2014 US Open

[hurleyfor3]

Down the road at Pinehurst. Brandt Snedeker taking command early. The story was that the USGA was going to open the course up and restore the original rough, and so far it seems to have led to slightly lower scores.

[Tom B.]

Down the road at Pinehurst. Brandt Snedeker taking command early. The story was that the USGA was going to open the course up and restore the original rough, and so far it seems to have led to slightly lower scores.

Snedeker had quite the up-and-down round. Six birdies, three bogeys and a double get him into the clubhouse at -1. He's one back of the current clubhouse leaders, Kevin Na and Graeme McDowell. Jordan Spieth is also at -2 and still on the course (he started on the 10th tee and is currently playing 9, so he's about to finish the round).

Matt Kuchar had been in the lead all by himself at -3, but bogeyed 16 and 17 to finish at -1.

Phil shoots even par and Rory shoots +1.

Lots of players still have yet to tee off. Duke's Joe Ogilvie just started his round, and Kevin Streelman tees off at 2:09 PM.


UPDATE: Spieth bogeys 9, so he's in at -1.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

The original rough means no rough. Just natural areas and hard pan lies. -2 leads midway through the first day. Not bad.

[77devil]

The original rough means no rough. Just natural areas and hard pan lies. -2 leads midway through the first day. Not bad.

I love the the return to the original look. Caught a few minutes on TV and would not have recognized it. Returning classic courses as much as possible to their original design is a specialized and growing part of the golf architect business.

[duketaylor]

Oz, not hard-pan lies, but sandy lies, quite different. We played the ACC Tourney there in '84; Davis won, I was 6th, can't remember what I shot exactly but will try to pull that up. I'd love to hear the player's comments on the course. Fairways are generous for an Open, hit a bad shot and you have no idea what your next shot entails.

[hurleyfor3]

Returning classic courses as much as possible to their original design is a specialized and growing part of the golf architect business.

You're welcome.

Love,
Oakmont Country Club

[duketaylor]

Joey O: 73

Ryan Blaum: 73

Kevin Streelman: 75

Work to do today to play tomorrow!! GO DUKE!!!

[DUKIECB]

I love the the return to the original look. Caught a few minutes on TV and would not have recognized it. Returning classic courses as much as possible to their original design is a specialized and growing part of the golf architect business.

I read an article talking about how this could be a huge turning point with what the USGA has done here. It was written from the standpoint of dwindling numbers of the general public playing the game these days due to rising costs to keep courses looking like a garden instead of a golf course. They went from over 1,400 sprinkler heads down to 450 and are using 40% less water since the renovation was completed. They removed 35 acres of sod (all old rough) which leads to using less fertilizer, chemicals and less gas for mowing.

I love the look. I think it does bring back an element of the general public saying "hey I can play a course like that" whereas no one can play from 6" rough. It was boring to watch. This brings a new element of excitement to the mix if you ask me.

Hopefully, the implications of what has been done here will have a positive affect on the game.

[77devil]

You're welcome.

Love,
Oakmont Country Club

Oakmont is a terrific golf course but hardly a prime example. It's been tinkered with so much by many famous architects that it is anything but near original state. Frankly, I like The Field Club better.

[hurleyfor3]

Holy crap, a wrong ball penalty for Hunter Mahan!? Their balls were in the fairway! Ladies and gentlemen, your winner of the Ian Woosnam Award for Rules Stupidity.

[duketaylor]

Kaymer's created even more distance, can he keep it up? Can anybody else catch up?

Wrong ball penalty in the fairway is just brutal-everyone has their own markings on their ball for id purposes, just plain stupid.

[DUKIECB]

Kaymer's created even more distance, can he keep it up? Can anybody else catch up?

Wow! Just unbelievable what Kaymer has done the first two days. Back to back 65's on a course where the next best total score is -2. This would be shaping up to be one heck of a tournament if it were not for Kaymer destroying everybody. This is reminiscent of what Tiger did to Pebble Beach in 2000. Lapped the field and then some.

I know there is a long way to go but if someone doesn't get it to at least 4 or 5 under in the evening groups it is going to be seriously hard to chase Kaymer down. The guy has made 11 birdies to only 1 bogey in 36 holes! Yikes!

[pfrduke]

What Martin Kaymer has done to this course in the first two rounds may be illegal in several states. No one else is going to finish at -5 combined after the first two rounds (probably) - he's done it each round. If you combined the best two rounds from everyone else in the field (at least to this point), Kaymer still has a 4-stroke lead. I hope he holds up over the weekend; his play has been exceptional so far.

[mr. synellinden]

What Martin Kaymer has done to this course in the first two rounds may be illegal in several states. No one else is going to finish at -5 combined after the first two rounds (probably) - he's done it each round. If you combined the best two rounds from everyone else in the field (at least to this point), Kaymer still has a 4-stroke lead. I hope he holds up over the weekend; his play has been exceptional so far.

Yeah, all you need to know is that 65 is the course record, and he's shot it twice in a row. It's amazing if you look at the leaderboard other than him, 42 players would be within 5 shots of the lead.

[duketaylor]

So none of the three Dukies made the cut.

Kaymer doesn't play til 3:45, that's a long time waiting. At least the cold front came through and now no chance of weather issues. Very clean weekend for golf and anything else outside. Need to see someone get it going from those teeing off an hour or two before Kaymer and maybe apply a little pressure. Personally, I like Kaymer and have been watching him for the past several years, mostly on the Euro Tour.

[Indoor66]

I read an article talking about how this could be a huge turning point with what the USGA has done here. It was written from the standpoint of dwindling numbers of the general public playing the game these days due to rising costs to keep courses looking like a garden instead of a golf course. They went from over 1,400 sprinkler heads down to 450 and are using 40% less water since the renovation was completed. They removed 35 acres of sod (all old rough) which leads to using less fertilizer, chemicals and less gas for mowing.

I love the look. I think it does bring back an element of the general public saying "hey I can play a course like that" whereas no one can play from 6" rough. It was boring to watch. This brings a new element of excitement to the mix if you ask me.

Hopefully, the implications of what has been done here will have a positive affect on the game.

Gee, maybe they will start playing golf rather than lawn tennis with longer rackets. Let's put the "rub of the green" back in the game. Learn to hit all the shots rather than hit it high and hard. Let there be penalties for wayward shots - tight lies and odd bounces. Make the game require all the shots not just distance.