The USGA Will Not Refund Fans' Tickets From Thursday (Updated)

Those 42,500 spectators that paid $100 for a Thursday grounds pass to the US Open are, well, flat out of luck.

Despite seeing just three and a half hours of golf before play was suspended for the day, those holding Thursday passes to the Open will not have their tickets honored on any other day, nor will they be given any form of a refund from the USGA.

"We appreciate the disappointment of the fans. We are also disappointed," said Rand Jerris, a spokesman for the USGA. "There was a feeling that an adequate amount of play was offered."

Fan saw just three and a half hours of golf on a day that should have produced more than 12 hours of golf.

It’s understandable that fan’s tickets will not be honored on any other day during the tournament. 

The rest of the Open is completely sold out and the USGA is already expecting around 45,000 fans per day for the next three days.

It’s not a safe or enjoyable situation to have 100,000 spectators on the golf course on any single day.

The USGA, like everyone, is struggling financially.  Corporate hospitality tickets to the 2009 US Open didn’t sell nearly as well as expected.  Back in 2002, the last time the US Open was held at Bethpage, there were 78 corporate hospitality tents sitting at various locations around the golf course.  This year there are just 54.

But, many spectators who shelled out $100 for a Thursday grounds pass are also struggling financially, particularly in New York which, along with Michigan, has been the epicenter of the financial meltdown.

The USGA does print disclaimers and their no-refund policy in their license agreement and spectator information guide.

The USGA also estimates that it would cost more than $5 million to refund all the tickets from Thursday.

Despite the license agreement and the massive financial and logistical burden the USGA would endure to refund 42,000 tickets, the US Open is considered ‘The People’s Open’.

Perhaps the USGA should consider the best interest of ‘the people’ when making their final decision on whether or not to refund fan’s tickets from Thursday or even allow them to use their tickets for Monday if play should extend into next week.

UPDATE: At 9:35am, USGA Executive Director, David Fay, announced that Thursday's tickets will be honored if play should extend into Monday - which is looking very likely.

Although initially they may have made the wong decision when quickly announcing that Thursday ticket holders were more or less out of luck, the USGA should be applauded for making the right decision in the end.