Breaking down Oakmont, hole by hole, before the U.S. Open
No. 1: 482 yards, par 4 — The long, unpredictable par 4 is one of the most demanding opening holes of the four major championships. It has a very narrow drive zone, and the fairway is flanked on both sides by deep bunkers. While there are opportunities to escape a wayward drive to the left, anything wild right likely will unnerve even the most seasoned golfer. The most interesting aspect of the hole is the sometimes-awkward second shot, usually a mid-iron — or for bigger hitters, a full pitching wedge. It's rare that even the best will be able to fly the ball to the green. Most will be forced to play their iron shots 15 to 20 yards short of the putting surface. They will have to let the slope funnel the ball toward the green in hopes of having a realistic shot at birdie. The opening hole tormented Aaron Baddeley, who began the final round with the 54-hole lead in 2007. Baddeley stumbled badly off the tee before walking off the putting surface with an embarrassing triple bogey that essentially dropped him out of contention en route to an 80.
No. 2: 340 yards, par 4 — The short hole presents the field with its first realistic shot at birdie. Of course, hitting the relatively tight fairway is a must. A well played short iron can be rewarded if the tee shot is positioned properly, but it must be played underneath the hole. If you get the ball above the hole, a three-putt bogey is possible. In 2007, the tee was moved up to dare long hitters to challenge an unpredictable green guarded by an array of sand traps. Even more troublesome is the ditch left of the fairway, which is a greater degree of difficulty than escaping the bunkers. There were a few bold enough to take driver out of the bag, but mostly a driving iron or a hybrid will suffice, especially if making par is the objective. John Zimmers, Oakmont's course superintendent, suggested weather could influence tee position this year. If the course is firm, the tee could be moved up, forcing the field to consider various options.
No. 3: 426 yards, par 4 — The field will get its first glimpse of the picturesque church pews aligned strategically along the left side of the fairway. But they aren't likely to come into play, particularly for those who can smartly shape their tee shot from left to right. However, an errant shot into the sand and thick grass could be costly. Only a handful of players are likely to pull out a driver, yet the approach shot might be among the most demanding on the course. A substantial slope fronts a green shave on both sides, so any short ball will roll back down the hill. On the other hand, an overzealous approach shot will roll toward a steep collection area on the backside of the green — one that tormented Tiger Woods into a championship-crippling double-bogey in 2007. “You're in trouble in the bunkers on 3,” Zimmers said. “In my opinion, they're more penal than the church pews.”
No. 4: 609 yards, par 5 — It'll take a mammoth drive down a narrow fairway to position a player with a long-shot opportunity to reach the green in two. Chances at carding eagle or birdie could be severely challenged if the drive nestles into the church pews that divides the third and fourth fairways. It'll take a strategic drive to avoid the bunkers on the right. While some will risk hitting driver, others are likely to dial back with 3-irons or fairway woods to navigate the hole. For the most part, this is a three-shot hole that demands an accurate short iron to a green that slopes from back to front. A well executed wedge shot makes it a scoring hole. This somewhat benign par 5 proved the difference-maker in 2007 as runner-up Jim Furyk registered only a par, and winner Angel Cabrera carded a birdie en route to becoming the first Argentine to win the U.S. Open.
No. 5: 382 yards, par 4 — If a pursuer is going to make up ground early in the final round, the fifth hole affords an opportunity to jump start the round. It's a straightforward hole but was surprisingly difficult to navigate off the tee in 1994 and 2007. It was an elusive fairway nine years ago as it was hit only 50 percent of the time, partly because it's a blind tee shot. A number of players lost their drives in the fairway rough on the right and couldn't recover to make par. It takes a manageable short iron to challenge a green that slopes left to right. So hitting the right quadrant is necessary to have a legitimate shot at birdie. An aimless approach shot could swing open the door for a three-putt bogey — or worse — onto a short par 4 that has as its only defense a sometimes-bedeviling pin placements.
No. 6: 194 yards, par 3 — The first par 3 on the course features an expansion on the back portion of the green, which is new since 2007. The change has restored the green to its original design. Unless the wind is strong, a mid-iron will suffice. There's room to err — except on the right side of the green, where a bunker shot could make converting par a challenge. Missing left is far less damaging, but it still will be a challenging up-and-down, considering the stroke average in 2007 was 3.306, which made it the 11th-ranked hole of the tournament. Cabrera nearly walked away unscathed in the final round when he pulled his tee shot, but his par putt only teased the hole.
No. 7: 479 yards, par 4 —The elevated tee box, which was built for the 2007 U.S. Open, makes for a majestic view of a picturesque hole with bunkers positioned to force players to take them on with a driver or use a 3-wood to stay short of them. The elevated tee makes an accurate tee shot a must, especially with the slightest hint of wind. If they can find the fairway, they have to take aim at a small putting surface that slopes left to right. An accurate approach shot is necessary, in part, because the bunkers surrounding the green can be difficult to improve one's scrambling percentage. The seventh hole begins a four-hole stretch where making birdie will be extremely tough, considering 7, 8, 9 and 10 were among the top six toughest holes nine years ago.
No. 8: 288 yards, par 3 — Almost everyone gladly will walk away from this grueling, lengthy par 3 without losing a stroke. It played as the longest par 3 in U.S. Open history in 2007 at 300 yards, which accounted for the stroke average of 3.452. The weather will dictate club selection, but the longer hitters will have a slight advantage, mostly because they'll be able to control the spin with a long iron. But there's room enough for a wood to settle on a huge green bordered by a wide bunker, Sahara, on the left. Some will play a driver off the tee while others will play 3-woods or hybrids to keep the ball on a usually firm green, which is somewhat generous. A player will be able to chase the ball onto the green, but he must avoid the cross bunker placed about 40 yards in front of the green.
No. 9: 477 yards, par 4 — This hole was played as a par 5 before it was converted to a 4 in 2007. The players will have a blind, uphill tee shot that easily can find its way in the deep rough or a row of fairway bunkers on the right. It's an unsettling sight from the tee as the players will have to fly the ball between a ditch on the left and the bunkers. But navigating an iconic, mind-twisting green will be the key. There's no guarantee that a perfectly executed approach shot will remain planted on the green. It's a large green that is visually challenging, considering the practice green is framed in the background. The green has tremendous movement and is often tamed with an aggressive tee shot and a wedge. Cabrera lofted a sand wedge onto the putting surface in 2007, but it's hardly the norm. Even if a tee shot is placed in the middle of a narrow landing area in the fairway, hitting the wrong quadrant creates a difficult two-putt.
No. 10: 462 yards, par 4 — Predictably, this hole played as the second-toughest hole in 2007. It has similar playing features as the first hole. The hole slopes severely to the green in downhill nature. Golfers have to keep the tee shot in the fairway, partly because it pitches right to left. It's an unforgiving putting surface that usually rejects approach shots that are lofted onto the green. If the players carry the ball onto the green, it's likely to roll through the back. It's another one where players have to contemplate what the ball will do when it hits the ground. Their best option is to land the ball 10 to 15 yards short of the green. It'll take a mid- to short iron approach shot, but shorter hitters may need a 6-iron to reach. It won't play 462 yards because of the severe downhill. So a long iron or hybrid off the tee will be the preferred choice.
No. 11: 379 yards, par 4 — The players can exhale when they step onto this tee. They finally will catch a break after going through the gauntlet over the previous four holes. Most should be able to put the ball in the fairway with a long iron or 3-wood. This would be an unforced error if the balls ends up in the 2½-inch primary rough on a fairway that slopes left to right. The uphill tee shot will have to be played for position. If successful, they'll have a manageable club to a small target on a level green with a unique angle. Still, it'll require a cautious approach shot that must be played under the hole for the best chance at birdie.
No. 12: 667 yards, par 5 — The big hitters might be able to reach the green in two, but this monstrous par 5 will not be easily conquered. Typically, it's a three-shot hole, which requires a precise iron into an unforgiving green. At 632 yards, it'll be reachable as the fairway slopes severely, which moves the ball left to right. There's been a modification of the original design: Three bunkers that were added short and left of the green have been removed, and the existing cross bunker was extended about 10 yards to the fairway. “It was amazing the percentage of shots hit in regulation was quite low,” said championship manager Jeff Hall. The signature hole is reachable depending on wind and downhill slope. If a player covers the cross bunker, he'll be faced with the possibility of having the ball roll into the severely steeped bunkers guarding the green. The green is severely sloped from front to back to front, which is one of the most overlooked aspects of the hole. The Frown design is unlike most courses, which are set to slope front to back.
No. 13: 183 yards, par 3 — For the most part, this hole didn't damage players' scorecards in 2007. Yet it'll demand discipline off the tee. The players will need only a mid- to short iron to put the ball below the hole, which is an ideal position for birdie. While an aggressive tee shot will be required for an opportunity at birdie but a wayward iron could make for an unenviable shot onto the green out of the bunkers. The trouble spot is anything above the hole, partly because it's a quirky green that can't be underestimated. Cabrera was one of only a handful of players to complete the tournament by finishing in red numbers (1-under) on the hole. Furyk kept his championship hopes alive by recording birdies in the second and final rounds.
No. 14: 358 yards, par 4 — It's a rare birdie opportunity but requires a well placed tee shot. Some might try to conquer the hole by challenging it off the tee. It's one of a few risk-reward holes, considering the fairway and putting surface are guarded by deep bunkers. Cabrera played the hole conservatively, making par all four days. It lacks the significant undulated green of many others, so a bogey here could be the result of a careless approach shot on a green that isn't as big and bold as some holes, but large and somewhat flat. The green is sometimes hard to read, but Furyk made a charge on the final day by carding birdies on 13, 14 and 15 in 2007. Realistically, most everyone in the field will circle this as a birdie hole because ranked it 18th in 2007. Still, bogies loom for those who get out of position off the tee.
No. 15: 500 yards, par 4 — It's a hole that runs away from the clubhouse downhill, and the fairway slopes left to right. Deep rough with fairway bunkers are strategically positioned. It'll be a difficult tee shot for some, but the green is deep and long, thus an uninviting target for those trying to reach it with a long iron. A back pin placement is a favorable position for birdie even for those rolling the ball onto the green. The bunker right of the putting green is likely a stroke-killer because it's proven to be among the toughest to get up and down for par. The sensible goal here, especially on the final day, is getting out with a par. Cabrera did one better by carding a birdie in the fourth round. It gave him enough room to err down the stretch with bogeys on 16 and 17 as his lead dwindled with Woods and Furyk still challenging.
No. 16: 231 yard, par 3 — The longest par 3 on the back nine is a test of a control swing. Long irons and hybrids are likely clubs of choice. But if the wind is howling, the gallery could witness an array of shots with myriad club selections. Ernie Els found the green with a 5-iron en route to winning at Oakmont in 1994. But others likely will need 6-irons to hybrids to reach a green that slopes on both sides. The deep bunker on the front right is largely penal, and the three bunkers on the left could be par-killers, as well. The 16th is probably best remembered for Larry Nelson's improbable 63-foot birdie to win the championship in 1983. The final round was delayed until Monday after rain halted play Sunday. So after a long, mentally draining overnight wait, Nelson calmly sank his putt. “You have to play a quality shot to make par on 16,” Hall said.
No. 17: 313 yards, par 4 — It's perhaps the most memorable hole on the course. There are many options for the players to consider. In 2007, the tee was moved incrementally forward, and Sunday it was reachable with a driver. In the final round, contenders had to decide whether to attack the green with a wedge or go for broke on this risk-reward hole. The famous big-mouth bunker got a lot of action in the final round. It takes discipline to play the hole but requires guts and creativity to conquer. The rough is extremely deep, and golfers won't aim for the sand. “If we've got the bunkers right, they don't want to be in the bunker,” Hall said. “That is one heck of a bunker shot they'll have to play.” Indeed, it's a pivotal hole that has played a key role in determining the outcome of the previous eight U.S. Opens at Oakmont.
No. 18: 484 yards, par 4 — For golfers a shot behind the leader, some risk will be required on this hole. “If you have a one-stroke lead here in the final round, par is not a given,” Hall said. Cabrera, though, two-putted from 40 feet for the clubhouse lead, then watched anxiously as Woods and Furyk missed birdie attempts. The ditch on the left side of fairway could be costly. It won't be easy squeezing a drive down the center of the fairway with the right-side bunkers and ditches as obstacles. “When you stand on the 18th tee it doesn't look like it can wreck your round,” Zimmers said. “It's very intimidating.” The approach is typically a blind shot to an elevated green. The approach, usually a mid- to long iron, is an uphill shot to a very demanding green with tremendous movement. The traditional back-right hole placement requires nothing less than an accurate shot onto the green.
Ralph N. Paulk is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at rpaulk@tribweb.com or via Twitter @RalphPaulk_Trib.
