Fairways are heaven for Rory and the big hitters
RORY MCILROY looked as happy as a sand boy and no wonder. Of all the surprises the United states Golf association have thrown at the game in recent years, the sight of generous fairways for this year’s edition of the Us Open at shinnecock hills might well be the most unexpected.
While the short and medium hitters are grumbling in the locker room already, asking not unreasonably, ‘What’s happened to the rough, tough bad old Us Open?’, McIlroy stressed it’s born of necessity. ‘Imagine if you had this wind, narrow fairways, and ferocious rough?’ he told Sportsmail, during nine holes of practice yesterday. actually, we don’t need to imagine. It happened the last time the Us Open was in these parts, and the infamous farce of 2004.
he added: ‘They look generous, and they will be if there’s no wind, but go and drop a ball in the rough and see what happens. If you miss them, you’ve got no chance.’
McIlroy has been here a week already and is having a ball. he’s played three other great courses in this privileged part of long Island — the national, sebonack and Friar’s head — as well as a couple of twirls around shinnecock.
‘What a fantastic part of the world, and particularly at this time of year,’ he enthused. For yesterday’s round, McIlroy had spaniard Jon Rahm for company. In between shots he consulted with former american Ryder Cup player Brad Faxon, who’s been advising him on his putting and in the process has become something of a mentor. he also picked the brains of three-time major champion nick Price, who’s now a voice of sanity on the UsGa’s executive committee.
like every other player, McIlroy spent an inordinate amount of time practising on the severely undulating greens. In the process, it was easy to see how the UsGa got them so fast last time they became unfair. This was only Monday but from a position above the 18th green, McIlroy still knocked his first putt from 20 feet almost as far past the hole.
‘nick was saying they will only get about a foot faster than this,’ he explained, referring to the added distance the ball would travel if the green had been cut to tournament speed.
From the clubhouse nearby that sits majestically on a hill overlooking the course, it was a real thrill to look out on a venue with the feel of a traditional links on the other side of the atlantic.
This Us Open might just prove a classic.