Coore, Crenshaw designing Pinehurst No. 9

   Officials at Pinehurst Resort were so pleased by the restoration work done by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore on course No. 2, they've asked them to design the resort's ninth golf course.
   It's not likely to be built for at least two years but the project is already underway with routing plans being finalized.
   "We're not anywhere close to building it but (owner) Bob Dedman (Jr.) wanted Bill to go ahead with the routing," Don Padgett II, president of Pinehurst said.
   "We wanted Bill to have the land he wanted and he carved out what he'd need for 18 holes."
   A portion of the new course will be built on property where The Pit golf course is located. Pinehurst bought The Pit last year after it closed due to financial difficulties. Resort officials decided not to reopen The Pit but will use a piece of the land near Aberdeen for its new layout.
   Pinehurst is preparing to host the men's and women's U.S. Opens in consecutive weeks in 2014, the first time the Opens have been played back to back at the same site.
   "I don't think we'll kick this off before now and the Open," Padgett said, "and it will probably take two years to build."