By Jeff Hall

SACRAMENTO –

Sacramento once again plays host to a professional championship and Once again, the USGA returns to the Del Paso Country Club. Del Paso has hosted more USGA events than any venues other than Pebble Beach and The Olympic Club in San Francisco.

In the 1982 Del Paso hosted the U.S. Women’s Open,

Several USGA Championships have been hosted at Del Paso. The U.S. Women’s Amateur was hosted in 1957, 1964 and 1976.

Defending Champion Colin Montgomerie defeated Gene Sauers in a three-hole aggregate playoff to win the 2014 U.S. Senior Open Championship at Oak Tree National, in Edmond, Okla. Montgomerie and Sauers advanced to the playoff with 72-hole scores of 5-under 279. Montgomerie held a one-stroke lead through two holes and sank a 16-foot par putt to claim his first USGA championship.

140-plus pros will compete at this year’s open. Some of the big names include Tom Watson, Hale, Irwin, Miguel Angel Jimenez, and Bernhard Langer.

Sacramento native Kevin Sutherland spoke about playing at Del Paso Sutherland is currently a member of Del Paso and calls it his home course.

“It’s been a total treat. To play a course I’ve played just about every day when I’m at home, it’s been a great experience. Something that not all PGA players get a chance to do. It’s a special treat.” said Sutherland.

Sutherland added, “It’s been a lot fun, but it’s been an eye opening experience. I have to get my priorities straight, It’s a time to be serious and get prepared for the tournament.“

‘I feel good at how I’m swinging at it. It doesn’t matter how much experience I have here if I’m not playing well.”

Sutherland spoke highly about the conditions of the course.

“The greens are in excellent condition and are not normally this quick. The greens faster than they normally are.”

Sutherland spoke about the additional pressure of playing on the home course.

“There’s definitely more going on. It’s been an incredible amount of fun, but it’s also an eye-opening experience to — there are so many people who are giving you so much support, but there’s a lot going on, and that’s fine. It’s about getting your priorities straight, and this is time where I’m serious about getting prepared for the tournament and, when the tournament comes around, being serious about competing in the tournament.”

Sacramento Native Natalie Gulbis knows all about this, the 14-year player on the LPGA Tour played in the U.S Women’s open in 1982 at Del Paso in front of family and friends.

Gulbis visited the media on Tuesday. Gulbis is a 15 year veteran on the LPGA tour. and is working the tournament as a Fox broadcaster. Gulbis also has experience playing at Del Paso while growing up in Sacramento.

“I played on a boys team in high school, and we would play against the different High schools in this area. Once you would get into the city events, you would start playing them at Del Paso or playing them at Northridge. This has always been one of the premier golf courses in Sacramento. So I never turned down an invitation to come and play here.”

Gulbis has some experience playing a major event in front of her hometown having played at Del Paso Country Club in the Women’s U.S Open in 1982.

“I’m so happy to be back in my hometown in Sacramento. I haven’t been in Sacramento for about a year.” Said Gulbis who spent last week following Rory McElroy in he U.S Open at Chambers Bay for Fox.

Gulbis will be playing in the Women’s U.S. Open next week.

“I love U.S. Opens. Everything about them, there’s no greater test of a player’s mental game and endurance and just the quality of shots they hit and the perseverance.“ said Gulbis .

Kevin’s brother David will be his caddie this week for the tournament.

“Knowing that we were coming here I thought I should have my brother. I have a full-time caddie, a guy named Billy Lewis, who’sactually caddying for Skip Kendall this week. He’s done a fantastic job. I talked to Billy three weeks ago and said, hey, it’s not about what you’ve done. I’m going to have my brother caddie for me. It’s going to be a great experience for the two of us.”

Sutherland spoke about the condition of the course.

“You can make some birdies early and the try to hang on. The rough is tough and it looks healthy. Staying out of the rough is the key here.”

Whoever whens this tournament is going to earn it. The last six holes will likely determine the tournament. The last six holes are hard. Every player I ‘ve talked to seems to love the place.The real scoring of the round is going to be in the middle of the round.”