Johnny Miller's not shy in expressing his opinions on golf

LEHI — Johnny Miller is perhaps the most candid person in golf. Get him talking shop and he'll let you know exactly how he feels on a wide assortment of golf topics.

Miller, in between broadcasts of the U.S. Senior Open and the U.S. Women's Open, was at Thanksgiving Point Monday to announce the field for the 2003 Trend Micro Champions Challenge. After 14 years as a commentator at NBC, Miller considers himself a full-fledged journalist. And in a room full of his own, he gave his take on several golf topics.

Jim Furyk's U.S. Open win: He's never "seen anything like it" when all of the leaders, except Furyk, folded. The players who started the final round in positions No. 2 through No. 13, shot an average score of 76 the final day. Still, Furyk should get credit for his steady play when no one else could do the same.

"He's a deserving champion . . . he was about due to win a major," Miller said.

Female golfing sensation Michelle Wie: At age 13, she's possibly the hottest item to ever hit the golfing world, Miller said. At 6-feet tall, she can drive the ball more than 300 yards and was out driving many of the men on the driving range at a recent PGA Tour event.

"She might become bigger than Tiger," he said.

Annika Sorenstam's pairing at the Colonial: Playing with former BYU golfer Dean Wilson was probably the best pairing Sorenstam could have had. Wilson, known as one of the nicest guys on tour, was sincerely rooting for her and was not whispering "miss" under his breath when she putted like many of the others were doing, Miller said.

Thanksgiving Point someday hosting a major tournament: Miller sits next to USGA executive director David Fay several times each year during broadcasts of USGA major events and begs him to throw Thanksgiving Point "a bone." Before the Lehi course that Miller designed will be considered for a major championship, it must move up the ranks by first hosting minor events. The course is under consideration for the 2005 Big I Junior Championship and the 2008 USGA Junior Open.

"This course was designed to have big things happen to it right from the get-go," Miller said.

Miller's golf game: Working the U.S. Senior Open last week revived Miller's ambition to compete more on the senior circuit. He's considering playing next year when the tournament will be staged at Cherry Hills in Denver. But then again, his ambitions might be derailed by his duties as a golf announcer, a father, a grandfather and the time he likes to spend fishing— not to mention his sore elbow and other ailments that might change his mind. He believes he's still one of the top 10 players today from tee to green. He said nobody has ever hit irons better than he did during his hot streak in 1973.

"I'm a good ball striker. I've always been a good ball striker," he said.

Miller's final-round 63 to win the 1973 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club: Miller is not humble about his accomplishment 30 years ago and calls it perhaps the greatest round of golf ever played by anyone. In U.S. Open conditions, he missed one fairway by 10 feet, hit all 18 greens and his birdie putts averaged under 9 feet in length. He said the round was the defining moment of his career, and he sincerely believes he might have had some divine intervention contributing that day.

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