'Satellite Parking Lots Operating As Planned' as Thousands Head to Congressional

About 37, 750 people – including spectators, staff, media, and volunteers –came through the gates of Thursday during the first day of championship rounds at the U.S. Open, according to the United States Golf Association.

Monday, that number was about 18,000, and Wednesday, it was about 22,000, USGA spokesman Dan Hubbard wrote in an email to Patch. Tuesday’s numbers weren’t immediately available.

While many of those spectators came on shuttle buses from in Gaithersburg and at Dulles airport, some in the neighborhood, while others were dropped off at the Norwood school, took the bus, or used a shuttle from the Metro.

Full buses from Grosvenor-Strathmore metro were leaving about every five minutes. By Friday morning, however, and USGA officials were telling spectators without Metro passes to find another way to get to the tournament.

About 80-85 percent of spectators are expected to use the parking shuttles, USGA officials have said.

“We are not aware of, nor have we experience any major transportation disruptions beyond the delays that are regularly inherent to this area,” Hubbard wrote. “…Our satellite parking lots are operating as planned.”

With the possibility of showers and thunderstorms before 8p.m., Hubbard said, “there is a possibility of weather-related delays this evening and we will be monitoring the situation closely.”

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Correction: An earlier version of this article misidentified Dan Hubbard, a USGA spokesman. We regret the error.