significant thing about the golf course is that the greens are extremely undulating, small, and difficult to hold.

It's one of the most beautiful natural golf courses I've ever seen. It's very similar to the first time you see Augusta, in that you're overwhelmed by the natural lay of the land, the movement of all the holes. It's almost like looking at a skateboard rink. You feel you should be skiing down some of the hills on this course.

It's really beautiful and should be a great test for all the golfers this week.