Top-ranked golfers Bryson DeChambeau, among others, fail to advance to the weekend rounds at the US Open due to challenging play conditions.
Swinging Sticks and Bleak Fates: Brutal Oakmont Country Club Thwarts Golf Giants!
The world's golf titans, including the reigning champion Bryson DeChambeau, bite the dust after a dismal performance at Oakmont Country Club, the infamous battleground for golf's third major of the year - the US Open.
DeChambeau's 7-over 77 on day two left him 10-over and just a couple of strokes over the cutline. A tormenting day filled with missed fairways, missteps around the greens, and laborious hits to the greens in regulation marked his struggle. It's the first time since 2020, at Winged Foot Golf Club, that the defending champion has missed the cut in this tournament.
Joining DeChambeau on the sidelines are notables like Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, and Justin Rose. One thing's for certain, Oakmont Country Club is a relentless beast that thrives on humbling even the most illustrious golfers.
Enter Sam Burns, the No. 22-ranked player in the world, who wowed the crowd with a riveting performance. After a disappointing ending of three bogeys and a double bogey at the conclude of Thursday's round, Burns managed to turn things around astoundingly. On Friday, his game shined like a beacon, barely faltering, and finished the day with a 5-under 65 - a mere two strokes from the course record.
Burns, having played at Oakmont last year and finished ninth at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina, shared some strategic wisdom with reporters. "You got to free it up," he declared, speaking of the course's daunting challenge. "It's too hard to try to guide it around here. You're going to hit some in the rough, you're going to hit some in some bad spots. Might as well do it with authority!"
Struggles Abound for the Whole Field
While Burns managed to conquer the course for the day, others who performed splendidly on Thursday were consumed by the course's devious charm on Friday.
Sungjae Im, who secured an impressive 68 shots on Thursday, found fortunes taking a grim turn on Friday. He bogeyed on four holes on the front nine and, although he hit the same number of fairways as on Thursday, he struggled to approach the greens swiftly, resulting in a disappointing 7-over 77. Im ended the day 5-over for the tournament.
The Americans Ryan McCormick and Jordan Spieth, who both shot even par on Thursday, lost their touch on Friday. Spieth's 5-over 75 performance put him in danger of missing the cut, and McCormick played himself out of a weekend appearance with a 7-over 77. Frustration was palpable on Spieth's face, as he angrily dropped a club on the 9th tee upon sending his drive into tall grass and afterward cursed exasperatedly upon hitting an approach shot on 11 that left him with a long putt for birdie.
Justin Thomas experienced moments of pure cringe on Oakmont's challenging greens. On the par-5 No. 12, Thomas had a 26-and-a-half-foot birdie putt. However, he ended up four-putting with missed putts from three feet and four feet before finally sinking a two-footer.
The Art of Survival
It's important to note that missed cut lines don't necessarily mean the back of the bus for these luminaries. With the course designed to test the mettle of even the best of golfers, the weekend isn't over yet. However, history dictates that players who find themselves in the holiest of numbers have their work cut out for them if they wish to don the US Open title.
As Burns pars his last five holes, the eyes of the golfing world remain fixated on his every move. Who knows, maybe this year, a hopeful young buck like Burns will triumph over the centuries-old monster that is Oakmont Country Club. Or maybe the course, in all its cruel, devilish glory, will prove yet again that only the fittest of the strongest can emerge victorious when facing its unyielding challenge.
Stay tuned, because the drama is only just beginning!
- Despite the challenges presented by Oakmont Country Club, Sam Burns, ranked 22nd in the world, managed to improve from his disappointing first-day performance, showing a remarkable resilience often needed in sports, particularly golf.
- The relentless Oakmont Country Club has not only defeated the likes of Bryson DeChambeau, Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, and Justin Rose, but it has also displayed its formidable nature by humbling even the most skilled golfers, illustrating the unpredictable and brutal essence of sports.
