A Few Random Thoughts on the 2015 US Open

A few random thoughts before the running of the 115th United States Open championship. 

First, let's thank the United States Golf Association for eliminating the home-court advantage and selecting a links course for its 2015 championship event.   Perhaps the Royal and Ancient will return the favor and add Winged Foot to its Rota.

Second, no less an authority than Tony Jaclin in a recently published article stated that some of the golfers will be putting from 50 yards away from the pin.  That is because the grass at Chambers Bay on the green on the frog hair and in the aprons approaching the green from the fairway are all grown from the same type of grass (fescue) and mowed down to the same length as the putting surface .  Once again,  advantage Great Britain golfers with plenty of links golf experience.

Third, can Jordan Spieth hold off the Euros and become the first golfer to win the Masters and US Open back-to-back since Tiger Woods in 2002 (and only the fifth golfer to accomplish this feat since World War II – Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Ben Hogan (twice) being the others.)  Spieth has a homegrown advantage as well since his caddie was a looper at Chambers Bay for a number of years and knows the course as well as anyone in the field.  

Fourth, who came up with a wacky idea of lengthening the golf holes during the tournament changing them from par fours to far par fives and in several cases potentially lengthening the whole by 100 yards overnight.  In a word this is ridiculous.  The U.S. Open is traditionally as difficult a championship as there is.   there is no need for the trickery of transforming the golf course overnight, essentially creating a new course each day of the tournament.  (Augusta National or attempted to Tiger-proof the course after Woods ran away with his Masters victory in 1997.  How did that turn out?)  Changing the nature of a hole overnight can happen in Europe on links-style courses but that determination is made by Mother Nature, not officials of a golf tournament.  Yes, a par three one day with a short 9-iron off the tee can require a 3-wood the next day depending on the elements and the strength of the wind in your face.   But trying to reproduce the effects of Mother Nature with human intervention as always will be an abject failure.  Robert Trent JonesJr. has basically replicated his Ballybunion New Course design on the west coast of Ireland.  Throw in an homage to the Road Hole at St. Andrews, replete with railroad cars chugging by during the golf game, with modern-style  Easter Island monoliths quietly watching the action, and you have a course that bears no relationship to any previous US Open course.   

Next,  can Lefty break his US Open losing streak at age 45, not much younger than Hale Irwin who remains the oldest Open champion at this point in time.   It would seem like Mickelson short game would be tailored for this golf course but the long hitters will also have an advantage.  Since Mickelson is no longer one of the big hitters on tour, look for Mickelson to compete but ultimately fail to break his bridesmaids’ street.

Will any American golfer other than speed finish in the top five given the extreme links nature of Chambers Bay?

Will Rory pull a Congressional and jump so far ahead of the field that the USGA officials rig the length of the holes on the course to bring his competitors back into the competition.

Finally, simply put, will Tiger Woods make the cut.  The course may be sufficiently wide open to accommodate Woods’ typically errant tee balls. However he will need to resurrect his supreme short game to contend in this tournament.   I am skeptical that that he will compete for his 15^th major victory.

  

AMDG