USGA on Erin Hills: Superb, huge success
footprint gave the USGA room it doesn’t have at other venues.
“Operationally, I would say I can speak for our ops guys that it was a huge success,” Davis said. “Parking and traffic went well. It is such a great site and one of the beauties is it really is built on well-draining soil. Most places would be just mud after all the rain we got last week.
“So from a spectator standpoint it was a very good experience. I actually had people who have been to multiple U.S. Opens tell me it was one of the best they’ve attended. Also, I think Milwaukee and Wisconsin were great hosts. It was a very welcoming atmosphere. So I think we’re very pleased.”
The most important consideration, though, is the golf course. It has to challenge the best players in the world, reward their good shots and punish their bad ones — a fine line that is hard to get exactly right, especially at a first-time venue.
So what about all those low scores? Brooks Koepka won with a 16-under 272 total, Justin Thomas fired a recordtying63 in the third round and 31 players finished under par forthe championship.
An unusual week of weather, with some rain falling nearly every day and very little wind until Sunday, conspired to take the teeth out of Erin Hills. Give the best players in the world soft fairways, perfect greens and calm conditions and there’s no stopping them from breaking par.
“Asmuch as people want to measure the winning score as ametric of success, our metric ofsuccess is, are we testing the players? Is each hole delivering the way we want it to deliver?” Davis said. “If everybody takes away from Erin Hills looking at only [scores], they’re looking at it myopically.”
Erin Hills owner Andy Ziegler pointed out that the course was the first par-72 U.S. Open venue since 1992. So although Koepka won with a record-tying 16 under, his 272 total was only four shots lower than Dustin Johnson’s 276 at Oakmont in 2016 and one shot higher than Martin Kaymer’s 271 total in 2014at Pinehurst.
“We had a little slower golf course than we would have liked,” Ziegler said. “But a lot of players found it very difficult. Rory [McIlroy], Dustin [Johnson], Jason [Day] — those guys went home [after missing the cut], so I don’t think any of those guys found it too easy.”
Players are never afraid to voice their opinions about golf courses and have panned several U.S. Open setups in recent years. Most of them loved Erin Hills.
“I didn’t really understand the beef it was getting for low scores,” Thomas said. “That’s not low for the best players in the world in a major championship. I think there’s no reason why it couldn’t host another U.S. Open.”
Ziegler finally was able to catch his breath Monday and reflecton the first U.S. Open in Wisconsin.
“My overwhelming sense as I look back on it today is a sense of appreciation for what all of the people involved did,” he said. “Our team at Erin Hills, if you think about it, this is a small group of people that run a small daily-fee golf business and the U.S. Open is such an enormous undertaking. I’m highly appreciative and very proud of our team.
“I really, really appreciate the people of Wisconsin. The volunteers did a wonderful job. We exceeded our attendance and merchandise goals.”
Ziegler said the USGA had an open invitation to bring any of its national championships to his course, up to and including the U.S. Open.
It’s far too early for the USGA to commit to another Open at Erin Hills. There’s a process that begins with a nomination from the championships committee, which is considering multiple courses for2027 and beyond. But Davis gave every indication that the U.S. Open will return.
“We never come in one of these thinking it’s going to be a one and done,” he said. “If we bring one, we’re going to bring multiple.”