Last years champion, Jordan Spieth, won the title last year at Chambers Bay, becoming the youngest winner of the US Open since Bobby Jones back in 1923. His five under score was good enough to beat Dustin Johnson and Louis Oosthuizen by one shot, but those kinds of scores won’t happen this week unless the Pittsburgh area gets some rain and softens the golf course.
Geoff Oglivy of Australia, who won the USGA’s biggest event back in 2006, told reporters this week that the course is the hardest in the world and that’s without tough pin positions or the fairways being tightened and that statement, along with the five over winning total in 2007, should be enough to give the fans watching on TV some great story lines across the four days of action.
Angel Cabrera won at Oakmont nine years ago, holding off the likes of Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk, but the real winner at the end was the course and it could prove that way again this year.
Spieth might be the biggest story line entering play, but several golfers have something to prove this week. Justin Day is looking at winning his fourth event of the year and as the games best ranked putter, keeping the ball out of the rough will play a big role in his attempt to win a US Open.
The course has over 200 bunkers and a par-three that could be stretched to 300 yards. Those two numbers along with thick rough, fast hard greens, and a test that will measure a players temperament, should lead to a great finish on Sunday afternoon and one that will leave the players drained, both physically and mentally.
World No. 1 @JDayGolf is not backing down from the challenge ahead. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/SP7wJz97Pn
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 15, 2016
