"Some Easily Disturbed Professionals May Struggle with the US Open's Mental Exam Before a Single Ball is Hit, Complaining about the Difficulty and Criticizing the USGA"
Year after year, I can't help but bang my head against a brick wall when graphic videos of balls disappearing into thick, challenging rough surface on social media pop up. It feels like I'm stuck in a never-ending cycle during the US Open.
It's as if we're reliving the same scenario every year - the hype over how tough the course will be, videos of balls vanishing, journalists asking questions about the setup, players claiming the course is 'on the edge', the USGA insisting on defending par, and more players complaining about losing the course. All this debate online about whether it's what golf enthusiasts want to witness or not.
Truth be told, I genuinely love the drama unfolding almost as much as I adore watching the tournament itself, which typically ranks as my second favorite of the year (behind The Masters).
It always surprises me that players somehow manage to complete either 36 or 72 holes amid all the scattered toys on the fairways. But is the US Open extraordinarily difficult? Yes, it often borders on being too hard; does it sometimes push to the limit? Absolutely. But how can it possibly be unfair if it's the same for everyone?
To clarify, I do believe some pin placements can be a bit absurd when they're placed near severe slopes, but the US Open is meant to be the most rigorous mental test in professional golf.
Those who embrace the difficulty and accept bad breaks will likely have a better chance of succeeding, rather than wasting energy complaining about the USGA's course setup for the third Major of the year.
Including the par-3 8th at Oakmont that will stretch beyond 280 yards, I'm sure there will be plenty of chatter online. To be honest, I generally don't enjoy long par 3s, and this seems excessively long, but according to the original architect's notes, the hole was designed to require a 3-wood. Today, most professional tour players hit their 3-wood between 280 and 320 yards.
In the last ten US Opens, an over-par score has won the championship only once - Brooks Koepka fired a +1 at Shinnecock Hills in 2018. In that span, the winning score has been -10 or better three times, and the victor has shot between -6 and -13 on seven occasions.
I'm excited to see how the pros tackle the challenge of Oakmont, one of America's finest and most esteemed golf courses. Unlike many contemporary PGA Tour events that lean toward "bomb and gouge," Oakmont features thick rough and challenging fairway bunkers that demand strategy.
Many par 4s in the 480- to 500-yard range in other tournaments are often reduced to a driver and a short-iron or wedge, with players unfazed by the prospect of missing the fairway. However, at the US Open, it's simply not an option. Instead, players will have to choose a club offering the greatest chance of finding the short grass, even if it means a longer second shot.
But Oakmont is also a long golf course, featuring seven par 4s longer than 450 yards. Faced with such strategic dilemmas, players must decide if it's better to have a 200-yard approach from the fairway to a tricky, firm green or a 120-yard shot from the rough. It's something they'll need to sort out, but many will succumb at the first hurdle. They'll complain about the challenge of the golf course and lambast the USGA, as they do every year.
It's a tedious, predictable spectacle that takes place yearly. Top professional golfers these days have come to expect things to go their way, and in reality, they're somewhere between pampered and entitled.
I can't forget the inspiring words from Brooks Koepka in 2019, stating, "The Majors are, I don't want to say easier, but I feel they kind of are. If it's tough, certain guys are going to throw themselves out. That's what I love about going to a Major. Half the guys you've already beaten by the time you've stepped on the first tee."
While Scottie Scheffler is the favorite, I can't predict who will hoist the US Open trophy. However, I'm certain it'll be someone who embraces the challenge and refuses to get swept up in the drama of the difficulty debate.
The US Open, a prestigious tournament, consistently stirs debates about its difficulty, with numerous sports-analysis discussions online. Many golf courses, including Oakmont, host this rigorous mental test in professional golf, offering challenges like thick rough and long par 3s that require strategic play. Some players, despite the difficulties, might thrive and lift the US Open trophy, demonstrating their resilience and acceptance of the challenging course conditions.
