Fairway to heaven for a revived Rory
THE united States Open is usually the major where the big- hitters doubt themselves and the strategists and grinders turn up wearing the broadest smiles. Not this year, amid the farms and prairie fields in this remote corner of the American midwest.
Rory Mcilroy has a gleam in his eye we haven’t seen at the season’s second major since the rains turned Congressional into a playground for the Northern irishman in 2011.
Jordan Spieth need not worry about his wayward driving stats this week on a course where some fairways are as wide as half a football pitch.
So, let’s not pay too much attention to the gallows humour regarding the brutal rough — in fact, the deep bunkers will probably wreck more scorecards — or the venue’s daunting length. Perfect weather conditions are forecast for today’s first round and scores in the mid-sixties can be expected from players in the morning wave, before the wind picks up.
the old cliché is that the united States Golf Association like the winning score to be around level par, but on the first par-72 course seen at this event for 25 years, we might see half a dozen players or more breach that mark by Sunday evening.
if the forecast for more rain this evening proves accurate and the course continues to be relatively soft underfoot, this might be as inviting an opportunity for relatively low scoring as this tournament ever offers.
ALL this, of course, assumes the USGA don’t have one of their episodes of madness and put the flags on slopes on the severely undulating greens. Or forget to water them until Monday.
Neither will erin Hills prove a pushover. there will be players completing holes in double digits after shots so wayward they finish in the punishing rough. And others who suddenly discover they have a back injury and pull out.
But, for big-hitters who discover a feel for the immaculate putting surfaces, this week represents a wonderful chance to win the major that usually suits them least.
Players like the Australians Adam Scott and Jason day, who won the 2015 USPGA Championship just a couple of hours from here at Whistling Straits. From continental europe there is the long-hitting duo thomas Pieters and Jon Rahm, who has every chance of following in Seve’s footsteps to win a major at the age of only 22. ‘let’s not forget, driving the ball a long way is a skill,’ says Mcilroy, and it has certainly been recognised by the USGA this week.
What about the two best drivers of all — Mcilroy and dustin Johnson? Alas, both have big question marks against their names. Mcilroy hasn’t played for a month owing to a recurrence of his rib injury, and defending champion Johnson’s partner gave birth to their second child on Monday night so he didn’t arrive at the course until late tuesday afternoon.
Only a fool would rule either man out, though, given a set-up playing to all their strengths.
What about Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia, who entertained us so regally at the season’s opening major at Augusta in April? this is another test which ought to suit both, so there’s no obvious reason why they can’t prosper again. if truth be told, the event could do with something equally dramatic, and not only after the controversies that have dogged the USGA for the past two years.
Given an assortment of rich possibilities like Shinnecock Hills, Winged Foot, Bethpage Black, Pinehurst and Pebble Beach, to name but five, it’s extraordinary that this event should be held at erin Hills which, to my eyes at least, is nothing like the masterpiece the USGA hold it up to be.
An organisation that has a responsibility to grow the game have ended up at a new venue so vast it is a 6.2-mile walk uphill and down dale simply to complete 18 holes and where rounds, as a consequence, might well touch six hours to complete.
the saving grace needs to be a leaderboard filled with charismatic names and an event where the flair players demonstrate their considerable wares.