US Open 2023

[MattWillGolf]

I thought I'd kick off U.S. Open Week with a bit of humor from the USGA. Thanks to the Rock Bottom Golf Instagram account.

[fixyurdivot]

Watching TGC today and they have been providing some great walk-around interviews with players out playing practice rounds, and overviews of the course.  Unfortunately they've been having lots of AV technical challenges, but it's a fun format. It sure sounds like this is going to be what everyone hopes it will be - the toughest test of the year.  A little wrinkle with five par 3's and three par 5's.  Considering that only about 20 players play the seasons par 3's at even or better, this may very well be the deciding factor.

I have but one question for my fellow spies.  Will it be a repeat or new winner?

[GolfSpy SAM]

15 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

Watching TGC today and they have been providing some great walk-around interviews with players out playing practice rounds, and overviews of the course.  Unfortunately they've been having lots of AV technical challenges, but it's a fun format. It sure sounds like this is going to be what everyone hopes it will be - the toughest test of the year.  A little wrinkle with five par 3's and three par 5's.  Considering that only about 20 players play the seasons par 3's at even or better, this may very well be the deciding factor.

I have but one question for my fellow spies.  Will it be a repeat or new winner?

I'm guessing new winner - maybe Homa can show off at home, or maybe Viktor can finally get it done on a Sunday in a major - the Memorial sure made him look good.  I wonder how many people are picking Brooksy after his absolute demolishing of the PGA (again)?  

One thing for certain: I'll be watching

[Kenny B]

1 hour ago, fixyurdivot said:

Watching TGC today and they have been providing some great walk-around interviews with players out playing practice rounds, and overviews of the course.  Unfortunately they've been having lots of AV technical challenges, but it's a fun format. It sure sounds like this is going to be what everyone hopes it will be - the toughest test of the year.  A little wrinkle with five par 3's and three par 5's.  Considering that only about 20 players play the seasons par 3's at even or better, this may very well be the deciding factor.

I have but one question for my fellow spies.  Will it be a repeat or new winner?

New guy!  Two of the par 3's are 285 and 290y but they are downhill somewhat.  Should be interesting if there is wind.  Longest par 5 is 623y with OB on the right... could be trouble for a lot of guys.

[ballhawk]

Any body know the Vegas odds on Brooks and Rory making it through the round without duking it out!!...........

[richk9holes]

Idk why but I'm reminded of 2017 at Erin Hills. I think it may play easier than that course and this field vs. that field is at the least just as good, probably stronger.

I'm thinking of the fact Max Homa shot 61 on this course with a different layout 10 years ago when he was in college.

I don't think we see any 61s this week, but I'm guessing a lot of the guys with short games can go low.

[Splatt]

G’day Golfers,

The US Open is finally upon us, and with it, it brings a rough so thick Robin Williams would get lost for years, fairways so firm they’ll scuff your golfball, and a field so strong it could arm wrestle Bryson DeChambeau.

The US Open is always the toughest of tests and this year seems to be no exception.

For the first time in 75 years, the US Open is heading to LA.

The year’s US Open is held at the Los Angeles Country Club, a par 70, 7,421-yard course established over 126 years ago. The fairways are a little wider than most US Open setups, but the rough is as devious as ever, and sitting at over 7,400 yards for a par 70 course LACC is long.
However, the length on paper doesn’t tell the whole story.
LACC has a lot of downhill tee shots with firm and fast fairways, so the actual yardage will be much shorter. But, and this is a big but, this does not mean it will be a bomb and gouge course like DeChambeau at Winged Foot a few years ago, LACC has a natural defence against this kind of thing with its topography: miss on the wrong side of the fairway and you’ll be left with a blind second shot or inaccessible pin position, and with firm and fast fairways, this is incredibly easy to do.
LACC is also home to a unique set of par 3’s ranging from 80 yards to over 300 yards! I can’t even wrap my head around a par 3 that long, for me that’s an automatic lay-up, even with the driver!
I look forward to the pro’s hitting 3-wood and 3-irons to the green with ease.

See below for some of the course set up carnage in store for the pro’s

 

 

Matt Fitzpatrick won the event last year at The Country Club and will be looking to defend his title against the strongest field in golf. Last year was a historic win for Fitz as he won the US Open on the same course as he won the US Amateur, a feat not many others have done. Fitz won by one stroke over Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler where it all came down to the last hole; he hit the shot of the year from the bunker on the 18th to a close proximity on the green and subsequently sunk the biride putt. Zalatoris had the chance to tie Fitzpatrick and take it to a playoff, but he narrowly missed his birdie putt; it was his 2nd Major runner-up of last season.

 

Field Highlights

·         Scottie Scheffler – The current world number 1 and major favourite to finish top of the table come Sunday afternoon. Scheffler has dominated everywhere this season except his putting. He is currently 1st in SG total, 1st in SG tee-to-green, 1st in SG Off the Tee, and 1st in SG Approach to the green; that’s 4 out of the 6 major Strokes Gained metrics. His putting however, is not in the same conversation, he is currently ranked 148th in strokes gained putting. On average, he is losing 0.23 shots per round to the field, but what is even more astonishing is that he’s still managed to win twice this year and have 8 top-5 finishes. He looks to be making a putter change this week, so good luck to everyone else if Scottie starts to putt well.
 

·         Jon Rahm – The current world number 2 and currently first in the FedEx Cup. He has already won 4 times on Tour this year, including 2 designated events and a major in The Masters back in April. Only 6 other players in history have won The Masters and the US Open in the same season. When Rahm has been in form this season he has looked absolutely unstoppable, but he has also had moments where he’s looked like a mere mortal, including a T-50 at the PGA Championship last month. Rahm will be furious with his performance in that last major and will be looking for massive improvements all around.
 

·         Brooks Koepka – Runner up at The Masters and winner at the PGA Championship last month, Major Championship Brooks is back, baby! Now a 5-time major champion, he’ll be looking to add major number 6 this week. It’s been made abundantly clear this year that Brooks still has game and he cares deeply about the majors. He has also won the US Open twice, once in 2017 and then defending his title in 2018. I have full confidence he’ll be around and in contention during the final round.
 

·         Viktor Hovland – Suffered heartbreak at the PGA Championship last month starting the last round in the final group 1 back of the eventual winner Brooks Koepka. He kept an even pace with Koepka most of the day, but an awful bunker lie leading to a double-bogie took Koepka out of reach and sealed his fate. He looked downtrodden and broken at that moment, but like a true pro, he didn’t let it keep him down for long. He won 2 events later at The Memorial Tournament, a designated event.

 

·         Rory McIlroy – McIlroy showed signs of life at the PGA Championship last month finishing T-7, a huge improvement over his missed cut at The Masters. Since that MC, Rory’s game has been trending nicely upward with 3 top-10 finishes in 4 starts. Like Scheffler, the rest of his game has been pretty solid and it’s just one area that seems to really let him down, the difference is the area that lets him down changes from day to day, tournament to tournament. One day his chipping is awful, but he’s nailing the long-range putt to save par, the next he’s chipping it close and then stuffing the putt. Like Scheffler, if Rory can fire on all cylinders he’ll definitely be in the conversation come Sunday. If he can get the job done, it’ll be his first major win in nearly a decade.

The rest of the highly stacked field can be found here.
 

What do you guys think?
Who will be the final pairing on Sunday? Who will shockingly miss the cut? Who raises the trophy on Sunday?

MGS is running a US Open Contest, click here to enter. Remember to read and follow the rules of the comp.

Also, for those in the MGS Pick ‘EM comp. Remember to get your picks in, the majors are vital to your score.

 

SPLATT

[RohanVster]

Honestly think Rahmbo will win it with Hovland to be second. Hopefully Billy Horschel will do better with this one (will be rocking the West Ham United bag again)

Highest ranked amateur : Aldrich Potgieter (boy has got some serious talent, hitting bombers for fun)

 

Super excited for the U.S Open to start, will be late nights for me but it's going to be great golf again. Enjoy everyone! 

[GolfSpy_APH]

If Scottie can find some sort of groove to his putting game is over. 

However don't think that will happen so going to hope with the heart and hope Spieth magic comes knocking. 

[Jared3]

Obviously Scottie is hard to bet against and if he is putting well, watch out.

I think Hovland is the guy to watch out for. He has been pretty hot and so close in majors. This could the one where he finally gets the job done.

Edited June 14, 2023 by Jared3

[Splatt]

Ive got quiet hopes for Homa. He did well in California earlier in the year and he loves this course.

[fixyurdivot]

Really hard to pick US Opens and I think this particular course is going to add some wrinkles that will place a bit more "luck of the bouce/roll" than perhaps any we've seen this year and past opens.  Also as I mentioned in another thread, having five par 3's, which statistacally score the highest across the field over the season, will likely play a big role in who ultimately hoists the hardware on Sunday.  I'm hoping for a relative "no name" surprise winner. It should be a very entertaining event.

How was that at skirting and dancing around Splatt's questions? 

[fixyurdivot]

Just heard the news about Jay Monahan taking a leave for undisclosed medical reasons.  The timing of things is often so odd.  Best wishes to Jay.

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

21 minutes ago, fixyurdivot said:

Just heard the news about Jay Monahan taking a leave for undisclosed medical reasons.  The timing of things is often so odd.  Best wishes to Jay.

Don't meant o joke, but the Saudi's did kill a journalist

[Caddie1966]

My heart says Rahm or Scottie.  Those two guys are just too hard not to rot for.  Watch Rahm’s interview today and you will absolutely think the guy is the best. Scottie is like one of your golfing buddies.  Funny, Unassuming and just a guy you can’t get enough of.  if he can putt this week, he’s going to win.  
 

 My head says Brooks.  He has been money too many times in the majors over the past few years to discount him at all.  So I picked him as my A player in the MGS pool.

[fixyurdivot]

1 minute ago, Vegan_Golfer_PNW said:

Don't meant o joke, but the Saudi's did kill a journalist

I'm guessing bloodpressue/heart related.  Considering the array of pressure cooker and controversial challeneges the past year+, it would not surprise me.  Work related stress is real.  Worse, it is additive and can be a silent killer.

[StrokerAce]

a few observations from the early groups while watching on Peacock...

a. you have to control the spin on your ball. these greens are tough with good slopes and the pin spots are nice. easy to hit it close and spin it a long way away.

b. hoodies! must be chilly in L.A. - seen a few guys wearing hoodies. if you show up at your course and they tell you that you need a collared shirt tell them that you played in the US Open in a hoodie.

c. composite putter shafts - a fair amount of players with the steel/graphite combo in putter shafts

d. if you can keep it in play I can see a double digit under par score for the winner. USGA won't like it but def realistic.

[TSauer]

Theegala said he's played this course 30+ times, it'd be cool to see him get his first W here.

[OdinSnipes414]

I love it my guy Rickie out here moving 

[StrokerAce]

6 minutes ago, OdinSnipes414 said:

I love it my guy Rickie out here moving 

always been a really great ball striker. if his putter gets going look out. 

[OdinSnipes414]

He has been my favorite player since he came in

[StrokerAce]

over/under on the number of times the announcers mention the barranca?  I've got it at 100.

bar·ran·ca

noun

US

a narrow, winding river gorge.

[Jmerlin]

1 hour ago, OdinSnipes414 said:

I love it my guy Rickie out here moving 

Glad to see his game coming back.  Performance today was top-notch.  Schauffele is being gutsy too.  Should be a great weekend.

[Kenny B]

Wow!  Go Rickie!!  Lowest round in US Open history!!!!  62

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

My prediction of -5 winning likely out the door unless they import rough and shrink the fairways overnight. Well done Rickie. 

[Kenny B]

Schauffele ties Rickie with a 62.  Game on!!  How low can they go?  I think the USGA will be having a meeting tonight!  

2 hours ago, StrokerAce said:

over/under on the number of times the announcers mention the barranca?  I've got it at 100.

bar·ran·ca

noun

US

a narrow, winding river gorge.

They think they sound cool when they say it.  

[Kenny B]

20 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

Really hard to pick US Opens and I think this particular course is going to add some wrinkles that will place a bit more "luck of the bouce/roll" than perhaps any we've seen this year and past opens.  Also as I mentioned in another thread, having five par 3's, which statistacally score the highest across the field over the season, will likely play a big role in who ultimately hoists the hardware on Sunday.  I'm hoping for a relative "no name" surprise winner. It should be a very entertaining event.

How was that at skirting and dancing around Splatt's questions? 

C'mon Bill... it's really hard to pick any PGA Tournament these days.  

It was a tough choice to pick between Cantley, Homa, and Schauffele since they are all SoCal guys.  

[fixyurdivot]

50 minutes ago, Kenny B said:

C'mon Bill... it's really hard to pick any PGA Tournament these days.  

It was a tough choice to pick between Cantley, Homa, and Schauffele since they are all SoCal guys.  

Let's just say that if the  FTx league was based on choosing the slowest checkout line, the commisioners would be calling for an investigation.

 

[GaDawg]

Hey NBC and USA, I would like to see some golf. Been watching the coverage for over 1 hour and probably have seen 30 minutes of actual golf.

That's why The Masters is the best major every year.

[GaDawg]

21 hours ago, fixyurdivot said:

Just heard the news about Jay Monahan taking a leave for undisclosed medical reasons.  The timing of things is often so odd.  Best wishes to Jay.

He needed surgery to strengthen up his weak spine.