By Pat Jenkins The Dispatch Pierce County's first experience hosting one of the world's most prominent professional golf tournaments is being hailed in virtually all accounts as a rousing success. The U.S. Open was staged over a one-week period June 15-21 at Chambers Bay Golf Course, the county-owned links-style layout in University Place on the shore of Puget Sound. Crowds of spectators exceeding 30,000 flocked on a daily basis to the course to see the biggest names in the sport compete for the national title of the United States Golf Association (USGA). Jordan Spieth won it in a dramatic, down-the-stretch finish that wasn't decided until the final putt of the tournament. Pierce County and the region were winners, too, during "one of the most extraordinary weeks in our history,GÇ¥ said County Executive Pat McCarthy. "Our communities hosted thousands of visitors, and tens of millions of people (watching television coverage) saw spectacular views of our beautiful home,GÇ¥ McCarthy y said. "On behalf of Pierce County, I offer our thanks and appreciation to the local, state and federal partners who helped make this a huge success, as well as the (tournament) volunteers and residents who provided such a warm welcome to all of our visitors.GÇ¥ Some of that local commitment and other highlights included: \* Jim Heishman, Eatonville's Police chief and a lieutenant in the Pierce County Sheriff Department, was assigned by the county to the championship for the whole week. He worked as the law enforcement deputy incident commander at Chambers Bay. During his absence, Sgt. Frank Clark of the Sheriff Department's Mountain Detachment, based in Eatonville, was the acting police chief for the town. \* The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department worked with other county agencies, officials and contract vendors for the tournament, and utilities to help ensure the safety of food and other services for specatators and competitors. -á"Public health is a crticical pieceGÇ¥ of such a major event,GÇ¥ said Dr. Anthony L-T Chen, health director. "Success relies upon the collaboration and involvement of many community resources.GÇ¥ The Health Department assigned a six-member team from its food and community safety program to work on-site for several weeks, ensuring that food stands were prepared to serve food safely to the throngs of visitors. They also inspected -áfood preparation and service operations at the course and worked with nearby restaurants to ensure that visitors had a safe dining experience, Chen said. -á In addition, the water resources program coordinated with Tacoma Water on monitoring waters supplies for drinking and cooking at the course, sanitation facilities and other venues where the public came into contact with water. They inspected the installation of thousands of feet of new water lines connected to the hundreds of temporary facilities before the tournament started, and they did spot checks during the event. " Members of Spanaway Lake High School's girls golf team had the potentially once-in-a-lifetime brush with golfing greatness as a way of preparing for their next season. Coach Robb Hoover took Keegan Jones and Janessa Moeller to the practice rounds. He called it a great opportunity for the girls to see the sport being played at one of its highest levels. "My philosophy with the girls is, "What have I done today to get better for-átomorrow?'GÇ¥ Hoover said. The Open could rub off positively when the Sentinels tee it up in September for their 2015-16 South Puget Sound League season. " Equally excited to be at the Open was Marty Wittman, who also has ties to the Bethel School District. He was a volunteer attendant at the media center, where reporters, broadcasters and photographers locally, nationally and worldwide did some of their work covering the tourney. Wittman was a teacher in the Bethel district in the 1990s and went on to become a principal in the UniversityPlace School District before retiring. "It's so exciting to be here and be part of such a big event. I'm having a great time,GÇ¥ Wittman said outside the center as the first round of the tournament was unfolding on June 18. That's what the county and USGA were aiming for in planning for the first U.S. Open ever to be held in the Pacific Northwest, McCarthy noted. "Our golf course sets a great example for the USGA's goals of sustainable, accessible golf,GÇ¥ she said, adding that "post-championship reviewsGÇ¥ with county and USGA officials in the next few months will help determine whether the Open returns to Chamber Bay as soon as 2025. The tournament is awarded to sites generally 10 years ahead. "Our goal has always been to do this again and again,GÇ¥ McCarthy said.
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