The rugged but stunning look of Pinehurst # 2 – image USGA
This week’s US Open Championship at the famed Pinehurst # 2 in North Carolina will see six Australians and one New Zealander tee it up in what is the flagship of American golf.
Adam Scott joined the field today as one of the last inclusions. Scott’s good fortune came as a result of the tragic passing of Grayson Murray who was inside the top 60 as of today’s deadline and guaranteed a place in the field, his spot becoming available for the Australian who had slipped to 61st.
Scott will join Jason Day, Cam Smith, Min Woo Lee, Cam Davis, Jason Scrivener and New Zealand’s Ryan Fox in the field for Thursday’s opening round.
Pinehurst #2 is one of numerous high-quality layouts in the Pinehurst region forming part of an outstanding destination for golfing enthusiasts. I liken Pinehurst to St Andrews of Scotland a little because of its history and because the township just breaths golf. It is a great place to play a variety of golf courses created by many of the game’s leading designers.
Pinehurst # 2 was designed by the marvelous Donald Ross in 1907 but in 2011 underwent major surgery by the design team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, giving it a more rustic feel, adding increased area of sandy wastelands, and softening down some of the dramatic upside-down saucer nature of the greens although retaining that distinctive feature.
Payne Stewart won the first US Open held there in 1999 just two months before his death in a plane disaster, followed by Michael Campbell’s win in 2005 and Martin Kaymer’s win in 2014.
There have been numerous other USGA events held there including one I caddied in in 1994 in which my boss Graham Marsh bogeyed the final hole to lose the US Senior Open by one shot. It was gut-wrenching and still is but I remain a great fan of the golf course and the region.
Jason Day is Australia’s leading world-ranked golfer for whatever that means these days and while not at the peak he was earlier in his career he has been playing well enough of late.
Day’s record in the US Open especially early in his career was phenomenal from his runner-up finish to Rory McIlroy on debut in 2011, followed by four top tens in his next five starts in the event.
It should also be noted that he finished a very impressive 4th place in 2014 when the championship was last held at Pinehurst but has missed three of his last five cuts in the event.
Cam Smith comes off the back of a very ordinary weekend at the LIV Golf event in Houston where he produced a final round of 80 to finish well back in the field.
Smith does, however, boast a good record in majors and at the US Open having finished 4th on debut 2015 and 4th last year in Los Angeles but his most recent form is a concern.
Min Woo Lee is showing himself at this relatively early stage of his career to be able to play major championships well and his 5th place at the Los Angeles Country Club last year is further proof of that.
Lee has made a lot of cuts this year including when runner-up in an event early in the season and might well show up again at this level.
Scott will play his 23rd consecutive US Open but with just three top tens in those 22 previous starts, his record is hardly flattering. Like Lee, he has made a lot of cuts this season although seldom contending.
That Scott is playing his 23rd US Open speaks volumes for his career.
Ryan Fox gets a start courtesy of his win in the BMW PGA Championship in London last year and is slowly but surely finding his feet on the USPGA Tour. He would also have been in as a result of his current world ranking (60th).
Fox has missed three of five cuts at the US Open for a best finish of 41st but there is little doubt he is handling the big stage better and better each time he plays a major. He played well in patches at the Masters and his 7th place in Canada a week ago was very encouraging.
Cam Davis continues to build platforms at this level and, although he missed the cut in his only appearance at a US Open in Los Angeles last year, he indicated his capabilities in major championships when 4th at last year’s PGA Championship.
Davis has missed only three cuts in 14 starts this season and has recorded three top tens.
Perth’s Jason Scrivener gained his start via Final Qualifying near London and will play his second major championship, six years after his first when he missed the cut at Shinnecock Hills in 2018.
Scrivener has struggled somewhat in Europe this season but just to get a start here is an achievement on its own.
