Stormy shock for Scott at rain-hit Oakmont as US Open hopes are drowned
Title: RAINY DAY STRUGGLES FOR ADAM SCOTT AT U.S. OPEN '25
Adam Scott's Last Stand at Oakmont's Slippery Fields
OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA — In the underlying drizzle of the U.S. Open's final round, golfing legend Adam Scott aimed to etch his name in the chronicles of golf history, striving to boost his World Golf Hall of Fame credentials with another major title under his belt. Though Scott had a fighting chance on the soggy, treacherous Oakmont layout, conditions abruptly turned against him, leaving him to settle for a share of 12th place, seven shots behind the champion, J.J. Spaun.
Scott, the 2013 Masters champion, had a golden opportunity to shatter the record for the longest period between a golfer's initial and subsequent major triumphs. However, his otherwise auspicious tournament ended with a disappointing nine-over-par 79, a far cry from the record-breaking milestone he had hoped to achieve.
As the heavens opened and soaked the already difficult Oakmont course, a 96-minute interval was enforced, making the green fairways a perilous battleground for even the most seasoned players.
"It was hellacious out there," lamented Scott, with 32 career victories, including 14 on the PGA Tour under his belt. "Not a soul played decent golf in those conditions."
Starting the day as the only golfer from the initial 156-strong field with three rounds of par or better, Scott began the day two strokes over par. While the rain suspension only added to the challenge, Scott's initial drive back onto the course proved a turning point, as he bogeyed the par-three eighth after the restart. Despite this faltering start, Scott managed to reach the turn still within one stroke of the lead.
Scott found himself in a five-way share of the lead early on the back nine, as positions shifted rapidly on the leaderboard in the ever-changing weather conditions. However, Scott's game began to unravel as he veered off course with every tee shot, resulting in an almost insurmountable recovery.
"I felt confident before the rain delay, no question," Scott confessed. "When I resumed play, I was alright, but then I missed every kind of tee shot to the right, and that was impossible to recover from almost."
Scott's decline began at the 11th, where he found his approach inaccurately positioned behind the green, resulting in a bogey. He followed his misfortune with another at 14, after an unsuccessful shot from a bunker left his ball veering off course. Unable to capitalize on a promising 72-foot birdie opportunity at the 15th, Scott three-putted, sinking even further into a bogey, setting the stage for a double-bogey at the 16th after a wayward tee shot. The round's disappointing coda came in the form of another bogey, as Scott closed out the tournament with a 79.
"Ultimately, the course couldn't take any more water, I suppose," Scott conceded. "I didn't adapt to those conditions effectively enough."
While the U.S. Open at Oakmont in 2025 didn't seal the deal for Adam Scott's World Golf Hall of Fame induction, it was nevertheless a compelling display of the grueling conditions and the unrelenting pressures of major-tournament play.
Behind the Scenes
Adam Scott, though a trailblazer in the world of golf, is often considered on the cusp of Hall of Fame-worthy status due to having "only" one major championship to his credit, unlike many of his contemporaries. However, his more recent and upcoming performances on the courses of Oakmont, such as the 2025 U.S. Open, would bolster his case, should he win or contend.
- Despite the challenging weather conditions, Adam Scott had a chance to improve his World Golf Hall of Fame credentials by winning the golf tournament, but he ended up sharing 12th place.
- Tennis and golf were two sports that faced difficult conditions during the tournament, as the soggy, treacherous Oakmont layout and the heavy rain made for perilous battlegrounds even for seasoned players.
