Weather will dictate play at U.S. Open at Oakmont
A handful of the world's top golfers played Oakmont Country Club this past week in an effort to formulate a strategy for the 116th U.S. Open.
The weather, however, is one factor that could change how the players and course play this week.
The early for forecast from weather.com calls for temperatures in the high-70s to mid-80s. There is a 60 percent chance of showers Wednesday afternoon; 90 percent chance of some storms Thursday and a 60 percent chance for showers Friday.
“The greens are going to be more perceptive if it rains,” said Darin Bevard, USGA's director of championship agronomy. “They will lose some firmness if they get moist. If we're fortunate enough to stay dry throughout the duration of the championship, the greens will get progressively firmer.
“In terms of the rough, if we get so much rain we can't mow, which doesn't look like it's in the forecast, I wouldn't predict a whole lot of change in the rough. We are essentially mowing (rough) on a daily basis.
“Obviously, the golf course would play a little bit longer because the fairways won't be as firm, either. From a strict course setup standpoint, I'm not sure a whole lot will change unless we got an absolute deluge of rain. We'll still be able to maintain the overall speed of the greens.”
In 1994, temperatures near 100 degrees were a factor.
“It was a just a brutal, brutal week heat-wise,” said Ernie Els, who beat Loren Roberts and Colin Montgomerie in a playoff. “Every day was the same. It was just dead still and just as hot as anybody who's ever been to Singapore or Malaysia. It was that hot, and there was no rain in sight.”
“The biggest impact would be putting greens because if it gets really hot, and it's wet, then we have the concern about the health of the greens,” Bevard said. “We're a guest of Oakmont Country Club, so when we leave, we would like (the members) to have a good golf course to play.”
The players, of course, know there's little course superintendent John Zimmers and Bevard can do to influence the course condition if the course is soaked with rain.
“If we get significant rainfall overnight, we would have to mow the fairways in the afternoon instead of doing it in the morning,” Bevard said. “Sometimes the timing of this is such that there's nothing you can do about it.”
In the past, golfers complained about near-unplayable conditions at Congressional in 2011 and Merion in 2013. The heat index practically was insufferable as temperatures soared into the 100s.
“Congressional was really challenging simply because the week prior, we had three of the hottest days recorded in the month of June,” Bevard said. “When it's that hot, you stop doing pretty much anything to the greens. But not only was it hot, it started raining (at Congressional). We had a lot more rain at Merion, but the temperatures weren't as bad.”
Dustin Johnson played a practice round at Oakmont on Tuesday and found the putting surfaces relatively benign targets. So, as in 2007, the first round could be highly unpredictable.
“It rained (Monday), so the course was a little soft,” said Johnson, coming off a third-place finish at the Memorial Tournament. “Other than that, the course is in fantastic condition.”
However, the USGA can counter by making the rough increasingly difficult or opting for pin placements that will demand near-perfect approach shots.
“We're going to get some rain up there,” Els said. “So they're going to get innovative, should I say, with some of the flag positions, I'm sure.”
Ralph N. Paulk is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at rpaulk@tribweb.com or via Twitter @RalphPaulk_Trib.
