Did he hit 5 fairways in the final round? You think he'd shoot par at Winged Foot setup for US Open if he only hit 5 fairways? If so we'll just agree to disagree.
Thoughts on the US Open men's golf tourney
- Thread starter uihawk82
- Start date
To say Rory didn't choke is a joke, you're a pro golfer and you miss 2 putts inside 4 feet in the last few holes to win the US Open. That's as bad as it gets. And I like Rory, not sure why.
Rory did more to lose that tournament than Bryson did to win it.
Bryson seems like a good guy, but I can’t support anyone who’s with LIV. F*ck the Saudis and their blood money.
I love golf, am a total junkie, so this tournament was incredible.
Rory should’ve had it. I know, he hit some long putts earlier in the round that he normally doesn’t get, but that doesn’t mean it needs to even out. Credit to BDC for the win and doing what was needed in the moment, but at the very least, we should’ve had a playoff; which would’ve been absolutely insane.
I’m excited for next year, heading back to Oakmont. I think Oakmont is a perfect venue for this championship.
As for Pinehurst, I think the national championship should include courses in every region. It’s something different, and I like that. It showed its teeth without being too penal, and it offered up opportunities to score. I’m not sure about it being an anchor site, but I understand why the USGA has made it one.
Rory should’ve had it. I know, he hit some long putts earlier in the round that he normally doesn’t get, but that doesn’t mean it needs to even out. Credit to BDC for the win and doing what was needed in the moment, but at the very least, we should’ve had a playoff; which would’ve been absolutely insane.
I’m excited for next year, heading back to Oakmont. I think Oakmont is a perfect venue for this championship.
As for Pinehurst, I think the national championship should include courses in every region. It’s something different, and I like that. It showed its teeth without being too penal, and it offered up opportunities to score. I’m not sure about it being an anchor site, but I understand why the USGA has made it one.
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BD would not have won with normal US Open rough. To me, that's what makes it the US Open. Long, thick, can't see your shoes type rough.
Yes he has the strength to get it out, but sometimes you can't even make it to the green with really thick rough. Or if you do, good luck getting it to hold. He was basically hitting from decent lies out of sand. 18 he finally got what he deserved.
Show me the last US Open champion to win that was LAST in fairways hit on a Sunday.
Last person to win with 5 fairways hit was Cabrera. I bet he wasn't last though.
Hate to say he got lucky, but he really wasn't punished for missing the fairways. So with his length, no surprise he was at the top.
Kaufman would have missed that putt, too. He misread it as badly as Rory.
But dammit guys, 3 -4 foot putts ARE very missable! It happens. (Rory’s first short miss was 3’6”, according to TV commentator.) I hope Rory stays away from sharps the next few days. You would be shocked at the number of pros who miss these short putts weekly… most of them are not around to miss any in the weekend, though.
He hit 6 fairways in the final round in 2020 and hit 41% for the full tourney. You can disagree, I am just pointing out what he actually did statistically.
Winged Foot has some of the roughest rough of any venue. They’re the reason the USGA instituted a graduated cut for U.S. Open roughs.
MAYBE it would’ve been different had that tournament been played in June, when the humidity was high and the grass is more lush, but I think the tradeoff would’ve been more fairways hit.
Most golf tournaments are lost and not won…..,amateur and professional. Majors are seldom an exception. I never liked the “he/she choked” moniker but dammit, that is what happens. Just a momentary lost of concentration or a speck of doubt and disaster awaits. Golf is a grand game! Those who can keep a clear head and eliminate the demons from their mind do the best. But everyone has to choke one (or several) away in their life. Everyone.
September grass vs June grass in NY is a big difference too. But I see your point. I still maintain the native areas at Pinehurst are less penal.
Bryson's mode of operation is like rory, dustin johnson, Phil in his heyday which is to hit the ball as far as you can somewhere toward the green. Even if you get in thick rough it is easier to hit a highly lofted club 100 yards to the green than from 150 yards.
I remember many of Bryson's previous outings in majors and he wasnt hitting many greens in reg either. He had distance control problems. I think even during his first US open win he was scrambling a lot.
But he scrambled very very well this last Open and that is a huge part of the game, same at Augusta.
The one thing I would say about Pinehurst is the effective landing zones at pins were way too small and did not reward a lot of really good approach shots even within 15 feet of the pin. That to me is not the best measure since a matter of inches can mean rolling 30 yards off the green from being very close to the pin. Shinnecok Hills was like that a few years ago and there were just a ton of bad rounds.
I hate Shinnecock Hills every time they play there. I wouldn’t put Pinehurst on that level. Shinnecock sucks.
I could not disagree with this thought process more and it has been proven by the numbers over and over again and is something the No Laying Up guys talk about all the time. Penal rough favors the longest hitters and is a huge disadvantage for short accurate drivers of the golf ball. The reason is because even the most accurate guys still miss plenty of fairways and when they do it is an automatic bogey or worse for them and the long players will make some bogeys from the rough but will still make plenty of pars from there giving them a huge advantage. It was posted earlier but this couldn't be more proven than by looking at Bryson's US Open win at Winged Foot where he hit only 6 fairways in the final round and only 41% for the entire tournament and still won. Having long rough at the US Open makes for terrible boring golf. This weekend was great and proved rough isn't needed if the rest of the course is set up correctly being firm and fast.
It actually is, but, I understand the narrative though
Bryson hit 6 out of 14 fairways, of this 6 he hit the green on 5 of those.
Of the 8 fairways he missed, he had 3 greens in regulation from those. 2 of them were on par 5's. So, on the other 6 fairways he missed, he hit the green once. Seems like a challenge.
Rory missed 3 fairways, very impressive. one green in regulation from them, that was a par 5
I will have to think hard about watching pga tour golf if they suck up billions from the saudis.
No bump and run would be a big problem for me. I rely on it more and more. Thanks for the reply.
Yep. Make me King for a day and I do an Open Championship like rota for the US Open.
8 rotations:
1. Oakmont - anchor
2. Pebble - anchor
3. South-ish - Southern Hills
4. NE - Winged Foot, Merion, Baltusrol, Oak Hill
5. MW - Prairie, Oakland Hills, Inverness
6. Pacific NW-ish: Bandon Dunes, Cherry Hills
7. California - Riviera, Olympic, LACC
8. One offs - write the check and see if anyone accepts or obscure locations: Seminole, Pine Valley, Sand Hills,
The purpose of the US Open has never been to reward single shots….the purpose of the tournament is to find the best golfer over 72 holes of intense competition.
72 holes of tournament golf is a long series of single shots as every shot counts. The whole thing about golf is to start off with power shots off the tee, power and touch on approach shots, deft touch chipping and puttung. The US Open is usually the most demanding tourney each year and it can be won by players hitting 1 irons off tees, being accurate, and chipping and putting very well. That is why players like Andy North, Lee Janzen, and myriad others like a Geoff Ogilvy etc can win by playing smart, accurate golf.
you and me both. hint: play the same shot, but use the wedge rather than the 6/7
May I submit a request for Butler National to be added??
Also, I’m surprised at the LACC inclusion over Torrey Pines.
Not a bad idea. Pebble is close to being too short for the pro game, maybe the rollback will help. Also, Pebble could use some work, particularly expanding the greens out to their original sizes. They have continued to decrease and have lost a lot of hole locations
Shinnecock is a great course and should be in the rota
USGA wants to make a lot of money and Pinehurst provides the opportunity due to the space on the property. Many great great courses will never hold a US Open due to the limited size of the property.
LACC didn't work as well due to the membership and the location.
Sand Hills would be interesting, they tried something similar with Erin Hills and won't be going back eventhough it is a great course.
NW - Chambers Bay should be considered, just had some bad weather. Also, those doing the set up of the courses now for the US Open are better at it
Love Butler National but I don’t think they’ve changed their member policy.
I forgot about Torrey - certainly a US Open type course.
Good post.
I heard if they go back to Chambers they would try to move the date to July because of the short growing season.
You don’t phuque with tree roots! They can end a career.
….30 yrs ago or so, a local kid, small college AA golfer with a Tour future was playing in a local event and struck a buried tree root with his club… permanent nerve damage XO to his wrist and his competitive golf career ended with that injury. I think most golfers are cognizant of the potential dangers here. Stuff can happen.
But you’re king. You tell Butler what to do now. 😈
I like where your head is at. I could also get up tee times at Pine Valley and Cypress while I’m at it …
I used to go watch the Western Open when it was at Butler. I agree.
The drone flyovers of Pine Valley…just an unbelievable course and piece of land.
Exactly. Would be cool to get a Pine Valley US Open and Seminole PGA one year.
