There is a macabre satisfaction that comes with watching the US Open. Seven Australians and Kiwis Danny Lee and Ryan Fox are in the field for the 2022 US Open Championship at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, a course dripping in history and which shapes as a traditionally brutal examination by the United States Golf Association.
Fairways that pinch in from the sides, rough that envelops all balls that venture into their realm and greens that roll like a granite benchtop make it a championship based more on survival than sub-par scoring.
Only four times in the history of the championship has the winner finished more than double figures under par and five times since 2005 the winning score has been over par.
One of only two Australians to win the men’s US Open, Geoff Ogilvy finished five-over when he triumphed at Winged Foot in 2006 and didn’t mince words when asked to define what the US Open stands for.
“It’s a brutal week,” Ogilvy said on the Fox Sports US Open Preview show.
“Every hole that you play for 72 holes in a row is the hardest hole you’ve ever played.
“They have the biggest stands, the most amount of people; it is an assault on your senses in every way.”
The US Open returns to Brookline for the first time since 1988 when Curtis Strange defeated Nick Faldo by four strokes in an 18-hole playoff after the pair completed 72 holes in six-under.
In a tough week for the Aussie contingent, Rodger Davis and 1981 champion David Graham were our best in a tie for 47th, a week that reinforced to Davis the difficulty of US Open set-ups.
“It was one of those weeks where it was just a struggle from virtually the first hole on,” said Davis. “You don’t tend to have too many good memories of those weeks.
“I do remember though that the last hole was a hell of a finishing hole. I do remember that.
“It also had a lot of blind tee shots. The only course that I know of that perhaps has more would be Prestwick.”
With coach Denis McDade onsite to aid his preparation – and also that of Major debutant Todd Sinnott – Marc Leishman is hoping to improve on his modest US Open record to date.
Leishman’s best US Open finish is a tie for 18th at Oakmont in 2016 and he is anticipating another stern US Open test.
“I’ve heard that it’s extremely difficult,” Leishman said on the Fox Sports US Open Preview.
“It’s an old-school US Open venue with narrow fairways and the weather forecast looks good for it to be firm and fast which sets up good for the Aussies.
“I feel like when the ball’s bouncing that’s when we come to the top. Hopefully it’s me but if it’s not me hopefully one of the Aussie boys can pull it off.”
Proving that Australians can excel at Brookline is the fact that Bruce Crampton was tied for fifth in 1963, finishing two shots outside the playoff won by Julius Boros over Arnold Palmer and Jacky Cupit.
Adam Scott is the first of the Aussies on-course from 9.29pm on Thursday night (AEST) with Cameron Smith in a marquee group along with two-time US Open champion Brooks Koepka and current world No.1 Scottie Scheffler at 3.25am.
TV coverage
Wednesday
9am-11am Live from the US Open on Fox Sports 503
Thursday
9am-11am Live from the US Open on Fox Sports 503
Friday
1am-9am Live Round 1 coverage on Fox Sports 503
9am-11am Live from the US Open on Fox Sports 503
Saturday
1am-9am Live Round 2 coverage on Fox Sports 503
9am-11am Live from the US Open on Fox Sports 503
Sunday
2am-10am Live Round 3 coverage on Fox Sports 503
10am-12pm Live from the US Open on Fox Sports 503
Monday
2am-10am Live Round 4 coverage on Fox Sports 503
10am-12pm Live from the US Open on Fox Sports 503
Round 1 tee times AEST
9.29pm Adam Scott, Jordan Spieth, Max Homa
10.02pm* Marc Leishman, Keegan Bradley, Aaron Wise
2.30am* Jed Morgan, Taylor Montgomery, Sean Crocker
3.25am Min Woo Lee, Joohyung Kim, Seamus Power
3.25am* Cameron Smith, Brooks Koepka, Scottie Scheffler
3.58am Danny Lee, Keita Nakajima (a), Nick Taylor
4.09am* Lucas Herbert, Jason Kokrak, Harris English
4.20am Ryan Fox, Richard Bland, Rikuya Hoshino
4.31am Todd Sinnott, Jonas Blixt, Bo Hoag
Australian Player Profiles
Cameron Smith
World ranking: 6
Age: 28
Major wins: 0
PGA Tour wins: 5
Best finish at US Open: T4 in 2015
Best finish in 2022: Won Sentry Tournament of Champions, THE PLAYERS Championship
Key stat: 1.767 Strokes Gained: Total (4th)
How he qualified: Winners of the Players Championship in 2021 and 2022; Those players qualifying for the season-ending 2021 Tour Championship.
Adam Scott
World ranking: 43
Age: 41
Major wins: 1 (2013 Masters)
PGA Tour wins: 14
Best finish at US Open: T4 in 2005
Best finish in 2022: T4 at Genesis Invitational
Key stat: 311.6 yards Average Driving Distance (17th)
How he qualified: From the current Official Golf Rankings, the top 60 point leaders and ties as of May 23, 2022.
Lucas Herbert
World ranking: 46
Age: 26
Major wins: 0
PGA Tour wins: 1
Best finish at US Open: T31 (2020)
Best finish in 2022: T7 Arnold Palmer Invitational
Key stat: 0.883 Strokes Gained: Putting (3rd)
How he qualified: From the current Official Golf Rankings, the top 60 point leaders and ties as of May 23, 2022.
Marc Leishman
World ranking: 52
Age: 38
Major wins: 0
PGA Tour wins: 6
Best finish at US Open: T18 in 2016
Best finish in 2022: T10 Sentry Tournament of Champions
Key stat: 59.09 per cent Putting from 10 Feet (7th)
How he qualified: From the current Official Golf Rankings, the top 60 point leaders and ties as of May 23, 2022.
Min Woo Lee
World ranking: 64
Age: 23
Major wins: 0
PGA Tour wins: 0
Best finish at US Open: First appearance
Best finish in 2022: T4 Fortinet Australian PGA Championship
Key stat: 320.7 yards Average Driving Distance (2nd)
How he qualified: From the current Official Golf Rankings, the top 60 point leaders and ties as of May 23, 2022.
Jed Morgan
World ranking: 247
Age: 22
Major wins: 0
PGA Tour wins: 0
Best finish at US Open: First appearance
Best finish in 2022: Won Fortinet Australian PGA Championship
How he qualified: From the 2020/21 ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia Final Order of Merit, the top finisher who is not otherwise exempt as of May 23.
Todd Sinnott
World ranking: 439
Age: 30
Major wins: 0
PGA Tour wins: 0
Best finish at US Open: First appearance
Best finish in 2022: Won TPS Victoria
How he qualified: Top three finisher at Final Qualifying at Caledonian GC in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.
Championship site
https://www.usopen.com/
Social Media
Twitter: @usopengolf
Instagram: @usopengolf
Hashtag: #USOpen
