hat's happened to the U.S. Open? Watching the tournament this year is like watching the Quad Cities Open. Easy to hit greens, low rough, shots sticking by the pin. No matter how easy the course appears, Rory McIlroy likely still would be dominating. Yet, a bunch of other guys are going low.
A few years ago, I didn't like it when the U.S. Open courses had become too punitive, especially the travesty at Shinnecock, with unplayable greens. Still, that didn't bother Retief Goosen. Now, though, the pendelum, or the putter head, has swung too much the other way.
Now the USGA is even placing the tees further up, "the reds," as Curtis Strange said with a smirk. Is this the ladies' U.S. Open?
Let's get back to the Open's great days of the 1970s, 80s and '90s, when winning the championship was a test of skill, nerve, talent and endurance. Grow the rough. Make the greens fast. Don't go crazy, like with Shinnecock, but give us back the open we loved.
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