Oakmont will be brutally tough for the U.S. Open. Has the USGA gone too far?
Each week, we ask our panel of writers, PGA members and golf industry experts to weigh in with their views on the hot topics of the day.
The RBC Canadian Open concluded last Sunday with Ryan Fox defeating Sam Burns in a playoff after both reaching -18. How does TPC Toronto’s North Course stack up as a venue for the National Championship, both last week and moving forward?
Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): I thought the venue was terrific, and Golf Canada did a good job of running the tournament. I had a media pass, so access and parking was a breeze, although I heard some horror stories about stuck traffic into the course and long waits for shuttle buses back out to public parking. As I feared, the golf scores were somewhat embarrassingly low (two 61s, two 62s, a few 63s), but today’s players are so long and so good, they could shoot these scores on an 8,000-yard course with 10-yard fairways. But the course looked great, in person and on TV. I look forward to seeing TPC Toronto as the semi-permanent home of the tournament.
Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: I like the course, especially the second cut of rough. It stood up reasonably well and will improve over time. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw some of the scores, but “these guys are good”. I’ve played the course about a dozen times, and I only recognized three or four holes when they were televised.
TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (@GolfAwayTJ): I was a bit skeptical going in but the course both showed well and held up well. There were some holes that you may argue were too penal (rough on the left side of 12, false front on 18), but the winning score was reasonable, and it was a competitive tournament on the back nine on Sunday, what more can you ask for. I think the rink hole was great, a short hole that provided some excitement. I was on site on the Friday and there are some logistical issues to sort out before next year, in terms of moving spectators around, particularly from the south end of the property to the north end, and the transfers were a bit of a gong show at times, but those things can be resolved. The golf course itself held up well.
Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: Hard to have a bundle of 62s and National Championship in the same sentence. On TV it looked pretty good — Rory (before his debacle started) said it was typical of a TPC course. Not sure that what’s wanted for the game’s 3rd oldest championship. Scheffler would have called it a bomb and gouge modern layout. Not a fan.
Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine: The course is up to Tour standards although some would prefer the national championship to be a stiffer test. The early scores had me concerned but on Sunday, there were a lot of players in contention, and it produced an exciting finish. That’s what you want isn’t it?
This week the Tour is at Oakmont in Pennsylvania for the U.S. Open. Oakmont has hosted the tournament ten times and is considered the most difficult course in the USGA rotation with nasty thick, rough, penal bunkers, narrow fairways and contoured greens where the speed will reach 15 on the Stimpmeter. For the players, it’s a humbling, frustrating test and the winning score is often near even par or above. Do you like that kind of golf for a national championship?
Deeks: I do, as long as it’s fair. I’m not sure 15-stimp greens are very fair, but everyone plays the same surfaces, so it’s a level playing field. I like the fact that this one major really sets up as a stern test… as opposed to The Masters (no rough to speak of), the Open (links golf), and the PGA (different venues, not necessarily monster courses). I never like to see a tournament where the score is over 20 under par. A course and setup like Oakmont should truly separate the men from the boys.
Schurman: I love it! I enjoy certain events even though the scores reach the -20s, but par is supposed to be the sign of a good player. I don’t like goofy golf, where players lose balls in the rough, but this is supposed to be the US Open. I don’t mind if the wind blows a bit too. The hallmark of a champion is their ability to overcome adversity by utilizing their golf skills and mental capacity. The winner should be mentally and physically exhausted.
Rule: I like it for the US Open, once a year is enough, but it fits for this tournament. It’s a tradition, and no matter how much the players complain leading up to the tournament with respect to the tough conditions, somehow the USGA gets the winning score to be around even par, which is just fine. Not sure about 15 on the stimp with the slopes on those greens, but we’ll see.
Quinn: Some of the boys will have whiplash playing TPC Taranta (is Caledon taken off all maps for the week?) then Oakmont. Speaking of 62s, eh?, be surprising if the 156 players at Oakmont register 62 rounds under par! They took out all the trees and with them all the fun. Now Oakmont is the extreme counterpoint to TPC courses. But, unless it rains a bit, the USGA seems to have gone too far in protecting old man par.
Mumford: There’s no doubt Oakmont will challenge every aspect of a player’s game. The winner won’t be able to skate by with great driving or tremendous putting alone. However, there’s a line between brutally tough and stupid. Remember Shinnecock a few years ago when players couldn’t stop their putts on the overly slick contoured greens and they had to be watered between groups? That was stupid. 15 on the stimp sounds similar. Rough that requires a chop out is more like a penalty area. Sometimes the USGA doesn’t seem to know where the line is.
World #1 Scottie Scheffler has won three of his last four starts, while World #2 Rory McIlroy has struggled since winning the Masters in April and is coming off an ugly missed cut at the RBC Canadian Open. The U.S. Open was supposed to be a duel between the last two major winners, but it looks like one of them may not be at peak performance levels. Who do you like to win at Oakmont and also, who might be a surprise contender?
Deeks: I hate to be boring and conventional, but it’s hard not to pick Scottie Scheffler the way he’s mastering the game these days. My next choice, a surprise contender, would be Corey Conners. I keep picking Corey for big events, and he’s never delivered yet, but I like his game, and his Scheffler-like demeanour. Outside pick? Collin Morikawa.
Schurman: The Masters took everything Rory had to win. His funk shows why the Grand Slam is nearly impossible. You cannot bet against Scheffler. He is too good. However, Auberg is gaining experience and will be a contender, but my long shot is Sepp Straka. Sooner or later, Bryson’s long-shafted wedges will let him down because the human body isn’t designed to use them.
Rule: I like Ludvig Aberg. He drives the ball so straight, which will be important this week, and he’s due to win a big one, despite only having been on tour for a couple of years. I hope that Rory straightens his driver out and can contend, because you know Scottie will be around the leaderboard come Sunday.
Quinn: With the rough possibly getting up to 6 inches by week’s end, the onus on hitting fairways will be even more important than previous visits to what many US pundits foolishly refer to as ‘the cathedral of golf.’ Saints preserve us. Well, at the minute (as the Brits say) Aaron Rai leads the Tour in driving accuracy. Don’t think he’s a threat. But Canuck Connors is ranked 8th and compatriot Taylor is 12 th. Ahhh, but ya gotta putt. A surprise contender who also might win is Sepp Straka. He’s been playing ‘on song’ as Baker-Finch would say, and he leads the Tour in greens in reg. Scheffler seems to be pretty good, so he makes a good dark horse.
Mumford: If Rory wins, it’s a miracle, after the way he drove the ball during the RBC Canadian Open. I’d like to pick a Canadian but all of them are mediocre putters according to the PGA Tour stats and that won’t get the job done at Oakmont. Ben Griffin and Ryan Fox are at their peak with Sepp Straka not far behind. Joaquin Niemann has four LIV titles this year including last week. Cameron Young is still angry about the 18th at TPC Toronto. He could be the surprise contender. So could Jon Rahm who has been playing well in obscurity. But Scottie Scheffler is on a whole other level, and it’s tough to bet against the big Texan nabbing his fourth major title.
