Oakmont Promises One Hot U.S. Open

Oakmont Promises One Hot U.S. Open
It is regarded as one of the hardest courses in the world – whether it’s hosting a major or not. The pros are already talking about Oakmont so what can we expect from this week’s 116th U.S. Open?

Hard and Fast


There’s one thing everyone agrees on about Oakmont – its greens are hard and fast. And that’s how the club likes them. This week will be a total test for the world’s best golfers. Something six-time U.S. Open runner-up Phil Mickelson is well aware of.

“It’s a very fair test, even though it’s hard,” Mickelson told reporters last week. “But a lot of golf courses, when they challenge you tee to green the way Oakmont does, it usually has a little bit of a reprieve on the greens. You really don’t at Oakmont.”

“They’re some of the most undulating, fast, difficult greens to putt. It really is the hardest golf course I think we’ve played,” said the Callaway golfer.

Add to this the insane rough around the course as well as over 210 bunkers (including the Church Pews and Big Mouth) and you can see why someone like World Number Two Jordan Spieth said he would be happy with par (more on that coming up)!

High Scores


The Oakmont test is a tricky one. Last month the 2015 U.S. Open Champion Jordan Spieth visited the course and told reporters afterwards even par would be “a fantastic score.”

“I know that if you win a U.S. Open at Oakmont, you can go ahead and say that you’ve conquered the hardest test in all of golf, because this is arguably the hardest course in America day-to-day,” said Spieth. Adding, “I’d sign for even-par right now for 72 holes in June. Obviously, given the history, but also having played it.”

This will be the ninth time the major has been staged at the Pennsylvania course. Back in 2007 when Oakmont last hosted the U.S. Open, Angel Cabrera won with a 5-over-285, beating Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk by just one-stroke.

No Tiger


Speaking of Tiger Woods, the three-time U.S. Open Champion and former World Number One announced last week we would not be making Oakmont this year. We’re not actually sure if this is news or even a surprise to anyone. But still it has created the “will he” or “won’t he” make it back to contending at a major buzz. On his Twitter page Woods himself has stated he is making progress but just not ready for the major. With the reviews from other golfers coming in ahead of Thursday’s opening round we think the Nike player made a wise move.
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