Week 16 Approach Shots: U.S. Senior Open

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Even though his final-round 73 was eight strokes worse than his third-round score, Eduardo Romero captured his second Champions Tour major title when he rolled to a four-stroke victory over Fred Funk at the 2008 U.S. Senior Open. Romero also won the 2006 JELD-WEN Tradition.

Romero shot 67-69-65 during the first three rounds at The Broadmoor Golf Club's East Course, and when bad weather hit the Colorado Springs area Sunday, Romero was able to hang on for the title.

Romero defends his U.S. Senior Open victory this week at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, IN, with a stellar field on hand in the Indianapolis area. Looking to upend Romero is Bernhard Langer, the Charles Schwab Cup leader, and Tom Watson, who nearly won the British Open two weeks ago and tied for eighth at last week's Senior British Open. Romero has only had one top-10 finish this season, a victory at the Toshiba Classic, his fifth title since turning 50. Romero is 27th in the Charles Schwab Cup standings.

A NEW FRONTIER: This year's U.S. Senior Open is set up at 7,316 yards, the longest course in the event's history. The previous longest was 7,254 yards at last year's tournament at the East Course at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs.

FIRST TIME CHARM: Seven players have won this tournament in their first appearance. They include Roberto De Vicenzo (1980), Arnold Palmer (1981), Dale Douglass (1986), Lee Trevino (1990), Larry Laoretti (1992), Don Pooley (2002) and Peter Jacobsen (2004).

A CHAMPION SHOWING: When the PGA Championship was contested at Crooked Stick in 1991, a large number of current Champions Tour players participated in the event, with more than 30 making the cut. Bruce Lietzke had the best showing, finishing second, three strokes behind John Daly. Other top-10 finishers that year were Bob Gilder (tied for fifth) and Craig Stadler and Hal Sutton (both tied for seventh).

TWICE AS NICE: There have been seven players who have won both this event and the U.S. Open. That group includes Jack Nicklaus, Hale Irwin, Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Orville Moody, Gary Player and Billy Casper. Irwin and Nicklaus are the only players to have multiple wins in each event. Irwin owns three U.S. Open and two U.S. Senior Open titles, while Nicklaus won four U.S. Opens and two U.S. Senior Opens.

MAJOR ASPIRATIONS: Loren Roberts, Allen Doyle, Hale Irwin and Tom Watson will be bidding to win their fourth different major title on the Champions Tour. If one of those players is successful at Crooked Stick, they would match Jack Nicklaus' record of four different Champions Tour majors. Nicklaus won four JELD-WEN Tradition titles (1990-91 and 1995-96), a pair of U.S. Senior Opens (1991, 1993), the 1990 Constellation Energy Senior Players Championship and the 1991 Senior PGA Championship.

EXTRA HOLES: There have been five playoffs in U.S. Senior Open history. Don Pooley and Tom Watson staged the first aggregate-hole playoff in 2002 after the format was first used in 1999. Pooley eventually won with a birdie on the fifth extra hole after the duo was still deadlocked after three holes. The last 18-hole playoff in Senior Open history came in 1991 when Jack Nicklaus defeated Chi Chi Rodriguez by four strokes. The others came in 1988 (Gary Player defeated Bob Charles), 1983 (Billy Casper defeated Rod Funseth) and 1981 (Arnold Palmer defeated Bob Stone and Billy Casper).

Gary Player's six-stroke victory over Doug Sanders at Brooklawn Country Club (Fairfield, Conn.) in 1987 remains the largest winning margin in U.S. Senior Open history.

Weather forecast for the U.S. Senior Open

THURSDAY, Rd. 1 FRIDAY, Rd. 2 SATURDAY, Rd. 3 SUNDAY, Rd. 4 Isolated T-Storms Temp: 79 high/61 low Mostly Sunny Temp: 77 high/60 low Mostly Sunny Temp: 84 high/64 low Scattered T-Storms Temp: 79 high/64 low

DTN/Meteorlogix is the official weather provider of the PGA TOUR. For more information, click here

Senior U.S. Open Championship snippets

Watson under the weather: Tom Watson wasn't feeling well when he arrived at Crooked Stick earlier this week. The 59-year-old had a stomach ailment that prevented him from practicing on Tuesday but was feeling better by Wednesday. Watson is one of many players in the field who played in the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Stick. Norman has edge here: At 54, Greg Norman still hits the ball a long way, and he thinks it will be a big edge for him this week. "I think Pete Dye's done a good job here, no question about it," Norman said. "It's already hosted a major championship, and it's proven its credibility. So it suits my game to a degree, suits the longer hitter. Obviously with John Daly winning around here and flying the ball through the air you have some advantages."