US Open 2016 - Oakmont Country Club

HighLine

Less than a week to go until the 2nd major of the year. A welcome change this year from the farce that was Chambers Bay in 2015.

Think McIlroy will contend here after a better putting week last time out - if he can just get his wedge approach play going.

Ranked as one of the most difficult courses in America - from the hole by hole flyovers below, it's easy to see why.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arpVs2UcL0Y

LuckyGent88

Winning score will definitley be over par anyway. Seen videos of the course from Fowlers snapchat when they played practice rounds and the rough was outrageously thick and high.

Think length off the tee will be a big advantage on this course. I'd expect Rory and day to contend with Garcia around there too.

spacecoyote

I read somewhere that they will be actually slowing the greens down for the pros compared to the normal stimp rating that the members play on.

Some info below (interesting to see the winning score the last time a tournament was played there):

Rikand

Even if i absolutely ripped the driver on that par 3, I'd still come up 30 yards short of the green

BigChap1759

Rikand wrote: »

Even if i absolutely ripped the driver on that par 3, I'd still come up 30 yards short of the green

282yd par 3 is mental....

blue note

The average score on the easiest hole on the course is slightly more than a par. That's nuts!

ForeRight

Rory out with Willet and Fowler first two rounds

ronnie3585

BigChap1759 wrote: »

282yd par 3 is mental....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhZRsp4SwP0

Scary!

HighLine

ronnie3585 wrote: »

Scary!

Whilst I like this course, I do think par 3s that long are just silly. When you think of the direct advantage Rory/Dustin/Day etc. would have over the likes of Luke Donald.

Last time out, it was only hit 27% in regulation.

Macker1

ronnie3585 wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhZRsp4SwP0

Scary!

Nearest the pin on the next outing :eek::eek:

brick tamland

I'm sure I read there was only 5 under par rounds last time the US open was played tgere, over the whole 4 days

Best scrambler wins it I reckon.

blackcard

BigChap1759 wrote: »

282yd par 3 is mental....

I don't see any problem with a 282 yard hole. Whether you call it a par 3 or a par 4 doesn't make any difference, all the players face the same challenge anyway

Jawgap

The rough looks tasty......

https://twitter.com/alexmiceli/status/741983998566662145

HighLine

Jawgap wrote: »

The rough looks tasty......

Certainly does... couldn't even see Gmac's ball here

https://twitter.com/Graeme_McDowell/status/742009657187827714

Senecio

I'm still fuming. My company's head office is in Pittsburgh. I was meant to be travelling there this week but it's been postponed for a month.

HighLine

Think I'd take an unplayable!

https://twitter.com/golf_com/status/742094805753298945

Rikand

How are they even finding them ?

fred funk }{

This could get rediculous.

Jawgap

And even if you avoid the first cut and rough, there's the greens.....

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGjgLPPkQs3/

ronnie3585

That's crazy. Any kind of wind would probably lead to a suspension in play if the greens are that slick.

HighLine

And another. Anyone know what the forecast is for the week?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGkW7J7lSoz/

BigChap1759

fred funk }{ wrote: »

This could get rediculous.

Agreed - have now gone from seriously looking forward to this to worrying that it's going to be a farce - no issue with hard course but tricked up greens just ruin a tournament for viewers IMO :mad::mad::mad:

Jawgap

Nothing too terrible - first out on Thursday will probably have a wet start......

http://www.yr.no/place/United_States/Pennsylvania/Oakmont_Golf_Course/long.html

valoren

Sam Snead quipped that he once marked his ball at Oakmont and his coin slid off the green.

Jawgap

BigChap1759 wrote: »

Agreed - have now gone from seriously looking forward to this to worrying that it's going to be a farce - no issue with hard course but tricked up greens just ruin a tournament for viewers IMO :mad::mad::mad:

In fairness, from what I've read, it's always like that and the membership take great pride in it. One piece I read said it is the only course in the US that could host the US Open with 2 weeks notice, such is its normal condition.

Plus, they're big boys they should be able to handle it, and while it's littered with bunkers, there's neither water nor trees to worry about - there are about 7,500 less trees there this week than there were the last time it hosted the comp, and the greens aren't any faster.

Rikand

Judging by those 2 videos I'm going to set the O/U at +10.5 for winning score

Hoof Hearted2

Jawgap wrote: »

And even if you avoid the first cut and rough, there's the greens.....

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGjgLPPkQs3/

Jeez how do this guys even play golf for a living, some one should have told the hole is the other direction.

the groutch

Jawgap wrote: »

And even if you avoid the first cut and rough, there's the greens.....

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGjgLPPkQs3/

still can't be any worse than the "putting on broccoli" last year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sOFilSJxWA

Mantis Toboggan

Looks bizarre on google maps, as said no trees. Hitting fairways could be crucial.

HighLine

Gmac playing the 7th a few minutes ago. Just talking about random things from his own game to course set up etc.

https://www.periscope.tv/w/1YpJkpXZwyVxj


Followed by the 9th on Facebook. Both good videos and worth a watch

https://www.facebook.com/GraemeMcDowell/videos/vb.166622983365861/1262435663784582/?type=2&theater

moycullen14

Watched the 2010 review on Sky last night, Graeme McDowell's one. Mudder of God, Dustin Johnson's collapse. I'd forgotton just how bad it was......

Kinda sad to see Tiger. He really got the crowd going when he was on a charge. You'd miss that.

poteen

Very muted build up to this one.

Mantis Toboggan

Mcllroy off at 13.24, let's hope he can do it although I think the course is setup perfectly for Jason Day. I'd expect the winning score to be around level with some players shooting rounds North of 85.

gman127

poteen wrote: »

Very muted build up to this one.

For me anyway it's the fear of watching the best being embarrassed by a stupidly set up course.

Think the Players third round but worse and for four days!

No enjoyment watching that. There's ways to make a tough setup without a course being either super long or greens close to unplayable.

Hoping it's not the case but will see this evening

Hoof Hearted2

poteen wrote: »

Very muted build up to this one.

That's because it's the US open, come back in July when the real open starts:pac:

Jawgap

gman127 wrote: »

For me anyway it's the fear of watching the best being embarrassed by a stupidly set up course.

Think the Players third round but worse and for four days!

No enjoyment watching that. There's ways to make a tough setup without a course being either super long or greens close to unplayable.

Hoping it's not the case but will see this evening

I'd go the other way. I think it will be epic, especially the back nine on Sunday evening!

Mostly because looking at the coverage a lot of players have shown up early to practice and I've rarely seen so much 'chatter' about game plans and strategy - so obviously there is a lot of thought and discussion going on about how to play the course. Hopefully come Sunday there'll be a gaggle of players in contention (even if they're at our around +2 or +3!!) and they'll start to go for it.

I think the problem with the TPC could be summed up in the phrase 'familiarity breeds contempt' - players are familiar with Sawgrass and went expecting particular conditions and were caught out when their expectations were confounded.

HighLine

gman127 wrote: »

For me anyway it's the fear of watching the best being embarrassed by a stupidly set up course.

Think the Players third round but worse and for four days!

No enjoyment watching that. There's ways to make a tough setup without a course being either super long or greens close to unplayable.

Hoping it's not the case but will see this evening

From what I have seen on general/social media, the players all seem to be raving about Oakmont.

From watching golf most weeks - I will enjoy the change of the usual birdie fest and -20 being the mark come Sunday evening.

I look forward to seeing them struggle and having to work for par.

Jawgap

HighLine wrote: »

From what I have seen on general/social media, the players all seem to be raving about Oakmont.

From watching golf most weeks - I will enjoy the change of the usual birdie fest and -20 being the mark come Sunday evening.

I look forward to seeing them struggle and having to work for par.

I predict that next week sales of 2 irons will at least teble

HighLine

More shots like this please And Finau is a strong lad!

https://www.facebook.com/TPVGTProgram/videos/917979951646274/

valoren

In 2007, only 8 players in the entire field broke par for the tournament.
Only 2 players per day and Cabrera was the only player to do so twice.

Be afraid. Be very afraid :eek:

The only thing the players will hope for is a soft course, it's not the longest course so that would provide some saving grace.

Mantis Toboggan

Reports this morning suggest that the course has bowed to the requests of the players and cut the rough down... Slightly!

Ben1977

I think it will be great, it'll bring out the best in them. We'll get to see a lot of short game shots. Rather than just watching a putting contest, it'll be the man with the best plan and the best short game.
Day and Speith will really fancy their chances. If Rory is feeling up to it, he could blow them away. Like most come Sunday on the back 9, I'd like to see at least 10 with a chance of winning it.

gman127

I absolutely agree. I have no problem with an over par score winning.

Just don't want the greens to get away from them Shinnecock hills style so that good shots to the right places get rewarded!

Mushy

Really looking forward to this one, the strategies of the players are interesting. Greens look a joke but I enjoy that too. -1 winning score for me.

Mushy

Early birdie Lowry

ronnie3585

Anyone know of a live Twitter feed for day 1? Can't find anything like it.

Edit: The Guardian are doing it on their site.

abff

No shot tracker on pgatour.com today, but you can get play by play here http://www.usopen.com/en_US/scoring/index.html

markthespark77

play has been stopped already. thunder clouds rolling threw.. gonna be very stop/start id say.

HighLine

I know it's early and the course is soft but very surprised to see so many players under par so far.

kiers47

Anyone watch the coverage on the US open feature group stream from their site.

McIlroy hit 2 irons for first 3 holes and missed 3 fairways. Driver for next 2 and absoultely split them, straight down the centre. Surely his driver is the best club in his bag. Feck this 2 iron craic!!
Hit the first par 5 in 2 also but had an absolutely ridiculous putt ahead wouldnt have got it within 15 foot id say due to where he was and the contours. So he chipped it from the green to about 3/4 foot. Really nice touch. Made the birdie.

ForeRight

Missed a pretty short birdie putt then on the next. Ball didn't even hug the hole. Was only a 5ft putt