'This course challenges your sanity' - why Oakmont is toughest US Open test

Pittsburgh, America's historical alloy metropolis besides famed for ember mining, is known arsenic a hub for difficult business labour.

And these qualities widen to its astir famed play course. There are few, if any, tougher much uncompromising tests than Oakmont Country Club, nan location of this week's US Open.

This is simply a spot wherever players person to rotation up their sleeves and get connected pinch it contempt nan golfing environment's stark harshness.

Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau summed it up for his legion of YouTube followers erstwhile he said: "This people doesn't conscionable situation your game, it challenges your sanity."

This is nan latest successful a agelong statement of observations astir a people that will shape nan US Open for a grounds 10th time, starting connected Thursday. Seven-time awesome victor Gene Sarazen started nan inclination erstwhile he said Oakmont possesses "all nan charm of a sock to nan head".

The US Open is meant to beryllium nan toughest trial and of each nan courses that shape nan United States' nationalist championship, this appears nan toughest. It is nan eventual US Open venue.

Huge undulating, sloped greens are lightning fast. Another legend, Sam Snead, joked: "I put a dime down to people my shot and nan dime slipped away."

It was seeing a Sarazen putt tally disconnected an Oakmont greenish astatine nan 1935 title that inspired Edward Stimpson to invent nan measuring instrumentality known arsenic a "Stimpmeter" to calibrate conscionable really accelerated a greenish is running.

Six times awesome champion Lee Trevino noted nan trouble of nan greens erstwhile he observed: "Every clip I 2 putted astatine Oakmont, I was passing personification connected nan leaderboard."

The unsmooth is heavy and juicy and its 175 bunkers are harsh, penal hazards. Phil Mickelson, who this week plays his 34th and astir apt last US Open, thinks it is "the hardest play people we person ever played".

Geoff Ogilvy, nan champion successful 2006 astatine Winged Foot - different sadistic venue, said: "Playing Oakmont was for illustration nan hardest spread you person ever played connected each hole."

The people was built successful nan early 20th period by Henry Clay Fownes aft he sold his burgeoning alloy business to Andrew Carnegie. The Fownes family were among nan champion players successful Western Pennsylvania astatine nan time.

Now they had nan wealthiness to indulge their sporting passion and they transformed 191 acres of farmland astatine a spot called Plum connected nan outskirts of Pittsburgh into 1 of nan astir feared pieces of golfing architecture ever built.

It was nan only people HC Fownes designed and it has much than stood nan trial of time. He did not spot play arsenic immoderate benignant of beauty contest.

"Let nan clumsy, nan spineless, nan alibi artists guidelines aside, a mediocre changeable should beryllium a changeable irrevocably lost," he stated.

When nan people opened successful 1904 it measured 6,406 yards and was par-80. This week it is stretched to 7,431 yards and nan par people is 71.

Dubbed "Soakmont" erstwhile it past staged nan US Open, dense rainfall softened fairways and greens, Dustin Johnson's winning people was still only 4 under, admittedly including a arguable punishment for unintentionally moving his shot connected nan 5th spread of nan last round.

Joint runners up Shane Lowry, Jim Furyk and Scott Piercy, who were 3 shots behind, were nan only different players to hit par.

When Angel Cabrera won successful 2007, nan people was accelerated and patient and nan Argentine was nan only contender to break 70 connected nan last day. His 69 was capable to decorativeness 5 complete for a one-shot triumph complete Furyk and Tiger Woods.

This clip we tin expect a akin script to nan 1 that yielded Johnson's first awesome 9 years agone because nan Pittsburgh area has suffered its wettest outpouring connected record.

The greens will still beryllium very speedy but possibly much apt to clasp attack shots than they were successful 2007. But nan five-inch heavy unsmooth will beryllium damp, lush and brutal.

And dissimilar astir caller US Open venues it will not beryllium 'graduated' pinch shorter writer nearer nan immaculate fairways. It will beryllium short writer and past agelong writer pinch thing successful betwixt - classically uncompromising successful nan finest Oakmont tradition.

The bunkers are not designed to beryllium a bail out. The soil is unsympathetic and forms a genuine hazard, arsenic do strategical ditches that criss-cross nan layout.

Between nan 3rd and 4th fairways lies nan celebrated 'Church Pews' bunker, much than 100 yards agelong and up to 43 yards wide pinch a twelve turf islands (the pews) striped crossed to punish bad boy tee shots.

The par-three eighth could beryllium stretched to much than 300 yards and is nan longest 'short' spread successful title golf. "I haven't played it since they lengthened it to beryllium a short par five," Jack Nicklaus, nan victor astatine Oakmont successful 1962, precocious joked.

Some dislike nan thought of par-three holes playing astatine specified length. Nicklaus called it "crazy" but it is simply a bully play spread and par is conscionable a number, albeit 1 that tin messiness pinch a player's head.

And therein lies nan eventual facet of US Open golf. Yes nan United States Golf Association want to trial each nine successful nan container but they besides want to analyse nan 15th nine - nan 1 that resides betwixt nan ears.

The victor will beryllium nan subordinate who deals champion pinch nan inevitable setbacks inflicted by a people known arsenic "the beast" but who besides plays nan champion golf.

That mightiness look an evident statement, but meticulous driving and unerring attack play tin output rich | rewards. After a third-round 76, Johnny Miller fired a final-round 63 to triumph successful 1973 pinch what is still regarded arsenic 1 of nan top rounds ever played.

In 2016 Lowry changeable a 65 to return nan 54-hole lead, truthful debased scores are possible.

But complete 4 agelong days, which whitethorn good suffer play upwind interruption, location will beryllium capable snakes to counterbalance nan very fewer ladders afforded by this ultra-demanding course.

In short, it is going to beryllium very, very difficult work; conscionable arsenic it should beryllium astatine nan US Open successful this portion of nan world.