We take a look at the 120th U.S. Open at Winged Foot.
The 120th showing of the U.S. Open starts on September 17th at Winged Foot golf club on the northern outskirts of New York. Originally scheduled for June but postponed to September due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be held like the PGA Championships with no fans in attendance.
This will be the 6th time that Winged Foot has hosted the USGA’s flagship event, having previously hosted in 1929, 1954, 1974, 1984 and 2006. It’s one of the toughest layouts to win at, the 1974 U.S. Open was dubbed ’The massacre at Winged Foot’ which saw Hale Irwin triumph. The last edition in 2006 was won by Australian Geoff Olgivy with a winning score of 285, +5 to par.
Currently playing on the PGA tour Ogilvy passed up the opportunity to try and qualify for this year’s tournament in favour of protecting his schedule and job security, which under the current climate you have to respect.
One of the only current players to have played here when it was last hosted was Tiger Woods who missed the cut in his first major since the passing of his father. Tiger will be hoping for a better showing this time around and has already been spotted playing a couple of practice rounds with Justin Thomas recently.
So what can we expect from this year’s instalment? Long tight fairways, deep rough and treacherous greens mean that whoever takes home the trophy come Sunday will have been right at the top of the game.
What are the key holes?
Well, it’s said that the first 4 holes and last 4 holes are the hardest to score on but with all holes on this layout, par is a good score. I’m going to call out 18 though as it’s provided great drama in the past and could yet define who holds the trophy aloft on Sunday.
Image credit – usopen.com
The 18th green is the culmination of what makes Winged Foot such a great course. It has a large false front, a ledge on the front left, a steep downslope from the back to centre and a spot in the back left that harbours a ridge and room for a nasty pin placement, surely we’ll see this in place at some point during the tournament.
It’s been the scene of one of the most dramatic putts in the history of the U.S. Open. Bobby Jones in 1929 drained a breaking 12-footer to force a playoff which he would ultimately win. In the 1984 Greg Norman holed a 35-foot putt that forced a playoff, but Fuzzy Zoeller won that battle. Most recently in 2006, the 72nd hole denied Phil Mickelson, Colin Montgomerie and Jim Furyk their chance of victory. To this day Phil and Monty continue to rue that missed opportunity of U.S. Open glory.
So we’re looking at someone who’s long and straight off the tee, has solid iron play and has the putting game to tackle the Winged Foot greens – easy!
Who are my picks?
With this in mind I’ve picked out the 4 players I think will be there or thereabouts down the stretch on Sunday.
Dustin Johnson:
DJ has to be in contention to add to his major tally given his current form. This course should suit his game to a tee. If he continues to play the way he has been over the past 4 events then the FedEx champion will be a difficult man to beat.
There is always a major mental question mark against him though, Chambers Bay anyone?
Photo credit: DW.com
Collin Morikowa:
The young gun fresh off his maiden major win at the PGA Championship will be high on confidence going into the US Open. He doesn’t have many flaws in his game and will be looking to add another Major to an already impressive career.
Photo credit: AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
Jason Day:
Can this Australian follow in the footsteps of the countryman Geoff Olgivy and win his first U.S. Open at Winged Foot? He definitely has the game needed for it and his form since the return of golf has been solid despite not quite getting over the line. He’ll be fresh having not played in the Tour Championship finale.
Photo credit: sportsnet.ca
Rory McIlroy:
My outside pick has zero form and has been struggling since the return of competitive golf as his head has been elsewhere but Rory has got the game to tame this challenging layout. He showed during the first round of the Tour Championship that it won’t take him long to get back to the form of 2019.
A lot will depend on the ‘five-inch fairway’ between the ears but if Rory ‘turns up’ he could easily add another U.S. Open to his 2011 title.
Photo credit: golffile.ie
Out of my picks I’m going to say lightning will strike twice and Jason Day will follow fellow Aussie Geoff Olgivy and win with a score also level par.
Whoever takes home the trophy come Sunday will have really earned this one, it’s a mentally challenging course as well as one that will test every facet of their games. It’s one of golf’s toughest test and I can’t wait to watch how this unfolds.
At least with it being on the East Coast, we won’t have to stay up to 3 am this time around.
Jeremy
Nine Hole Golf 