Opinion & Analysis
Z. Johnson says Merion is “manipulated”
The terms “fair” and “unfair” are often voiced during the U.S. Open, as questions circle about the fine line between the two.
Zach Johnson used harsher terms.
“I would describe the whole golf course as manipulated,” said Johnson. “It just enhances my disdain for the USGA and how it manipulates golf courses.”
Johnson continued, “Not when luck is required. I think Merion is a great golf course, if you let Merion be, but that is not the agenda.”
His comments came after a 77 in Round 2, leaving him in a tie for 105th place at 11-over par. Johnson will have an MC (missed cut) next to his name after the completion of the second round tomorrow, giving him plenty of incentive for negative commentary.
Lee Westwood serves as testimony to Johnson’s accusations. During his first round, Westwood’s approach shot into No. 12’s green hit the wicker basket, ricocheting backward off the green. A good shot was penalized due to misfortune, leading to a double bogey.
Westwood, who is now hovering on the cutline at 7-over, sarcastically tweeted after the first round:
So much tradition at merion to talk about……like those delightful wicker baskets !
— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) June 14, 2013
Johnson projected earlier in the week that the wicker baskets could affect play.
“I’m not a big fan of them because it’s not consistent with what we normally use,” he said. “I’m not anti-Merion, but we are used to seeing flags. They could be a factor.”
He may not be “anti-Merion,” but he surely doesn’t fancy the USGA.
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*Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on GolfWRX in September 2023*
Following Lexi Thompson’s Solheim Cup post-round presser on Friday evening, the 28-year-old has been the topic of much discussion.
Golf pundits and fans alike have been weighing in with their takes after this exchange with a reporter surrounding an untimely shank on Friday afternoon went viral:
Confounding answer from Lexi and subsequent reaction from the US side. It was one of the pivotal moments of the entire day and somehow that's off limits? pic.twitter.com/9std3LFlmN
— Tron Carter (@TronCarterNLU) September 23, 2023
After the incident, LPGA Hall of Famer Nancy Lopez said that Lexi has “been picked on and drug through negative comments. She is tired of it”
So has the criticism of Lexi Thompson been justified, or is this yet another example of her being unfairly treated?
Well, here are five times, in my opinion, that Lexi has been scrutinized far differently over the years than her peers.
2022 KPMG PGA Championship
At the 2022 KPMG PGA Championship, Lexi Thompson held a two-stroke lead with three holes to play. She couldn’t close the deal and lost the tournament.
Afterwards, she was fined $2k (as were the rest of the group) for slow play.
Lexi declined to speak to the media and got hammered on social media for doing so…
Lexi Thompson has declined to speak with the media here at Congressional.
Not a great look?
— Zephyr Melton (@zephyrmelton) June 26, 2022
Almost every golfer at some point has skipped a media session following disappointment on the course, and nobody has really batted an eyelid.
Tiger skipped back-to-back post-round media briefings at the 2019 WGC Mexico after being frustrated with his putting. Remember the backlash over that? Nah, me neither.
Donald Trump
@TheWhiteHouse
Every (or nearly every) big-name golfer under the sun has played golf with Donald Trump. Tiger Woods, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy etc. Nobody really cared.
For whatever reason, when Lexi Thompson did, it was a story, and she took herself off social media soon after the photo was posted.
View this post on Instagram
2021 U.S. Women’s Open
In the final round of the 2021 U.S. Women’s Open, Lexi Thompson had a 6-foot eagle on her opening hole. She missed and made birdie to lead by five.
She then lost the tournament.
Following the round, Brandel Chamblee said on ‘Live From’:
“She’s got 6 feet away. Now professional golfers don’t miss the center of the face by a pinhead. Look where she hits this putt on the very 1st hole. Look where this putt comes off the face. She would have missed the center of the putter there by a half an inch. I have never — I have never — seen a professional golfer miss the center of the putter by a wider margin than that. That was at the 1st hole. “
Honest? Absolutely. Correct? Brandel usually is. Has any other LPGA golfer been handed the full-on Chamblee treatment? Not to my knowledge.
2023 Solheim Cup
Lexi Thompson spoke the words, “I don’t need to comment on that” when a reporter asked her about a failed shot, and the golf community collectively lost their minds.
Lost on many people is the fact that she literally answered the question instantly after.
Jessica Korda described the reporting of the awkward exchange with the media member as yet another example of the golf media shredding Lexi, but in reality, it was really just golf media covering the furore created by golf fans reacting to the viral clip.
So sad seeing golf media , yet again, shred Lexi. It’s easy writing about other people’s mistakes. It’s
Golf, bad shots happen- give the girl a break. She grows the game more than anyone on tour… And she’s a great player!!— Jessica Korda (@Thejessicakorda) September 23, 2023
Lexi then won her next two matches, collecting 3 points from 4 for the U.S. team. But nobody seems to care about that.
‘yOu ShoUlD PrAcTIce puTTinG’
There’s very few golfers that have been plagued with such inane posts on their Instagram page as Lexi Thompson has.
I’ve tracked golfer’s social media accounts over the past few years (job requirement, sort of?). I can categorically say that Lexi gets some of the angriest and most aggressive responses to her posts of any golfer. Male or female. (She also gets some very nice ones too).
Despite countless posts of Thompson relentlessly practising her putting, the number of comments from dummies accusing her of neglecting that area of her game is both bizarre and alarming. Notice how the comments have been disabled on the post below? Probably not a coincidence.
View this post on Instagram
Go on any other golfer’s social account, and it will be hard to find the same dynamic.
Throw in the scandalous rules decision at the 2017 ANA Inspiration that cost her a second major title and spawned the “Lexi rule,” and it’s hard not to think Lexi has had a bit of a raw deal at times.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s 2024 RBC Canadian Open betting preview: Breakthrough PGA Tour winner likely in Canada
The PGA Tour is heading north of the border to play the 2024 RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club.
This will be the seventh time that Hamilton Golf and Country Club will be hosting the Canadian Open. The previous six winners were Rory McIlroy (2019), Scott Piercy (2012), Jim Furyk (2006), Bob Tway (2003), Tommy Armour (1930) and James Douglas Edgar (1919).
Hamilton Golf and Country Club is a par-70 measuring 7,084 yards and features greens that are a Bentgrass and Poa Annua blend. The course has been open since 1915 and is one of the oldest golf clubs in Canada.
Since we’ve seen it last, the course underwent a $8.5-million restoration guided by Martin Ebert.
The RBC Canadian Open will play host to 156 golfers this week. Notable players include Rory McIlroy, Sam Burns, Cameron Young, Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, Sahith Theegala and Alex Noren.
Past Winners at RBC Canadian Open
- 2023: Nick Taylor (-17, Oakdale)
- 2022: Rory McIlroy (-19, St. George’s)
- 2019: Rory McIlroy (-22, Hamilton)
- 2018: Dustin Johnson (-23, Glen Abbey)
- 2017: Jhonattan Vegas (-21, Glen Abbey)
- 2016: Jhonattan Vegas (-12, Glen Abbey)
In this article and going forward, I’ll be using the Rabbit Hole by Betsperts Golf data engine to develop my custom model. If you want to build your own model or check out all of the detailed stats, you can sign up using promo code: MATTVIN for 25% off any subscription package (yearly is best value).
Key Stats for Hamilton Golf and Country Club
Let’s take a look at five key metrics for Hamilton Golf and Country Club to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds.
1. Strokes Gained: Approach
The best metric to start with is Strokes Gained: Approach. Proficient iron play is a requirement anywhere, and this statistic will help target the hottest golfers. With the winning score likely being very low, players will need to be dialed with their approach shots.
Strokes Gained: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Corey Conners (+1.14)
- Kelly Kraft (+1.06)
- Rory McIlroy (+0.88)
- Patton Kizzire (+0.87)
- Alex Noren (+0.76)
2. Good Drive %
Hamilton is a short golf course, so keeping the ball in the fairway, or just off, will be more important than bombing the ball this week.
Good Drive % Over Past 24 Rounds
- Kelly Kraft (+89.3%)
- Daniel Berger (+87.9%)
- Nate Lashley (+87.6%)
- Chan Kim (+86.6%)
- Aaron Rai (+86.1%)
3. Bogey Avoidance %
I expect golfers to go low this week, in order to compete, limiting bogeys will be crucial.
Bogey Avoidance % Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Alex Noren (+10.6%)
- Brice Garnett (+10.6%)
- Aaron Rai (+11.3%)
- Kevin Tway (+11.4%)
- Henrik Norlander (+11.4%)
4. Strokes Gained: Total in Canada
This stat will boost the players who’ve done well in Canada over the past 36 rounds.
Strokes Gained: Total in Canada Over Past 36 Rounds
- Rory McIlroy (+4.28)
- Tommy Fleetwood (+3.07)
- Aaron Rai (+2.91)
- C.T. Pan (+2.80)
- Gary Woodland (+2.21)
5. Strokes Gained: Putting
Shorter courses with a lot of birdies being made tend to turn into putting contests. I believe a good putter will win the RBC Canadian Open.
Strokes Gained: Putting Over Past 24 Rounds
- Mackenzie Hughes (+1.04)
- S.H. Kim (+0.84)
- Matt Kuchar (+0.74)
- Ben Griffin (+0.72)
- Sahith Theegala (+0.66)
The RBC Canadian Open Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (30%), Good Drive % (25%), Strokes Gained: Canada (15%), Bogey Avoidance % (15%), SG: Putting (15%).
- Aaron Rai
- Rory McIlroy
- Sahith Theegala
- Patton Kizzire
- Justin Lower
- Shane Lowry
- Tommy Fleetwood
- Alex Noren
- Kelly Kraft
- Jhonnatan Vegas
2024 RBC Canadian Open Picks
Tommy Fleetwood +1800 (FanDuel)
Tommy Fleetwood was incredibly close to winning last year’s RBC Canadian Open. The Englishman took Canadian Nick Taylor to four playoff holes before losing on Taylor’s miraculous eagle putt from 72 feet.
Despite being at a different course this year, Fleetwood is still a great fit for this event. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 23rd in the field in good drive percentage and seventh in bogey avoidance. The course is a shorter, plotters track, which will suit Fleetwood’s ability to hit it accurately from tee to green.
Tommy has gained strokes off the tee in six consecutive events. Those events include some big events such as The Masters, the PGA Championship and the Wells Fargo Championship. In those six starts, he has three top-15 finishes.
It’s been well documented that Fleetwood is yet to win on American soil and has looked like a different player when in contention outside of the United States. While it’s most definitely a mental hurdle that the 33-year-old will need to overcome, it doesn’t hurt that this event will be north of the border.
Martin Ebert, who redesigned Royal Liverpool and Royal Portrush, redesigned Hamilton as well. Fleetwood finished 2nd at Royal Portrush in 2019 and T10 at Royal Liverpool in 2023.
Backing Tommy has been frustrating at times, but I’m still of the mindset that betting on talent will eventually pay dividends.
Alex Noren +2500 (BetMGM)
Alex Noren is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career. The Swede has an incredible eight straight top-25’s on Tour, with two of those being top-ten finishes. Noren has gained strokes on approach and around the green in all eight starts and has gained strokes off the tee in seven of eight.
Despite the strong results, the concern with Noren has been his inability to truly get into contention. However, this golf course feels like the right one for him to change that. He’s not incredibly long off the tee, so the shorter layout should help him. In his last 24 rounds, Noren ranks 6th in Strokes Gained: Approach, 8th in Good Drive Percentage and 3rd in Bogey Avoidance.
Noren’s ability to keep the ball in the ideal spots and limit mistakes should serve him well at Hamilton this week. In an event where accurate drivers should shine; he will have an advantage on the field. He hasn’t won on the PGA Tour, but the 41-year-old has ten wins on the European Tour. Being outside of the U.S. certainly won’t hurt Noren’s case.
Sam Burns +2800 (FanDuel)
Sam Burns had an excellent showing in Canada a few years ago, finishing in a tie for fourth place at the 2022 RBC Canadian Open a week after winning the Charles Schwab Challenge.
After a hot start to the season, Burns has struggled over the past few months, but has seemed to find some form with his irons in recent weeks. He finished T13 at the Wells Fargo Championship and gained 2.0 strokes on approach for the week. His irons were even better in the two rounds at the PGA Championship (+1.51 strokes per round), but a balky putter cost him the weekend, as he lost 5.1 strokes on the greens.
Burns is a player who can win an event with a hot putter and has done so in the past. He can make birdies in bunches and is one of the few players in the field that can win in both a difficult event and a shootout.
Robert MacIntyre +8000 (FanDuel)
Robert MacIntyre showed some life at the PGA Championship, finishing in a tie for 12th. For the week, MacIntyre ranked 16th in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 18th in Strokes Gained: Ball Striking.
The 27-year-old is a high upside player who has shown he can compete in big events. He’s also been putting great recently which I believe is one of the most important factors this week. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 6th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting.
We’ve seen MacIntyre play well at Open Championships and Martin Ebert, who redesigned Royal Liverpool and Royal Portrush, redesigned Hamilton as well. MacIntyre finished T6 at Royal Portrush in 2019.
Bobby Mac has gone toe-to-toe with some of the world’s best players at the Ryder Cup, and I believe has the right mentality to beat anyone if he finds himself in contention down the stretch.
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Depending on the part of the country you call home, you might just be getting into the 2024 golf season, or you might be several months into it. Either way, your scoring success this season – like every season – will likely drill down to how good your game is from 100 yards and in.
The best way to sharpen your wedge play is, surprise, spend some time refining and practicing your technique. Whether it’s winter rust or mid-season sloppiness, your wedge game can be a serious cause of frustration if and when it goes sour on you.
If you want to be sharp when it really counts, give it some time and attention. Start with a detailed look at your fundamentals – posture, alignment, ball position, grip, and grip pressure – and then advance to an examination of the actual chipping and pitching motion of the swing.
No matter what your skill level might be, I am convinced that time spent on the following drills will yield giant rewards in your scores and enjoyment of the game. There is nothing quite so demoralizing and maddening than to hit a good drive and better-than-average approach shot, then chunk or skull a simple chip or pitch, turning a par or bogie-at-worst into a double or even more.
Core activation
The key to a solid short game is to synchronize your arm swing with the rotation of your body core. They simply have to move together, back and through impact into the follow-through. When I’m about to start a short game session, I like to begin with the club extended in front of my body, with my upper arms close to my chest, then rotate my upper torso back and through, to give me the sensation that I am moving the club only with my core rotation, with the hands only having the job of holding on to it. In this drill, you want to ensure that the clubhead is exactly in front of your sternum as you rotate back and through. When you lower the club into the playing position, this puts the upper end of the grip pointing roughly at your belt buckle and it stays in that “attitude” through the backswing and follow through.
S-L-O-W motion
I believe one of the most misunderstood and destructive pieces of advice in the short game is to “accelerate through the ball”. What I see much too often is that the golfer fails to take a long enough backswing and then quickly jabs at the ball . . . all in the pursuit of “accelerating through the ball.” In reality, that is pretty hard NOT to do if you have any kind of follow through at all. Relying on that core activation move, I like to make very slow swings – back and through impact – experimenting with just how slow I can make the swing and still see some ball flight. You’ll be amazed at how slow a body rotation can be made and still make the ball fly in a nice trajectory.
Windows
I’m borrowing this term from Tiger Woods, who often spoke of hitting his iron shots through certain “windows,” i.e. first floor, second floor, etc. For your short game, I simplify this into hitting short pitch shots on three different flight trajectories – low, medium, and high. I have found the simplest way to do this is to use the same swing for each shot and determine the trajectory by where you place the ball in your set-up. Start by finding the ball position that gives you what you consider to be a “normal” trajectory with your sand wedge. Then, hit some shots with the ball just one inch back and forward of that spot and see what trajectory you get. You can then take that to another level by repeating the process with your other wedges, from your highest lofted to your lowest.
Ladder drill
For this exercise, I like to have some room on the range or practice area that lets me hit balls any distance I want, from ten feet out to about 25 yards, or even more if you can. I start by hitting a basic chip shot to fly precisely to a divot or piece of turf I’ve targeted about ten feet in front of me. The next shot I try to land where that ball stopped. I repeat that process until I have a line of balls from ten feet to 25 or so yards from me. With each shot, I repeat it until I can land my shot within a foot or less of my “target ball.”
The idea of this kind of practice with your short game is to hit so many shots that you feel like you can do anything with the ball, and you can take that confidence and execution skill to the course. You can literally work through a few hundred shots in an hour or so with these drills, and there’s nothing like repetition to build a skill set you can trust “under fire.”
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Marty
Jul 14, 2013 at 2:30 am
Quad-Cities TPC is manipulated! Zack Jonson is a baby who cries.
Jtriscott
Jul 9, 2013 at 11:48 am
I wonder what Justin Rose thinks of Merion.
Chris
Jun 25, 2013 at 11:45 am
Wah! You do, what others can only do recreationally (at great personal expense) for a living. I don’t cry when my job gets difficult. take your lumps and add them to the life experience column. Everyone suffers “manipulated” moments life. Golf is a prime example of that.
Dave
Jun 20, 2013 at 7:08 pm
These pros should try some of the courses that the masses play, like the local muni. Try taking one of those perfect pancake divots where i play and you will either break your club or your wrist. On the rare occasion that I get to play an expensive well manicured course it takes at least 5 strokes off my score.
Chris
Jun 25, 2013 at 11:45 am
Touche
Tom
Jun 19, 2013 at 9:23 pm
Never really cared much about par. As the old saying goes “it’s not how, it’s how many” Whomever ends up with the lowest number wins, how they get there is all the fun. Don’t get me wrong the big scores are fun to watch too.
kc
Jun 19, 2013 at 1:49 pm
6″ rough hah! It was worse @winged foot & bethpage.
Bethpage was just under knee & hip high. Winged was 12″ and higher stimp
Merion stimp was in high 11s & was cited by several announcers & usga.
naflack
Jun 19, 2013 at 12:24 pm
Wicker baskets were silly and gimmicky.
curt
Jun 19, 2013 at 11:32 am
The whole thing was a farce! Look at a scorecard from Merion — it’s a par 72 layout!!! Just because they want you to believe it’s so tough, they use a false par — subtract 8 shots to par from each of the scores and you get the truth! You can make any course unplayable if you water and fertilize the rough and grow it to 6 or 8 inches, leave weeds 3-feet tall all over the place (even in some of the bunkers), narrow the fairways to 20 yards, and double-cut and double roll the greens! Play ANY course at 7000 yards with that setup and you’ll embarrass even the pros! That’s why we end up with winners like Lee Jantzen, Scott Simpson, Andy North, etc… way too much luck with those kinds of conditions! It was great tv drama, but it was by no means great golf — except to those people who enjoy watching train wrecks!
naflack
Jun 19, 2013 at 12:26 pm
+1
Desmond
Jul 4, 2013 at 1:15 pm
The manner in which the old greens are designed make no putt a gimme. You saw plenty of missed putts; a bomb was a rarity over the 4 days.
You can adjust the course without manipulating it. But once again, the USGA went overboard and redesigned a course that only needed adjustment.
Better planning and input from the pros, even some touring pros playing the course beforehand for more input, would eliminate most of the manipulation and USGA paranoia.
yo!
Jun 18, 2013 at 2:43 am
another boring u.s. open … painful to watch … like watching the guys in my foursome play … thank goodness it’s only once a year … maybe the pga tour will stick it to the usga (who doesn’t work for anyone but themselves) by not adopting the belly putter ban … stop sending me those cheap usga notepads trying to get me to pony up $ to join the usga … but the us open offers big $$$$ (corporate sponsors) for the tournament so top players are going to show up and try to collect
Reyes
Jun 17, 2013 at 6:41 pm
These guys play precision golf even off the tee. When the USGA decides to slope fairways into six inches of rough, that’s manipulation. When they decide to create a 270 yard par 3 into the wind, that’s manipulation. These guys want to protect par. That’s fine and you can do this by varying pin placements and creating inconsistent stimp meter speeds on the green. The winning score at Augusta the past few years has been about six under. They don’t have six inch rough and it’s enjoyable. To have someone land an 8 iron ten feet from the pin only to see it roll into the rough is not golf. That’s just silly and stupid. I don’t mind seeing guys punished for horrible shots. I do mind seeing fairways and greens manipulated so that the balls don’t stay on. Again, for emphasis, that’s not golf. It’s dumb and not entertaining.
Flip4000
Jun 17, 2013 at 5:57 pm
I love watching pros struggle around a tough golf course like many of us amateurs do
Brockohol
Jun 17, 2013 at 10:05 am
As my grandpa always said when I complained about a bad lie, “well, you shouldn’t have hit it there dummie.”
I honestly didnt see anything that was too ridiculous out there. Guys have a point at past opens when they literally couldnt get the ball to stop unless it went into the cup. But Merion just required a tee shot in the fairway and then a very specific strategy with your approach shot whether it be a 215yd 5 iron or a 70yd Lob Wedge. I didnt see many of those “perfect shots” that then rolled off the green.
nick
Jun 17, 2013 at 2:06 am
I agree with his statement. If you need to rake the rough to make it harder that’s rediculous. Its artificially altering the playing characteristics of the course to make it play harder and differently than nature intended. Making par 3’s 245 + yards??? Is that really needed? I didnt find it that interesting watching. You usually hope the person pulling off nice shots will win not the person who played it so safe I wanted to go to sleep. Doesnt make for exciting golf.
Anthony
Jun 16, 2013 at 10:49 pm
To be fair the courses were alot shorter and the greens were slower in the persimmon and balata days. playing them side by side for score on today’s courses isnt fair
David
Jun 16, 2013 at 8:12 pm
People who care what Zach Johnson thinks about any course:
0.0
Fu#&ing hair lip.
Desmond
Jul 4, 2013 at 1:11 pm
Mature comment … not.
Brian
Jun 16, 2013 at 8:02 pm
Then don’t cash your check, hair lip.
KCCO
Jun 16, 2013 at 12:52 pm
I don’t believe it’s a test to show who is truly the “best” or most skilled golfer, its more like who can survive merion…..
Desmond
Jun 16, 2013 at 1:13 pm
On Sunday, it’s mostly mental and luck – if one can keep their focus and energy level, the ball can break their way.
J
Jun 16, 2013 at 12:36 pm
Conditions are equal for all. Course is the same test for each golfer.
I do agree the USGA can take a hike however, for a plethora of reason.
Jack
Jun 16, 2013 at 12:56 pm
They certainly can if for no other reason than letting the equipment get so far out of hand.
More from the Snedeker article:
On the first nine holes using the persimmon driver and the older ball, Snedeker could find the fairway just two of nine times. Each of his drives were low-flying projectiles that snapped to the left and went 200-220 yards — into high rough and behind trees.
On the first hole, he had 188 yards to the pin after his drive with the wood ended near a tree. With his contemporary TaylorMade r7 driver, he had 128 yards from the middle of the fairway to the pin.
On the par-4, 445-yard ninth, he had 200 yards to the pin after his drive with the wood ended up in rough; he had 144 yards from the middle of the fairway after using his modern driver.
“I’m seeing parts of this golf course I’ve never seen before,” Snedeker said on the 12th hole. “I’m trying everything to keep the old driver on this planet.”
Jack
Jun 16, 2013 at 11:49 am
Brandt Snedeker:
“I truly appreciate growing up in the generation that I did,” Snedeker says, “because I don’t think I would have grown up to be a pro golfer if I had to have played with the old stuff. It is so much different, so much tougher.”
“It makes me really appreciate the guys that came before me,” Snedeker says of hitting the old clubs. “The way Bobby Jones played golf, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino, Johnny Miller. Those guys were phenomenal.
“They had to be unbelievable ball strikers to hit the ball straight and as solid as they did.”
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/golf/pga/2007-07-12-oldclubs_N.htm?imw=Y
Desmond
Jun 16, 2013 at 8:31 am
Think about this course before you post and scream “crybabies.”
That’s rubbish.
I don’t care that Phil is not carrying a driver. He has the deep 3 wood. But when guys are keeping 3 wood in the bag to hit hybrids, when they are 50 yards behind Hogan’s 1 iron marker on their tee shot just so they can remain in the fairway with accuracy and not much run, when Luke Donald says I don’t need a 6i,7i, or 8i on this course, that screams that something is wrong … with the course.
Jack
Jun 16, 2013 at 11:23 am
Considering how far the modern ball goes when hit with the modern clubs they need to be 50 yards behind Hogan to compare apples to apples. I saw an article recently where Luke Donald took out a set of persimmon woods and titleist tour balatas and compared them to his new style Flintstone driver and pro v1. He said the new combo was at least 60 yards longer than the classic stuff. Also Snediker played Torrey Pines with persimmons and blades and could do no better than 80.
Desmond
Jul 4, 2013 at 1:10 pm
Seriously?
Give the guys a month or tow to grow accustomed to the new “old” sticks and you’d see better scores. C’mon.
Jack
Jun 16, 2013 at 3:34 am
btw, Lee Westwood, clearly it’s not the wicker that is preventing you from winning a major, considering your record! God what a bunch of spoiled, rich, unappreciative crybabies.
Jamie
Jun 16, 2013 at 6:53 am
Lee Westwood’s record in majors is exemplary! 15 top tens in majors, including 7 top three finishes. And with almost 40 worldwide wins and countless runner ups and top 5s – I think most of the golfing community have him down as a real contender heading into every major championship. He may not have gotten over the line yet but its hard to argue against a record like that, he really steps up in the big championships. I’m sure he’ll have at least one major before he’s done.
Jack
Jun 16, 2013 at 11:11 am
His “win” recode is certanly not exemplary, and plenty of people had Montgomery penciled in for a major too.
Jack
Jun 16, 2013 at 3:17 am
Typical spoiled rich prima donna whiner, and not a great player by PGA standards! Zack is lucky he is playing in the modern era, if he wants to see Merion like it was meant to be played, he can get out the persimmon and balatas and shoot 90! What a bitter turd!
Desmond
Jun 16, 2013 at 2:38 am
Well, Zach is correct in his comments. After this “restored” Merion is through with the Open, they are closing it to “restore” it back.
The Commentators also noted how the USGA had manipulated the fairways and bunkers, taking away from the original design. Sure, grow the rough … but change the fairways and bunkers?
That is MANIPULATION.
Blanco
Jun 16, 2013 at 2:06 am
Jeezy Creezy! At least he didn’t use HIS name in vain.
Marty
Jun 16, 2013 at 1:59 am
He whines and is a crier.
Marty
Jun 16, 2013 at 1:59 am
Yes. Zach Johnson is a cry baby. This needs to be said more.
Jeff
Jun 15, 2013 at 9:54 pm
Come on this just proves as many have said Zach Johnson is a cry baby. If you have that much hate for the USGA, then do not play no one is twisting your arm to play, or needs you to play.
Joe
Jun 15, 2013 at 7:01 pm
Every year someone has a comment about it being unfair. Last time I checked everyone plays the same course. Obviously we all know how this game can mess with your head when you don’t have your best stuff. Probably the case with Zach. If he has so much disdain for the USGA then just skip it, won’t be the first player to do it.
The US Open puts a premium on accuracy and course management. As of Saturday afternoon a handful players are under par and at least surviving. Hogan won at Merion in 1950 with a score of +7.
Jack
Jun 16, 2013 at 3:24 am
+1 If Sergio had made that comment, the golf channel would have gone into to CNN-style 24 hour coverage.
Chopper
Jun 15, 2013 at 5:41 pm
I think this is the best test of pro golfing all year…Sick of 20 under scores Test these guys to the limit they are the best let them prove it .USGA should (manipulate )every course then we would see who IS THE BEST!!!
MFB
Jun 15, 2013 at 12:02 pm
Totally agree with Zac and he is dead on about the USGA.
The last few years the USGA has done a reasonable job with the set up at the US Open.
It is the USAG’s tournament and they can set it up any way they like.
But this year they went back to tricking up the course because these guys would tear Merion up if they did not.
Questionable pin placements from the start and the greens were never designed to be running at 13 or above on the stimp are just a few ways it has been tricked up to keep the scores from being double digits under par.
Jack
Jun 16, 2013 at 3:32 am
They would not tear it up with the older equipment. Half they guys on tour would have to get a day job if they went back to pre 1990 spec gear.
Ray
Jun 15, 2013 at 11:39 am
Weak, so weak. It’s the wicker basket’s fault. Isn’t the US Open supposed to be a manipulated course? Members wouldn’t play somewhere that hard on a regular basis. It is supposed to be made harder to bring out the best player that week.
Michael
Jun 15, 2013 at 11:37 am
I am so tired of watching driver – wedge tournaments. It is such a pleasure to watch the US open, because the so called pros have to play tough golf courses. Golf is not supposed to be easy. Same goes for lift clean and cheat. The PGA should get back to setting up courses that are difficult to play. These guys are supposed to be Pros so make the courses more difficult like the US open is every year.
Lee
Jun 15, 2013 at 3:17 pm
Completely agree with you!… Except for lift, clean, and place. This is completely fare, it’s done so they can actually play the course, when otherwise they would be punished for hitting the fairway.
Lee
Jun 15, 2013 at 11:36 am
Think Zach is just mad his ball striking is sub-par to be a candidate for winning the US Open.
Greg
Jun 15, 2013 at 10:32 am
Nice to see these guys struggle with conditions and have to hit shots for a change. They are spoiled by perfectly manicured courses on a weekly basis and then get upset when they don’t shoot 20 under for the week.
Tough life, guys.
Nathan
Jun 15, 2013 at 10:24 am
The problem is whenever the USGA tries to make these courses harder to hold the US Open, they do so in a way that is not consistent with the way these courses are meant to be played. The architects didn’t design these courses to be played this way so the players end up having to play the holes in ways they weren’t designed to be played.
Jack
Jun 16, 2013 at 3:22 am
Merion (and all of the classic courses) were designed to be played with the older equipment/balls, so we will never again get to see how they were meant to be played. Btw, the USGA has been manipulating course for years, so what? Zack and others seem to take all of this a bit too seriously… it’s entertainment, nothing more. Zack can choose not to play and simply move on; I doubt anyone would care or notice but his immediate family… maybe.
Dalton
Jun 15, 2013 at 9:46 am
I think the manipulation comment was meant about the usga’s greens keeping. They destroy the courses. The greens at merion are turning brown which only happens when you cut wet grass too short. They are doing everything to make it extremely difficult, all while destroying the course.
Jack
Jun 16, 2013 at 3:27 am
You are right of course. What the USGA should do is bring back the balata ball and persimmon drivers/fairways, and force players to play the same equipment the Hogan. Snead, Nicklaus, and Norman used. There would be no need to trick up the courses to see Zack ( and many others) shoot a high number.
Dennis
Jun 15, 2013 at 9:16 am
Merion is a great way to neutralize the equipment gains that have taken place and pushed playing the game to course management and between the ears. It gives today’s golfers a unique chance to revisit history and walk in the shoes of the old-timers. It also illustrates how good those old-timers really were.
nccrilly
Jun 15, 2013 at 9:10 am
I don’t understand why all of these pros think this event should be like any other PGA tour event. This is the national championship of golf, owned and operated by the USGA, and it is their prerogative to make it whatever they see fit. Nobody is begging these pros to show up and play. There are thousands of amateurs that attempt to qualify every year without exemption just for a chance to compete. That is the beauty of this game and this open event. There is absolutely no reason the USGA should feel compelled to consider the “feelings” of touring professionals when setting up a course for the best championship in golf. Who cares if its 10 under or 10 over par that wins it! It’s you against the field and everyone plays the same course.
Jamie
Jun 16, 2013 at 6:09 am
Agree with most of what you say – everyone plays the same course, so its the golfer against the rest of the field and still who can handle the course the best. They all face the same challenge – they just have to tough it out! I can appreciate that mentally this championship must be very draining on the players at times and that its an advantage to be the kind of guy who is able to roll with the punches, and just accept what the golf course gives them and not dwell on frustrations and perceived misfortune and just keep grinding away. I can understand some of the frustrations the players might feel though, some of the lies for missing a fairway or green by a couple of inches is ridiculous at times – but as mentioned previously everyone faces the same challenge. However I don’t agree with the US Open being ‘the best championship in golf’…. bring on the British Open, the oldest and most prestigious major.
Randall
Jun 15, 2013 at 7:50 am
These guys are supposed to be the best players in the world. They can’t hit thirty yard wide fairways with an iron off the tee. The rough is only hit and thick if you hit it in it. Hit the fairway?
Lee
Jun 15, 2013 at 9:08 am
Lol welcome, guy who just started playing golf.
Chris
Jun 15, 2013 at 7:31 am
I personally love to see the players struggle. only a few times a year do I see them struggle to hit greens, make putts, or even hit fairways. To win the US Open does not just take good golf skills it takes great golf course management.
danny
Jun 15, 2013 at 9:09 am
I agree. It’s boring to watch them shoot -15 -20 under par.
When par is a good score, that means that doubles or triples are in play which means it’s anyones game.
There is probably a reason nobody gives a crap about the tournaments Zach Johnson wins, nobody plays in them and the final score is always 20 something under par…. boooooooooring.
Poop Squirrel
Jun 15, 2013 at 8:40 pm
He’s a Masters Champion…Hmmmmm……
bravesgolf
Jun 15, 2013 at 5:53 am
Stop whinging Zach Johnson. Don’t play the US Open if you dislike the course set ups and the USGA so much. Let someone else play who will appreciate it as an honour and an oppotunity instead of whinging and taking it for granted. You clearly have no idea how lucky you are to play this terrific game for a living. Very poor attitude from a PGA Tour and Major winner.
G
Jun 15, 2013 at 12:50 am
The counter argument is, Zach, that the majority of the PGA Tour courses are also “manipulated” for easy scoring with no rough, wide fairways, perfectly manicured easy-out bunker sand, and flat greens. It shouldn’t be that the total score at the end of the week can reach 25 under or whatever ridiculous number so easily. If the courses on the PGA Tour were set up properly, they would have minimum 3 inch rough consistently from course to course, more OBs instead of free drops and lateral hazards on the boundaries (including the areas up and around the clubhouse and such) and the pins wouldn’t be placed in such easy-scoring positions.
Andrew Tursky
Jun 15, 2013 at 12:38 am
Just to clarify, Zach Johnson’s statement about the USGA was a grievance with course set up, saying luck is required. Westwood’s shot was wildly unlucky, which was the reason for the example. It’s unfortunate to hear players complain about “luck” and “wicker baskets” when competition and tradition should be at the forefront of discussion.
troy
Jun 16, 2013 at 10:15 am
That’s easy for you to say when you’re livelihood or score isn’t dependant on luck of the lie 6 inches of the fairway with a perfectly placed tee shot. Or hitting a basket instead of a flag on a perfectly hit iron shot.
Jack
Jun 16, 2013 at 11:44 am
There is always a certain amount of luck involved when playing golf. How about Payne Stewart hitting a perfect tee shot into a divot at the 98 US Open? That probably cost him the tournament! Also, this livelihood stuff used to mean something years ago when discussed in the context of professional sports, but draws a little less sympathy these days.
jk
Jun 15, 2013 at 12:29 am
Yes the usga makes fairways tighter and rough more penalizing…its what they do every year and I’m glad they didn’t do different cuts off the fairway. If the best 100 golfers can’t hit the fairway with an iron off the tee then they should be penalized. Poor you zj poor you
gibby626
Jun 15, 2013 at 12:20 am
Ah jeez. The wicker baskets ain’t what we’re used to? Just take all the pins out of holes then. You guys have the hole location sheets anyway. More than I can say for my weekend hackfest.
Eric
Jun 14, 2013 at 11:57 pm
Mike, I don’t think it was Zach making those comments regarding the baskets, that was Lee Westwood off his own twitter. Zach is talking about how the USGA always spends millions turning the U.S. Open venues into the some of the hardest courses to ever play. It was a slight against the USGA for being too involved with the tournament.
nbr334
Jun 15, 2013 at 3:37 am
exactly
Jack
Jun 16, 2013 at 3:31 am
The USGA is too involved? It’s their tournament! Zack and anyone else can choose to sit out if they don’t like it.
Mike
Jun 14, 2013 at 11:39 pm
What a whiner! I’m disappointed. I didn’t see Tiger complaining about those wicked flag sticks at Augusta. So Zach Johnson is used to flags instead of wicker baskets? Too bad. I’m used to 75 and sunny. But guess what, when it’s 100 and humid I deal. When it’s 55 and rainy, I deal. It’s part of being a golfer. Maybe he’s being quoted out of context, but right now he’s coming off as a prima donna.
Asitlies
Jun 14, 2013 at 11:14 pm
Hitting the basket is now the fault of the USGA??!! Stop. Horrendous example. Hitting the basket is “rub of the green”, not course manipulation. I think he was referring to the rough, or the greens, or the course setup, not the baskets. Was it the fault if the Masters folks when Tiger Woods hit the pin on 15 and it shot back into the water? No, that’s the way the ball bounces…
jtopher
Jun 14, 2013 at 11:25 pm
Yep, or when Sergio hit the pin at Carnoustie. He sounds like a guy that just got his butt kicked by the golf course. Don’t let the gate hit you on the way out.
Mike
Jun 14, 2013 at 11:39 pm
Agreed
troy
Jun 16, 2013 at 10:08 am
Dissagree.. if there was a flag instead of a big fat basket the ball would have either hit the pin, hit the flag, or hit nothing. With the last 2 meaning a putt for birdie. There is a reason no one else uses baskets on their pins. But that’s besides the point. When you have deep rough that you have to gouge out of 6 inches from a sloped fairway and thats when you are at the mercy of whatever Lie you end up with. Yes, everyone deals with the same conditions, but everyone doesn’t get the same result from the inconsistencies
Michael
Jun 22, 2013 at 10:54 am
Actually, I just played the Seaside course at Sea Island this week and they had wicker baskets. Seemed to be a nice touch. Fair is a subjective term it seems. I’d always figured if everyone is playing by the same rules on the same course, then hard or not, it’s fair. Zach needs to quit whining when the chips don’t go his way. The course may have been “manipulated”, but it was set up the same for everyone who handed him his hat on the way out.
Jon
Jun 16, 2013 at 2:11 pm
Actually hitting the basket is the fault of USGA, if it were a flag there would be no discussion. Rub of the green, please.