The Course:
This year the U.S. Open, traditionally the toughest of golf’s four majors, moves to Erin Hills in Wisconsin. Erin Hills is going to be a brutal test for the world’s best golfers this week, the par 72 course stretching nearly 7,700 yards in length. With the recent rain, and the rain scheduled for the tournament days, it could play at the full 7,700 yards and maybe even longer. Erin Hills is another young course chosen by the USGA to host the U.S. Open, having only been opened in 2006. This is only a year before the disastrous 2015 U.S. Open venue Chambers Bay opened, where there were complaints about how much of the golf spectators were able to see. The course has been set up long and has harsh fescue grass either side of the wide fairways, which will completely swallow any wayward tee shots.
The U.S. Open Field:
The U.S. Open field is as always, extremely strong, with the world’s entire top 60 players competing. One notable absentee this year is fan favourite Phil Mickelson, who famously has never won the U.S. Open, and needs it to complete his Career Grand Slam. World number one Dustin Johnson is the betting favourite and my personal favourite to win the U.S. Open this year. He faces stiff competition from returning world number two Rory McIlroy and young prodigies such as Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas. To beat this field, someone will have to play a brilliant tournament.
The USGA: Why They Can’t Seem to Get Anything Right
The USGA has had an absolutely miserable last two years. Arguably, it all began with the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay. Players complained that the putting on the greens was like ‘putting on broccoli’ and that the course was set up to make it impossible to shoot a good round. To add insult to injury, spectators claimed that the viewing opportunities were poor, with very few viewing spots in the dune maze that was Chambers Bay.
Then at the 2016 U.S. Open the USGA made another mistake, giving Dustin Johnson a penalty on the 12th hole, after he had conceded the penalty on the 5th. It was only Dustin Johnson’s calm demeanour that saved the USGA at Oakmont. Another mistake at the women’s U.S. Open swiftly followed three weeks later, where the USGA gave Anna Nordqvist a penalty on the 2nd playoff hole of the tournament. This was only after she had hit her approach to the green and her opponent hadn’t, giving Brittany Lang an advantage. Lang took full advantage and went on to win.
The Long Road Back to Respectability:
But how can the USGA win the players back over? The Erin Hills fescue has already been criticised by players as being ‘unplayable’ and ‘impossible’. Multiple players have taken to social media to display the unplayable rough, with Kevin Na and Lee Westwood among those whom have posted videos online. If they cut the rough and fescue like they have recently been doing on holes such as the 18th, they get criticised as well. Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy were both critical of the USGA’s decision to cut the rough, claiming that it should be hard, as it is the U.S. Open. They just can’t seem to do anything right.
Unlike in other years this year the USGA is under a lot of pressure, from the fans, but the players especially. The USGA will have to run a really good tournament this year with no blips, to even begin the process of winning the players back over to their side.
Main Photo:
