NOTRE DAME, Ind. — There was never any doubt about former Notre Dame Heisman Trophy winner and National Football League Hall of Famer Tim Brown when it came to choosing what sport he would play when he was younger.

But there was a point when Brown was asked about playing golf because of his hand-eye coordination and athletic ability.

After a 17-year career in the NFL and a bust of himself inside the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, it appears Brown made the right decision.

Brown passed on the original offer to play golf while still in high school, but he has thought about taking a shot at the senior tour since retiring from the NFL.

The honorary chairman, along with Notre Dame alum Jerome Bettis, said he contemplated working on his game until he reached the required age of 50 and then he, would join the Champions Tour.

I can do this,” Brown told the media Monday at the Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame. “But shooting even par isn’t going to get it done.”

Brown said he has great respect for the golfers who are just so consistent out on the tour —players like defending U.S. Senior Open champion David Toms, Retief Goosen and Bernhard Langer.

Toms, who was unable to attend the media day due to is playing in the weather-delayed Tradition in Georgia, said via recorded video, that this event is huge no matter where it is played.

“Any USGA championship is a big deal and to come out and see some of the best golfers that have ever played the game play a major championship on a golf course, you know that local people are familiar with, should be a great time. You’ll be watching the great of the game — guys that have won major championships many times over, and it’ll be a great competition.”

Unlike many of the golfers who will head to Notre Dame to play in the open, Rocco Mediate has played the Warren Golf Course.

“My favorite setup,” said the 2008 U.S. Open runner-up. “The most difficult setup whether it’s the U.S. Open or the U.S. Senior Open, it’s the most difficult test we have. That’s what I love most about it. Lee Janzen and I played it last year after doing our PGA in Benton Harbor. It’s just fantastic. I can’t wait to see how it’s set up.”

Mediate was also impressed with his visit to the campus as well.

“It’s a campus you can’t do justice talking about, you’ve got to see it. It’s really cool,” he said. “And you can see a lot of it from the golf course. We’ve never had anything close to this cool.”

The 40th annual U.S. Senior Open will be held June 27 through 30.

Ticket information and more can be found at ussenioropen.com