It’s showtime for controversial, unknown course
UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. — The stars are all here for the U. S. Open, which begins with Thursday’s opening round at Chambers Bay.
Jordan Spieth, the reigning Masters champion, is seeking to become the first player since Tiger Woods in 2002 to win the first two legs of the Grand Slam in a year.
Rory McIlroy is going after his second career U. S. Open victory and hoping to further validate his No. 1 world ranking.
Phil Mickelson is trying to complete the rare career Grand Slam, having won every major but a U. S. Open.
Tiger Woods is desperately searching for his dominant form from years past, having not won a major since the 2008U. S. Open or any tournament in twoyears.
Then you have the likes of Rickie Fowler, the reigning Players Championship winner who finished in the top five of all four majors in 2014, trying to capture his first career major championship, and Martin Kaymer, the defending champion, attempting to become the first player to win back- to- back U. S. Opens since Curtis Strange in 1988- 89.
Every star in the game is here this week, yet the most compelling and mysterious figure of this championship is the golf course.
Chambers Bay, an 8- year- old public course built on an old gravel and sand pit along the banks of Puget Sound, drew the most attention in the weeks leading up to championship week and it has been the No. 1 topic of conversation all week as players have played practice rounds trying to figure it out.
Unlike so many of the usual U. S. Open venues, which typically are some of the most established, venerable courses in the country, Chambers Bay is unfamiliar to the players and that makes them uncomfortable.
That has made Chambers Bay controversial and open to criticism, and it has gotten its share. It, too, has drawn praise.
“As I think with a lot of people, I really didn’t know what to expect when I got here,’’ McIlroy said. “I got to the course on Saturday morning, and … it’s a pure links golf course. It’s really like playing [ a British] Open Championship in the United States. That’s what it’s going to be like this week, apart from the fact that it’s about 20 degrees warmer.
“It plays more like a links course than some links courses. It’s so fast, so firm. The course is getting burned out, it’s getting dry. It’s a pure links test this week.’’
Mickelson called Chambers Bay “a really a wonderful golf course.’’
“It’s playing and set up much like what we’re used to at a British Open,’’ he said. “The thing about Chambers Bay is you don’t have to be perfect. You can miss shots and reasonably still salvage pars, rely on short games. Also, there are banks and hillsides up by the green that balls will funnel back onto the green. If you know the right shot, can play the right shot into those hillsides you don’t have to be as precise as you do on a historical U. S. Open golf course.’’
Graeme McDowell, who won the 2010 U. S. Open at Pebble Beach, called Chambers Bay “not your traditional U. S. Open golf course.’’ He said he heard all the negative feedback from players before this week, but was pleasantly surprised at what he saw when he arrived.
“I think the golf course has been a lot better than I expected,’’ he said. “It’s important, I think, this week not to fall in love with any certain negativity that players, everyone associated might sort of feel about the golf course. You’ve got to take it for what it is. Someone’s going to lift the U. S. Open trophy this week, and having the right attitude off the bat I think is key.
“There’s no doubt that this feels more like a British Open, ‘ stroke Open Championship’ than it does a U. S. Open. I haven’t seen a golf course this fast and firm probably since Hoylake in ’ 06, when it got really burned out and we had a really hot summer. The golf course is incredibly fast and fiery, as pure a links golf course as I think I’ve ever seen on this side of the Atlantic Ocean.
“I really, really like the golf course. It’s got a few holes which have me scratching my head, but mostly I think it’s a fantastic test.’’