The time for talk has gone, replaced by a requirement for actions rather than words to speak loudest; and, for those 156 players in this 125th edition of the US Open with genuine ambitions of laying claim to the title, the third Major of the year, the challenge ahead of them is unquestionably the most difficult of all.
“This is probably the hardest golf course that we’ll play, maybe ever,” remarked world number one Scottie Scheffler, seeking to back up his US PGA success of last month by adding the US Open to his glowing career CV.
Sympathy for players facing such an examination would be hard to find. Perhaps only in a dictionary, in truth. Gil Hanse, the designer who has recreated many of the characteristics of the Fownes’ original on this treeless terrain in western Pennsylvania, claimed of the task at hand to be an “unapologetically difficult” one, with no favours given or expected.
While the USGA’s John Bodenhamer put it succinctly of such a tough course setup, “It’s not about the score, it’s about getting every club in a player’s bag dirty, all 15 of them. The 14 in their bag and the one between their ears!”
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry again headed off into the rising sun for their final practice and the bromance will move with them onto the championship itself with a very friendly three-ball for the opening two rounds, the three-ball group completed by Justin Rose, their Ryder Cup teammate and likely captain for Adare Manor in 2027.
McIlroy, the Masters champion, has reverted to a TaylorMade Qi10 driver in his attempt to utilise the most powerful weapon in his armoury.
A missed cut at the Canadian Open – his first missed cut in almost a year, stretching back to last year’s 152nd Open at Troon – at least gave the Northern Irishman an opportunity to spend the weekend working on finding the right driver (his old driver failed the CT – characteristic timing – test ahead of the US PGA).
Finding the right replacement has proven difficult, choosing not to put the newer Qi35 into his bag. “Every driver sort of has its own character and you’re trying to manage the misses ... I feel like I’m in a better place with everything going into this week,” said McIlroy ahead of this latest examination where length and accuracy, usually his strength, are required assets for those with genuine ambitions.
Despite the dip in form since completing the career Grand Slam at Augusta, McIlroy – runner-up at the past two US Opens, most painfully at Pinehurst last year – again, rightfully, is very much among those with such ambitions. McIlroy’s only US Open win came back in 2011 but he has finished top-10 in each of the past six: “I made the decision at that back end of 2018 into 2019, to try to build my game around the toughest tests that we have in the game ... the US Open went from probably my least favourite major to probably my favourite because of what it asks from you, and I love that challenge.”
There are only two Irish players in the field, and both entitled to entertain thoughts of being on the 18th green for the trophy presentation.
Lowry – runner-up to Dustin Johnson in 2016, having carried a four-stroke lead into the final round – has played so consistently all season, including two runners-up finishes in the Pebble beach pro-am (behind McIlroy) and the Truist (behind Sepp Straka).
“Because I played well here in 2016 people automatically think you’re going to play well this week. But I don’t think like that. I’m always on the edge of my anxious self, where, you know, I want it so much, but I don’t want to think that I’m [entitled], my confidence levels can’t be too high. I just need to be myself, just need to bring myself back down to earth. And, you know, throw all my expectation away going to that first tee and give it a run,” explained Lowry of his mindset.
McIlroy and Lowry and everyone in the field are aware of the challenge set by Oakmont, with Scheffler – again – entitled to carry the mantle of favouritism give a form-line that has seen him win three of his last four outings, including the PGA.
“This golf course, there’s not many trees out there, but there’s so many bunkers. I don’t really know if this is a golf course you can necessarily just overpower with kind of a bomb and gouge type strategy, especially with the way the rough is. You have to play the angles. Some of the greens are elevated, other ones are pitched extremely away from you,” said Scheffler of the task ahead.
That 15th club between the two ears could prove to be the most important of them all.
