Trevor Immelman is right when he says the US Open should be war of attrition

TREVOR IMMELMAN has hit a bunch of wayward shots since famously donning the Green Jacket at Augusta in 2008 following his sensational Masters triumph. He’s struggled with injuries since, though, and today, campaigning mainly on the European Tour, he struggles to make cuts.

But, while he may be missing fairways, the Somerset West-born 37-year-old, who also out-gunned Tiger Woods down the stretch to win the Western Open on the PGA Tour in 2006 and captured South Africa’s “Major”, The Nedbank Golf Challenge, in 2007, is often bang on target these days when commenting on the professional game.

He’s active on social media and I like what he said about this year’s US Open on a golf channel interview. American Brooks Koepka, of course, won at Erin Hills on 16-under-par – a score unheard of in the tournament – while no fewer than seven players were 10 under or better.

Followers of golf will know that historically it has always been the policy of the US Golf Association, who run the Open, to make it what they reckon to be the “most rigorous examination of golfers” on tough (make that ridiculously tough) courses, testing “mental tenacity, and physical endurance under conditions of extreme pressure”. Level par or thereabouts is what one expects the winning score to be.

Well, Erin Hills – with its wide fairways – didn’t seem to live up to these demands as the birdies flowed and Immelman had this to say of the USGA, evidently getting it all wrong this time: “Of the four Majors, every one has its own identity, like fast greens at Augusta, harsh elements in the (British) Open, and birdies and shot-making in the PGA. But the US Open should be a war of attrition with the winner the last man standing, the man who has made the most pars and survived a last round with conditions bordering on the impossible.”

He’s so right. As fans we do like to watch the greats of the game making birdies and eagles, but not necessarily in the US Open where we are used to – and expect to see – the players grinding out the pars on punishing golf courses.

Here, then, is some US Open philosophy as stated by the players over the years: “The USGA can rest easy. Par has been preserved,” said Hale Irwin at the presentation ceremony after winning in 1979 at the Inverness Club in Toledo on – guess what – level par.

In the 1990 US Open at Medinah Country Club in Illinois, Mark Calcavecchia observed: “If we played a course like this every week, there wouldn’t be anybody left at the end of the season.” (Irwin again won after a playoff after he had tied with Mike Donald, on level par).

John Daly, Pinehurst No 2, North Carolina 1999: He opens with a 69 and then makes 83 in round two with an 11 at the par-4 eighth hole. “I don’t consider this a Major and I won’t play another,” he blurts out. Surprise, surprise. He’s back the following year for the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach, and takes 14 ugly blows at the par-5 18th in the first round to again sign for an 83, this time withdrawing and emerging from the scoring trailer, saying: “Get me to the airport fast”. So, two 2017 Majors are done and dusted, Sergio Garcia winning the Masters and Koepka the US Open. Next stop next month is the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Last time out on this treacherous links course on England’s west coast, Padraig Harrington took the honours.

Before that, in 1998, it was Mark O’Meara’s turn. And, as a footnote, Daly also had a big number then. On the par-5 18th in round two he needs a bogey to make the cut but then takes six shots in three different bunkers and isn’t even sure how many he’s taken before holing out. Payne Stewart, marking Daly’s card, says: “John, I’ve got to put in a number that’s right.” “It doesn’t matter,” Daly replies, “just give me a 10”. Stewart and Bernhard Langer, the other player in the group, do their sums and agree. Stewart writes down 10 and Daly says: “Get me to the airport fast”.