Golf
PINEHURST, N.C. — Defending U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark described the dangerous turtleback greens at Pinehurst No. 2 as “borderline” unplayable.
“If they get firmer and faster…they would be at the limit,” Clark said, before adding: “They are already at the limit.”
It was Monday, four days before the 124th US Open began with the first round on Thursday.
On Tuesday, Tiger Woods predicted that players would play “ping-pong” with putts on the humpback greens, admitting that during his practice rounds he and other players saw putts rolling off the greens and in sandboxes.
“It depends on how bad it is and how close they want us to be on those sides (to the edge of the greens with pin placement),” Woods said. “But I plan, like in 2005, to watch some guys play ping-pong back and forth. It could happen.
“We were half-joking that by the end of the week it might be one of those Bermuda greens when they get so slippery that you lean over to read a putt or lean over to repair a mark ball and your putter slides. I think he has that kind of look and that kind of burst that he could get there on Sunday.
Since the last US Open at Pinehurst, the grasses have changed from creeping bentgrass to Bermuda.
“When (course designer) Donald Ross did this golf course and made the greens this severe, I don’t think he intended to run it at 13 on the stimpmeter,” Woods said, referring to the device that measures the speed of the greens. “They were at fairway speed. This is going to be a big test and a big war of attrition this week. This is going to be a lot of fun for all of us.
When Martin Kaymer won the US Open the last time it played at No. 2, he hit his putts almost everywhere around the greens because of the tight lies that make chipping difficult.
Asked if he would use putters, wedges or fairway woods around the greens, Woods said: “I think all of the above.”
“That’s the beauty of playing Donald Ross golf courses: He tests you,” Woods said.
There have been three US Opens played at Pinehurst – 1999, 2005 and 2014 – and only four players have finished under par.
A year ago, in the first round of the U.S. Open at LA Country Club, Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele both shot 62. It is safe to say that this will not happen again.
“It looks like this might be one of the Opens where whatever the high score is, it’s probably the lowest we’ve ever been after the first day,” Woods said.
“If they were, in my opinion, at the limit (Monday) when the greens were soft, what would happen if (the wind) started to blow a little bit and the greens continued to get firmer and firmer and faster?” said Viktor Hovland. “It’ll just be interesting to see.”
Rory McIlroy said “it will be around the greens” that this tournament will be decided.
“Like most Donald Ross courses, on and around the greens is where I’m going to have to do the most work and figure out what shots to hit around the greens,” McIlroy said. “Obviously Martin here, 10 years ago, used the putter very, very well.”
Xander Schauffele, who won the PGA last month and is playing at Pinehurst for the first time, said the key for players is to do “whatever you’re really comfortable with” around these greens.
“I made a lot of putts today,” he said. “I was joking with my caddy that we should probably get our putter checked. I’ve never swung my putter as hard for nine holes as I did today, just trying to get up and down the mounds.
“There are certain places where you feel like you have to hit it really hard, and if you hit it too hard you take it to the other side of the green. Leaving yourself in a very good position is A-1, but even when you leave yourself in a good position, the gap is not over yet.
US Open Picks
Collin Morikawa: He didn’t win the US Open, but he finished second, fourth and fourth in his last three tournaments and also played well at the US Open – with a tie for fourth, a tie for fifth and a tie for 14th place in his last three. He was close at last week’s Memorial. This week, he won the third career Grand Slam stage.
Scottie Scheffler: The world number one, who has won five of his last eight starts, has not won the US Open, but he has lost just nine golfers in his last three US Opens. He finished T7 at Torrey Pines, T2 at Brookline and third last year at LA Country Club. He’s the most patient player on the planet and patience will be a virtue this week.
Alex Schauffele: He has never finished worse than T14 at a U.S. Open in seven tries, a streak that includes six top 10s and five top 7s. He, too, is coming off his first major championship victory, last month at the PGA.
Jordan Spieth: His form hasn’t been great, but Spieth is extremely creative around the greens, which will be a bonus this week at No. 2.
Bryson DeChambeau: His confidence is soaring after his electric second-place finish at the PGA, and he’s been hot with the putter, which would bode well this week.
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