Stars Set to Tackle ‘Outrageous, Zany’ 264-Metre Par-3 in Anticipation of US Open

Collin Morikawa labelled it as “absurd,” Viktor Hovland termed it “ridiculous,” while Australian Min Woo Lee quipped that the organisers had mistakenly put the wrong number on the signage.

The par-3 eighth hole at Oakmont, which is hosting the US Open this weekend, is officially listed at a staggering 264 metres – or 289 yards in the outdated measurements.

With pin and tee placements expected to shift round-to-round, it’s likely to exceed 300 yards (274 metres) during the tournament, potentially reclaiming its own record set in 2007.

“Am I the only one using a driver? This just seems absurd,” Morikawa remarked during a practice round in a video shared on social media.

“It’s the perfect choice. You don’t appear particularly at ease,” defending champion Xander Schauffele retorted.

Later on, Hovland commented, “Once you’re taking head covers off on par threes, it becomes a bit silly.”

The 312-yard 17th hole is the shortest par-4 on the course, and its minimum length this week might be shorter than the maximum length of the eighth.

Historically, the eighth at Oakmont has been notorious as one of the longest par-3 holes in US Open history. Both the final rounds of the 2007 (300 yards) and 2016 (299 yards) Opens are among the longest ‘short’ holes ever contested in the tournament.

Even dating back to the 1953 US Open, the hole measured 253 yards — longer than the average driving distance on the PGA Tour that year.

Golf tournaments are typically held as stroke play events, where the objective is to have the lowest total score across 72 holes. In such events, par serves primarily as a benchmark for establishing leaderboards, rather than a strict measure of performance.

Australian Geoff Ogilvy, who claimed the US Open in 2006, stated, “The psychology of par is fascinating.”

“When faced with a par-5 and you’re hitting your second shot with a fairway metal, there’s a possibility of making three,” he remarked.

“Conversely, when it’s a par-3, you’re being cautious not to score four or five.”

“No-one enjoys pulling out a wood on a par three. There’s a sense of pride involved, but sometimes, that’s the necessity.”

This sentiment is echoed by Schauffele, who secured both the British and US Opens last year.

“You just need to figure out the best way to make a score on this hole. Some egos might take a hit when they see others opting for drivers or long clubs,” he explained.

The US Open is intentionally designed to represent the most challenging test in golf.

“Oakmont is unforgiving,” stated USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer, the individual responsible for course setup, during a press conference on Thursday morning (AEST).

“It’s unyielding. It’s a battle. That’s the essence of the US Open.”

There are few places more illustrative of this than Oakmont, where merely 27 out of 1,385 players who have participated in a major event here have managed to finish under par.

Don’t expect that figure to rise significantly this year. Errant tee shots will likely face repercussions from dense rough that can reach up to 15cm in depth. If a player finds their ball in there, simply making progress down the fairway will be an accomplishment, let alone reaching the green.

The greens themselves are typically hard and incredibly fast. Despite heavy rainfall in Pennsylvania providing competitors with more forgiving conditions during practice rounds, forecasts indicate the course will firm up by the weekend, although more rain is anticipated on Saturday evening and Sunday local time.

Bodenhamer emphasised that the Oakmont approach is “challenging but equitable.”

“What does that imply? Quite simply, it’s not about the score; it’s about making sure every club in a player’s bag gets put to work, all 15 of them — the 14 in their bag and the one in their head. We take that very seriously,” he said.

World No.1 Scottie Scheffler noted that sheer strength and the ability to smash the ball off the tee won’t guarantee success.

Unless you find yourself in the rough, where brute force is necessary just to push the club head through the heavy grass to connect with the ball properly.

“I would assert there’s definitely a strength component when coming out of the rough,” he offered.

“I’m not entirely convinced that this is a course you can simply overpower using a bomb-and-gouge strategy, particularly with the rough being what it is.”

Scheffler is regarded as one of the best strategic players on the global golf stage, adept at knowing where to place his shots and ensuring that even if he misses, he can still be in a manageable position.

US Open Australian Tee Times (AEST)

*Denotes 10th tee

However, that’s not how it operates at Oakmont. A mistake is heavily punished. The pathway to victory will hinge significantly on finding the fairway.

“There aren’t many instances where you stand on the tee and think, ‘Right, I can afford to miss it right here; or, I can edge towards the left side of the fairway because right is really bad,'” he noted.

“In reality, if you land in the right rough, you’re probably not getting to the green. If it’s the left rough, the outcome is likely the same.”

“Thus, attempting to hit it straight down the middle is the wisest strategy.”

Australian competitors Adam Scott, Cameron Davis, Cameron Smith, Min Woo Lee, Jason Day, and Marc Leishman are joined by Kiwi Ryan Fox in the field for the tournament.

The first round is set to commence at 8:45 PM.