145th Open Championship

Which they were at Shinnecock in 2004 because of the wind. Give the R&A credit. It looked at the forecast, saw the winds were going to be up hugely so it adjusted. No rolling or mowing of greens, tees moved up. The winds didn't reach the forecast. The R&A shrugs and says, "That's the Open."

Only 17 players broke par. Two of them were off-the-charts insane. Tip your cap to them and say well done. But only 17 players under par? That's a tough course. The USGA would have fired every groundskeeper who cut a blade of grass had the winning score got to 20 under buried somewhere.

Tell me again what was better to watch? The crap show the USGA puts on every year, including its debacle at Oakmont? Or the shootout at Troon? Sure, it looked like the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic out there, but in reality, you had two players who played out of their minds. Love links golf.

Again, tip of the cap and say well done. And F the USGA.

 

I think you're right on Erin Hills, especially because the last Wisconsin major was the PGA at Whistling last year and the scores were super low, led by Day and Spieth at 20 and 17 under (and unlike the Open, plenty more guys at double-digits under par). Comparisons to that will be inevitable leading up to the event, and the USGA will surely want to differentiate itself. In other words, ridiculous golf.

 

If the USGA cares about par, just make it 68 and be done with it. All par-5s become par-4s. Convert some 450-yard par-4s into par 3s. I've said it over the years: Par is just a number. It means nothing. Whoever hits the ball the fewest times over 72 holes wins. If the USGA wants to make a course a par-18, go for it.

 

It's not bad, it's just hot as F in the summer. But that's why the lake is there. There are worse places to go.