The USGA took the unusual step of requesting that the seventh green be watered during the round at the 2004 US Open held at Shinnecock Hills.
Published 9 hours ago
Organizers of the US Open insist that lessons have been learned, following the last two editions at Shinnecock Hills that descended into controversy due to brutal and ultimately substandard course setups on the Long Island venue.
US Opens are consistently defined by the golf course and how it is arranged to challenge the world's elite players, but whenever America's national championship is held at Shinnecock, there appears to be an added layer of intensity to the difficulty of the test.
It is a singular venue. This is likely the closest the event comes to being contested on a links course.
It is not directly on the coastline, but it lacks trees, is windy and exposed, and the links-style turf plays fast and firm.
At times, too fast and firm.
In 2004, when Retief Goosen delivered one of the greatest putting performances ever to claim his second US Open title, the seventh green required manual watering mid-round because the 189-yard par-three hole had become unplayable.
After controversially striking his moving ball during the third round of the 2018 US Open, Mickelson stated: "I know it's a two-shot penalty. I've had multiple times where I've wanted to do that, I just finally did."
When the tournament next returned to Southampton, New York, gusty winds pushed the first-round scoring average to over six over par. Rory McIlroy was among those who failed to break 80, and English qualifier Scott Gregory posted a 92.
The following day was nearly three shots easier, but for those who made the cut, Saturday turned gruesome. "I've never seen a golf course change that quickly," said Justin Rose. "We came off pretty much shell-shocked."
It broke Phil Mickelson when the six-time major champion resorted to hitting a moving ball to stop his putt from rolling off the 13th green.
It was a moment as comedic as it was controversial; one of the world's top golfers turning into a hockey player with a move that many believed should have led to the American being ejected from the championship.
Instead, he received a two-shot penalty for violating rule 14-5, which addresses hitting a moving ball. This resulted in him scoring a 10 on that 13th hole.
Compounding the challenge of rock-hard greens that become faster as the day progresses, particularly when polished by drying coastal winds, was the overall course setup.
The United States Golf Association (USGA) significantly narrowed fairways from the widths used by Shinnecock members. Players faced five-inch rough if tee shots strayed only slightly off line.
Maintaining control of the golf ball—the ultimate test for the USGA—proved nearly impossible. No one finished under par for the four rounds, with American Brooks Koepka's score of one over par beating Tommy Fleetwood by a single shot.
The English runner-up capitalized on a more favorable final-day setup, shooting a stunning 63, while Koepka's composed 68 was enough to secure a successful defense of the US Open Trophy.
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So what should we expect this week? More of the golfing chaos the USGA is known for favoring, or a more reasonable test for Scottie Scheffler and company?
The latter appears the most likely scenario. "We're going to let Shinnecock be Shinnecock," says the USGA's John Bodenhamer, the man responsible for course setup.
He admits playing conditions were subpar in 2004 and 2018. "I think we've learned a lot," Bodenhammer told the No Laying Up podcast.
"This place is so different than anywhere else we go, particularly with the weather, these perched up sandy soil greens, and you just never know what's going to happen here.
"It all depends on the weather. But I think what we learned were a number of things. I think there'll be some things different in 2026."
Bodenhammer and his team will try to ensure the course does not dry out, and green speeds will be slower than they were in 2018.
The goal is to open up the most interesting hole locations and give players options for shots around the greens. Even the most skilled golfers can be unsettled by choices rather than having a shot selection forced upon them.
Fairways will play at the same width as they do the rest of the year, providing significantly wider landing areas. But they will still be bordered by penal, thick rough.
Since the departure of former USGA boss Mike Davis in 2021, US Opens have appeared fairer. There is less reliance on the long-held aim of making level par the winning score.
US Open
18-21 June
Shinnecock Hills, New York
Live text updates of all four rounds on BBC Sport website and app. Live radio commentary of rounds three and four on BBC Radio 5 Live, Sports Extra and BBC Sounds.
In 2022, Matt Fitzpatrick—the last British winner—triumphed at six under, the same mark as Jon Rahm the previous year. Wyndham Clark was 10 under at LACC in 2023, and Bryson DeChambeau six under at Pinehurst No 2.
Last year, at a rain-soaked Oakmont, one under was the number that allowed JJ Spaun to beat Bob MacIntyre by two for his first major crown.
Nowadays, it seems conditions are the biggest factor in how many shots it takes to produce a champion. "Mother Nature always gets a seat at the table, and at Shinnecock, maybe more than anywhere else," Bodenhammer told Golf Digest.
"If we get wind, the course will resist scoring. If we don't, it won't—and we're OK with that.
"That's part of the evolution in our thinking, being willing to let conditions play a role instead of trying to control every outcome."
Some rain is forecast before a predicted dry weekend, which might help the USGA avoid further criticism at a Shinnecock US Open.
It will remain a mighty test for the world's best. Will the planet's top player, Scheffler, pick off the major he needs for the career Grand Slam?
Could Fitzpatrick go one better than last week's runner-up finish in Canada and collect a second US Open? Is Masters champion McIlroy ready to win his second major of the year?
Or is it time for LIV's Tyrrell Hatton to join the major winning club? The Englishman competes after winning at the formidable Valderrama, the famed Spanish course that provides a similar test of fortitude as we expect Shinnecock to do this week.
Whoever prevails will need to control their ball better than anyone else. Take advantage of the wider fairways and cope with challenging run-off areas, devilish pin positions, and drying greens that are still likely to get tougher on an hourly basis.
And that is how it should be at a US Open.
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