'Brutal' Winged Foot provides Major test

The 1974 US Open at Winged Foot was nicknamed ‘The Massacre’. Tiger Woods has called parts of this year’s course “brutal”.

Phil Mickelson fears someone will play the wrong ball out of the deep rough because so many belonging to club members have been lost there, and defending champion Michael Campbell is worried about getting a two-shot penalty for standing on his ball.

Just your typical US Open course by the sounds of it, and the United States Golf Association (USGA) must be praying things do not get out of hand as in previous years.

Twelve months ago at Pinehurst, Ian Poulter could not believe his eyes when a putt he thought he had holed bounced out of the cup, not once but twice.

Two years ago the greens at Shinnecock Hills were allowed to become so firm that an amazing 28 of the 66 players in the final round – including contenders Ernie Els and Sergio Garcia – failed to break 80.

Play even had to be suspended for emergency watering of one green after a two-foot putt missed the hole and ran 60 feet away.

The greens at Winged Foot are so far reported to be softer than expected, so perhaps the USGA have learned their lesson on that score.

But while it is unlikely the winning score will be as high as Hale Irwin’s seven-over total in 1974, anything around par will surely be in contention come Sunday afternoon.

“I only played nine holes on Monday and what I saw was brutal,” admitted defending champion Campbell.

“It’s going to be up there with the thickest and deepest rough I’ve seen. It’s probably a golfer’s nightmare this week because you can’t see the ball sometimes. If you or your caddie walk on it that's a two-shot penalty and one thing you really try to avoid.”

Speaking about the support he will receive from the fans this week on his return to competitive action following the death of his father, Earl, Woods added: “On weeks like this it’s always nice to get support because the golf courses are so brutal. These greens are some of the most severe you’ll ever face.”

Luke Donald is one of Europe’s best hopes of ending a barren run in major championships which stretches back to Paul Lawrie’s victory at Carnoustie in 1999, and a winless streak at the US Open which goes all the way back to Tony Jacklin in 1970.

And the Ryder Cup star added: “I think everyone is so wound up thinking about the rough they do forget about the greens a little bit. They are pretty ‘slopey’ in places, the first few greens especially.

“I just played the front nine this morning and on the first green it’s hard to see where they could have four pin placements.”

So far the view from the players seems to be that the course is tough but fair, and double US Open champion Ernie Els is a fan of the “graduated” rough which gets deeper the further off-line you stray.

“I think it’s a wonderful test of golf this week,” said Els. “They have got it set up very well. The rough is set up tiered and I think all the players agree with that.

“I think the way it is set up right now is as fair as I have seen in a long time. It’s a great layout. They have made some holes a lot longer than in 1997 (when the USPGA championship was won by Davis Love) but still I think this week is set up for the best player.”