Pinehurst No. 2
Village of Pinehurst, North Carolina
June 9-15, 2014
Purse: $8,000,000
Champion: $1,440,000; FedExCup Points: 600
Yearlong renovation completed in 2011, Pinehurst No. 2 has hosted two previous U.S. Opens. 1999, won by the late Payne Stewart (score 279) and most recently in 2005, won by Michael Campbell (280). According to Ben Crenshaw, co-architect of the renovation, it’s largely the same golf course for those that have played in previous Opens here, but it’s a different presentation.
The main difference they’ll find is off the fairways where Crenshaw says they removed almost 35 acres of rough. Synonymous with most USGA major championship setups, tight fairways and thick, heavy rough is the expectation, however, according to Crenshaw, not only was the rough removed but the fairways were actually widened as well thus providing a little more room off the tees. Both of these changes will be helpful as the course can be stretched to over 7,500 yards (with only two par fives).
Crenshaw describes the rough prior to renovation as thick, irrigated rough that was allowed to grow from the fairways all the way up to the trees. With the goal of the renovation being to revert the course back to its original Donald Ross design, the rough was removed and was replaced with native sandy areas full of pine needles and wispy dwarf-type wire grass. So no rough but still important to find the fairways and according to Crenshaw, even more important to play to the appropriate side of the fairway; (to best manage the challenging approach angles into the greens).
Shot making and deciding which is the correct shot to hit into the smallish greens is going to confuse most players. Well thought out and well-played approach shots is going to be the key as Crenshaw notes the most difficult part of the course is navigating into the green complexes themselves. Crenshaw describes the greens as undulating and convex with false-fronts, run-offs and minimal landing areas to get close to the pins. Hitting greens in regulation is important in any U.S. Open but hitting the greens in the correct location at Pinehurst is paramount. Miss the greens and a strong short game is a must. Then all that’s left is to make those major championship five-footers for par.
Tournament Notes
Field Watch: 57 of the top 60 in Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) are in the field (#4 Tiger Woods, #23 Thomas Bjorn, #58 Richard Sterne out with injuries); 66 of top 100 OWGR in total. Defending Champion: Justin Rose; Runner-ups: Phil Mickelson and Jason Day.
Past Champions: Joining Rose in the field are Webb Simpson, Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Lucas Glover, Angel Cabrera, Geoff Ogilvy, Retief Goosen x2, Jim Furyk and Ernie Els x2.
Course Length: Measures 7,562 yards on the card; Par 70 (35-35).
Field: 156 players including 12 amateurs.
Cut: Top 60 and ties
Pinehurst, NC Weather [Forecast]: WED: PM T-Storms 60%; THU: T-Storms 70%; High 87F; Winds S at 8mph. FRI: Scattered T-Storms 40%; High 87F; Winds SW at 6mph. SAT: Isolated T-Storms 30%; High 90F; Winds N at 3mph. SUN: Scattered T-Storms 40%; High 86F; Winds ESE at 5mph.
10 Names to Watch (OWGR/Odds):
- Rory McIlroy (OWGR #6; 10/1) – 2011 U.S. Open champion. Missed Cut (MC) in 2012, T41 last year. T15 / 1 / T6 in his last three worldwide starts. Overall, has eight top 10s in 11 2014 starts. Top 20 on tour in Par 4 scoring, Scoring Avg. and Birdie/Bogey ratio. Weaknesses this year have been Proximity to the hole (123rd ranked) and Scrambling (172nd). Both of these could spell trouble at Pinehurst.
- Adam Scott (#1; 12/1) – Interestingly enough, World Number 1 does not have a top 10 in 12 career U.S. Open starts (best finish T15 in 2012). T4 / 1 / T38 in his last three tour events. Overall, has five top 10s in nine 2014 starts. Top 10 on tour in multiple categories including 3rd in Total Driving, T2 in Par 4 scoring and 4th in Birdie/Bogey ratio. 2013 Masters champion does not have any weaknesses in his game right now.
- Bubba Watson (#3; 16/1) – Has only one top 10 in six U.S. Open starts (T5 in 2007) but is playing unconscious just about everywhere right now. 3rd / T48 / 1 in his last three tour starts. Overall has six top 10s in nine 2014 starts (including two wins). Top 15 on tour in multiple categories including T11 in Total Driving, 6th in GIR, 2nd in Bogey Avoidance and 1st in Birdie/Bogey ratio. 2014 Masters champion has everything clicking heading into the season’s second major.
- Jordan Spieth (#10; 25/1) – Making only third U.S. Open start (2nd as a pro). T21 in 2012 as amateur and MC last year at Merion. T19 / T14 / T37 in his last three tour starts. No wins yet in 2014 but was tied runner-up at this year’s Masters and T4 at The PLAYERS. Overall has six top 10s in 16 2014 starts. T9 in Par 4 scoring, 11th in Scrambling and 14th in Birdie/Bogey ratio. Weaknesses this year has been in his ball-striking. 140th in Total Driving, 93rd in GIR and 98th in Proximity to the hole.
- Matt Kuchar (#5; 25/1) – Has only one top 10 in 13 U.S. Open starts but is riding a four consecutive cuts-made streak including his T6 in 2010. T15 / MC / T7 in his last three tour starts. Overall has eight top 10s in 14 2014 starts (including one win and a T5 at the Masters). Top 10 on tour in multiple categories including 2nd in Par 4 scoring, 5th in Bogey Avoidance, 6th in Scrambling and 7th in Birdie/Bogey ratio.
- Jason Day (#7; 28/1) – Has two runner-up finishes in only three U.S. Open starts (including a T2 last year). Still a relative new-comer to majors but Day now has four top 3s in only 14 major starts including a T2 and solo 3rd at the 2011 and 2013 Masters respectively. Winner of the 2014 WGC-Match Play but has seen limited starts since due to a thumb injury. Returned in late May (after his second, six-event hiatus this year) at Memorial (T37) and this past Tuesday pronounced himself 100% healthy.
- Jim Furyk (#12; 35/1) – 2003 U.S. Open champion was also tied for the lead heading into the final round in 2012, eventually fading to a T4. T19 / T51 / 2nd in his last three tour starts. Overall has five top 10s in 12 2013 starts including back-to-back runner up finishes at Wells Fargo and The PLAYERS. Top 20 on tour in multiple categories including T19 in Par 4 scoring, T7 in Proximity to Hole and 1st in Scrambling. Weakness this year has been his putting (135th in Strokes Gained).
- Graeme McDowell (#22; 40/1) – 2010 U.S. Open champion; was also tied runner-up in 2012. T24 / T62 / T23 in last three tour starts. Overall has four top 10s in nine 2014 starts. Top 20 on tour in multiple categories including T19 in Par 4 scoring, 12th in Scrambling and 2nd in Strokes Gained Putting.
- Hideki Matsuyama (#13; 40/1) – T10 in his U.S. Open debut last year. 22-year-old already has five amateur wins, five wins on the Japan Tour (one as an amateur) and most recently won the Memorial Tournament on the PGA Tour. Top 25 on tour in multiple categories including 13th in Proximity to Hole, T19 in Par 4 scoring and 23rd in Scrambling. No glaring weaknesses although ranks just inside top 100 (97th) in Strokes Gained Putting.
- Brendon Todd (#55; 100/1) – Todd is only player in the field with three straight top 10s leading up to the U.S. Open. Chased his win at the Byron Nelson with a T5 at Colonial and a T8 at Memorial. Overall has five top 10s in 15 2014 starts. Four-time All-American at the University of Georgia, Todd will be making his major championship debut. Top 20 on tour in multiple categories including T13 in Par 4 scoring, 8th in Scrambling, 7th in Strokes Gained Putting and 4th in Scoring Avg.
Honorable Mention: Sergio Garcia (33/1); Charl Schwartzel (50/1); Steve Stricker (60/1); Victor Dubuisson (80/1); Joost Luiten (125/1); Stephen Gallacher (150/1).