US Open Diary: Sergio Garcia draws the flak as players bemoan greens

Sergio Garcia was not the only player at Chambers Bay to question the quality of the putting surfaces at this week’s US Open but having taken to his Twitter account to air a much-shared view, the Spaniard the Americans love to heckle inevitably drew the most flak.

Rory McIlroy had called the inconsistent greens, where the fine fescue has been infiltrated by a faster growing poa annua grass, “not the best I have putted on” as he shot an opening two-over-par 72 on Thursday, while Colin Montgomerie, despite an impressive one-under 69 from the 51-year-old Scot, was more strident, labelling the greens, “very, very poor”.

Garcia, still searching for his first major title, tweeted via @TheSergioGarcia, writing that his opening round of 70 could have been better the way he played “but this greens are as bad as the look on TV.”