Pinehurst No. 2 is the site of this year's U.S. Open that starts Thursday. Much was made about replacing rough with the original sandy areas dotted with clumps of wiregrass for the previous U.S. Open at Pinehurst. But it's all about the domed, Donald Ross greens. That much hasn't changed.
Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, hits from the native area on the third hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Pinehurst, N.C. Max Homa hits from the native area on the 10th hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Pinehurst, N.C. Gary Woodland hits from the native area on the 14th hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Pinehurst, N.C.
Perhaps that’s why in three previous U.S. Opens at Pinehurst No. 2, a total of four players finished the championship under par. One was Payne Stewart, thanks to that famous 15-foot par putt on the final hole to beat Phil Mickelson in 1999 at 1-under par. It can be hard to keep track of golf balls, especially when a practice group has four players, with balls rolling all over the place, some of them winding up off the green.
John Bodenhamer, the chief championships officer at the USGA who is in charge of setting up the course, said 2014 data showed 70% of the players hit the fairway, but only 56% of them hit the green. “I was joking with my caddie, ‘We should probably get our putter checked.’ I’ve never swung so hard on my putter for nine holes, just trying to get up and down the mounds,” PGA champion Xander Schauffele said. “There’s certain spots where you feel like you have to hit it really hard. You hit it too hard, you putt it off the other side of the green.
No one expects that kind of scoring this week. Bryson DeChambeau, who studied physics at SMU, cited Boo Weekley, who barely studied at all during his brief time at Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College.
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