US public preview, Oakmont expects

Check out our writers and editors weekly unfiltered opinions on the sport’s hottest topics and join the conversation by tweeting on @Golf_Com. This week, discussing next week’s U.S. Open, Oakmont will serve as a venue and more.

The 125th U.S. Open began Thursday at Oakmont Country Club outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy being the champions of the year’s first two Grand Slams – as betting favorites. We’ll look for them, but first of all, what’s your favorite Oakmont storyline? No Involved in the above duo?

Josh Sens, Senior Writer (@Joshsens). Bryson DeChambeau or not, Bryson DeChambeau has become the most reliable and compelling player in the Grand Slam. He said he will return to his tinker’s workshop before the U.S. Open. It would be fun to see his skills at Oakmont, not to mention his brute force on such a brave lesson.

Senior writer Dylan Dethier (@dylan_dethier): My week with Sens-Bryson will be fascinating. He’s been playing well, he’s driving the ball, he’s also won last year’s U.S. Open and Brave Foot Test, and he has new irons in the game…he’s going to get a lot of attention. But I found myself attracted to the US Ryder Cup and its potential members. Suddenly there are only two majors left, which means that if some players in the 7-15 range have a big week, Bethpage might suddenly include players we wouldn’t have guessed at the beginning of the year. Ben Griffin? JJ Spaun? Tom Hogg? Or, of course, Keegan Bradley?

Assistant Editor Zephyr Melton (@zephyrmelton): Love Bryson’s take – It’s always fun to see what kind of tricks he has on professional sleeves. My favorite storyline will be the performance of the course. We all know that Oakmont is arrogant, and early reports suggest that the score may be High. I can’t wait to see the best solution in the world.

Schefller entered the week, winning three of his last four games but not yet won the U.S. Open. Like Oakmont, the challenging, crazy American Open Test, like the Birds Festival setting elsewhere, actually improves his chances of winning, or brings him closer to the court?

Sens: Creams tend to rise and rise on difficult courses. The only part of the game sometimes Bedevils Scheffler is his putter, while Oakmont’s Greens’ next level challenge. But I suspect this week will only highlight the gap between Schefler and everyone else.

Desier: Overall, this should improve his chances because he is doing well at the moment. But it will be fun to watch Scheffler and other areas! – Browse the psychological tests of the world’s hardest golf courses. Scheffler’s mental games are usually great, but he runs very hot. I’m glad to see him deal with such a cruel setting.

Melton: Scottie is not a pony. He won with Birds Festival (Byron Nelson) and slogans (memorials), so I wouldn’t say that any of the settings would affect his chances. That said, if he didn’t attend Sunday, I would be shocked.

After finishing the top 20 in all eight games (including three wins), Rory McIlroy tied for 47th in the PGA and entered the RBC Canadian Open this week with a 71-78 absence. An unsettling trend? Or a few outliers? How does Rory’s game translate to Oakmont?

Sens: Rory continues to move on, his game will translate into any course. But recent signs are unsettling. The unstable drive he’s been hitting lately will not work in Oakmont. McIlroy has made some comments on his Augusta’s motivational level and I won’t pick him in the office pool.

Desir: McIlroy’s trip to Canada was strange from beginning to end. One thing he said at the pre-race press conference shocked me: “You have this incident in your life, and it’s hard to find the motivation to ride again and go again at times.” It’s obvious that he’s experiencing some sort of disappointment from his master. When will he snatch it from it? Professional golf is the ultimate hone, and the US Open is triple. I’m sure he’s still eager to compete and win, but if he had a little elsewhere, it would be enough to get rid of everything. We will have a good feel for McIlroy this week – his swing, his thoughts, grinding.

Melton: After completing his career, after the Grand Slams, it seems that the Grand Slam has caught up with him – can you blame him? The burden of ten years has finally been lifted. I could see that falling from that haste would lead to the reauthorization of the rocks. With Rory’s talent, he wins almost every week, but the popular way he plays, I’ll put my money on someone else next week.

In Canada, McIlroy has spoken with the media for the first time since his pre-match press conference at PGA, explaining why he didn’t meet with reporters after the Quail Hollow tour (“a little weird week”) and adding some context to the failed driver test plot (he also failed, but his name failed). What do you think of Rory’s comments and how he opened the situation?

Sens: He is usually thoughtful, especially when talking about the frustration he was picked out, and doesn’t want to throw Scheffler’s name into the conversation. All of this makes sense. But otherwise, it is not very good for his reasons not to talk to the reporter. Of course, technically, he doesn’t have to stop on the podium. But blowing up the press is still bad. It only takes a few minutes to ask a few questions – paying a small price for the obscene money he earns.

Desir: McIlroy should I talked to the media at PGA, not because he “owes us” or something, but just as a tactical decision to bring the balloon out of it. That being said, if you use this driver’s storyline as some sort of marker for McIlroy, it’s because you already don’t like him or deliberately misunderstood the situation. There are a lot of people in both camps, so this will continue to linger in the cross-platform social media comment section – but he cautiously opened up the situation and I think we should all move on except for revisiting the driver testing protocol.

Melton: If Rory only took a few minutes to the press in Quail Hollow, he could control the narrative. On the contrary, this is still A month later storyline. I can understand his frustration with the information leaked to the press, but he just threw fuel through ghost media.

This week will be said and written a lot about the difficulties of Oakmont, one of the five USGA’s public anchor courses that are ready to host the 10th National Championship. It’s Oakmont The best Our open venue?

Sens: From a design perspective, this is my personal favorite. But the competition is also for TV entertainment. And it’s hard to get images from attractions like pebbled beaches and shinnecock. Finally I checked it out and Pjnehurst made some nice electric finishes. Don’t want to be Mealy Hmouth here. We just want to say that they rotate the hosting website is good.

Desier: This will be my first week at Oakmont, which has left me fired and I will be able to answer better on the weekend. But my instinct is Yes This seems to be the US open testing, even if it makes sense. We can debate whether the Greater Pittsburgh is located in the Midwest later this week, but there is something special about a legendary club in the heart of the United States, which is cruel rough, ridiculous green and historical levels that stir up the soul.

Melton: It certainly fits the USGA likes to showcase the brave test mold. Whether this is the best debate, but it is definitely there. I can’t wait to see the Holocaust.

OK, enough for Scottie, Rory, Tricky Greens and Rough Rough. Who is the sleeper to watch in Oakmont?

Sens: Harris English has three top 10 out of his last five U.S. openings. He has always performed well, too. At 100-1, he earned a decent sensation for your office pool.

Desir: Sens stole my man. I also went to Keegan Bradley (sleepy, if not all-black horse), Cameron Young (who was on the 72nd hole opened by the RCMP, which he described as “a lot of anger” but should have been well set), and Max Greyserman was cuz.

Melton: Don’t love Ben Griffin? He has been as popular as anyone in the past month, who can say he won’t go on?