A test only the best will survive

They call it the toughest test in golf, the US Open, and the class of 2014 are going to find in Pinehurst No 2 one of the most exacting examinations of their credentials as the second Major of the year gets under way in North Carolina today.

The champion golfer who passes the test come Sunday night will truly have earned his title on this par-70, 7,652-yard Donald Ross course carved out of the sandhills here in 1901 and restored to something very close to its original, natural look by Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore three years ago.

Bill and Ben proved to be golf’s own flowerpot men, getting rid of the rough that made it a more run of the mill US Open layout when Michael Campbell won against the odds here in 2005 and re-introducing native areas of wire grass scrub and sand. The fairways have been stripped of all but a central sprinkler system, giving them lush central channels, getting firmer as they meet the edges, requiring accuracy off the tee, while the now hardened, crowned putting surfaces have been given extra teeth with greenside rough removed to leave collection areas that will demand creativity to get the ball back on.

Mental strength will be a must, patience so much more than a virtue and facet of this week’s competitors’ games will be examined. Graeme McDowell suggested in yesterday’s Irish Examiner that success here would be derived with a combination of the most pars and the best scrambling, a requirement for grind and imagination.

“It’s going to be a real mental test this week,” 2011 US Open champion Rory McIlroy yesterday. “You’re going to have to be really focused for all 18 holes. There are going to be times this week where you’re thinking, ‘okay, if I can’t keep this on the green, where is the best place to miss it? Is it the front bunker, is it off the right side of the green.”

World No 1 Adam Scott, like McIlroy one of the contenders for this title at Pinehurst, agreed with his rival. “There are some areas which you really don’t want to find yourself and then there are some other areas which are fairly playable and you’ll get away with missing,” Scott said.

“Everyone is going to miss a few more greens this week than they’re used to. So they better be ready for that. And patience will be tested. But certainly these chipping areas provide you with a lot of different options on how to play a shot. So imagination is going to be a big thing.”

A par machine with a great short game would make American Matt Kuchar very confident of winning his first Major this weekend. Kuchar is second behind Sergio Garcia in the PGA Tour’s scoring average leader list, with McIlroy right behind him, followed by Masters champion Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth and Harris English.

No mention of Phil Mickelson there but form is not necessarily any indicator for success in the Majors where Lefty is concerned. A Mickelson victory at the course where he was denied victory in 1999 by Payne Stewart’s memorable 18-foot par putt at the last, would be the win for the ages.

That was the first of six runner-up finishes, the most recent last year coming at Merion, when Justin Rose was victorious. Mickelson rebounded in style to win the British Open the following month, his capture of the Claret Jug completing three-quarters of the grand slam.

Having switched grips to cure recent putting problems, Mickelson, who turns 44 on Monday, is the one player to defy form, his creativity around the greens unmatched and his determination to win this tournament undimmed.

A Mickelson win would send Pinehurst into raptures but what of the chances of someone emulating Campbell in 2005 and defying the pundits by outclassing McIlroy, Scott, Spieth and the other favourites?

If you’re looking an outsider, McDowell suggested one very close to home, Ireland’s US Open international qualifier winner and BMW PGA Championship runner-up.

“Shane Lowry’s an extremely talented golfer. He’s got two prerequisites for this week, he drives the ball fantastic and he’s got a great short game. Those are two things that are required and he’s got to mix that up with some patience and discipline this week,” McDowell said.

“That’s not saying that he doesn’t have that. I’m saying that’s what’s required around this golf course. He uses his weapons, mix that up with some real good patience and he’s got a chance this week.

“He’s got the game that could win Major championships, no doubt about it, and golf courses like this will teach him discipline and patience very quickly. It all comes with experience.”

TODAY’S US OPEN TEE-TIMES

(USA unless stated, all times Irish)

Starting at hole 1bb

11.45am: D Berger, B Stegmaier, C Wilson

11.56am: B Stuard, A Pavan (Ita), M Siem (Ger)

12.07pm: R Castro, M Jones (Aus), M Every

12.18pm: J Day (Aus), B Snedeker, S Garcia (Spa)

12.19pm: L Westwood (Eng), H Stenson (Swe), M Kuchar

12.40pm: R McIlroy (Irl), G McDowell (Irl), W Simpson

12.51pm: T Jaidee (Tha), I Poulter (Eng), M Angel Jimenez (Spa)

1.02pm: J Blixt (Swe), J Luiten (Ned), N Watney

1.13pm: B Horschel, R Allenby (Aus), B Hurley III

1.24pm: A Baddeley (Aus), A Price (Aus), O Goss (Aus)

1.35pm: C Barlow, T Lewis (Eng), J Thomas

1.46pm: B Watt (Aus), R Shelton, M Dobyns

1.57pm: C Rask, N Mason, B Campbell

5.30pm: B Gates, S Alker (Nzl), G Mulroy (SA)

5.41pm: K Miyazato (Jpn), N Fasth (Swe), H Swafford

5.52pm: J Senden (Aus), B Koepka, N Colsaerts (Bel)

6.03pm: D Johnson, V Dubuisson (Fra), J Walker

6.14pm: Y.E. Yang (Kor), J Leonard, S Cink

6.25pm: C Schwartzel (SA), B Watson, A Scott (Aus)

6.36pm: E Els (SA), L Oosthuizen (SA), D Clarke (Irl)

6.47pm: M Kaymer (Ger), K Bradley, J Dufner

6.58pm: J Donaldson (Wal), H Mahan, F Molinari (Ita)

7.09pm: G Fdez-Castano (Spa), B Van Pelt, S Noh (Kor)

7.20pm: L Guthrie, D Willett (Eng), C Whitsett

7.31pm: J Renner, K Tway, C Doak (Sco)

7.42pm: A Dorn, C Thompson, C Gribble

Starting at hole 10

11.45am: H Norlander (Swe), R Oppenheim, L Bjerregaard (Den)

11.56am: C Collins, K Kisner, K Lee (Jpn)

12.02pm: B Todd, R Henley, C Kirk

12.07pm: E Compton, S Langley, P Larrazabal (Spa)

12.18pm: K Na, R Moore, P Reed

12.29pm: B Weekley, S Gallacher (Sco), D.A. Points

12.40pm: Z Johnson, D Toms, A Cabrera (Arg)

12.51pm: J Rose (Eng), P Mickelson, (x) M Fitzpatrick (Eng)

1.13pm: H Matsuyama (Jpn), R Fowler, J Spieth

1.24pm: K Sutherland, J Maggert, K Perry

1.35pm: M Kieffer (Ger), W Liang (Chn), S Kapur (Ind)

1.46pm: M Mcnealy, S Kaufman, B McIver

1.57pm: A Broussard, N Lindheim, W Grimmer

5.30pm: A Cejka (Ger), G Storm (Eng), D Oh

5.41pm: A Echavarria (Col), C Wittenberg, O Fisher (Eng)

5.52pm: J Ogilvie, M Wilson, K Duke

6.03pm: J Furyk, B Haas, S Stricker

6.14pm: B De Jonge , S Lowry (Irl), K Stadler

6.25pm: P Casey (Eng), H English, L Donald (Eng)

6.36pm: J.B. Holmes, G Delaet (Can), G Woodland

6.47pm: R Goosen (SA), G Ogilvy (Aus), L Glover

6.58pm: B Wiesberger (Aut), T Taniguchi (Jpn), H Kim (Kor)

7.09pm: R Palmer, K Streelman, R Pampling (Aus)

7.20pm: D Gossett, R Blaum, A Yano (Jpn)

7.31Pm: S Griffiths (Eng), F Quinn, D Constable

7.42pm: Z Blair, J Millard, H Stewart