Mother Nature is In Charge of the US Open

In a previous article about how tough the player that wins is going to have to be and I put a caveat in there about the weather.  As difficult as Oakmont is Mother Nature can change its personality overnight and there is very little the USGA can do.  The proof of that is what happened in 1973.

Through three rounds the leaders were tied at -3 and then it rained.  The next day Johnny Miller starts the day early at +3 with nothing to lose and shoots 63 to win by a shot.  I will give him his due that when he got it going he could hit it closer to the hole than anybody I have ever seen.  When you combine that with rain softened greens, it allowed him to hit eighteen greens and have only 29 putts.  John Schlee, in the final group could only summon a round of 70 and lost by a shot.

Mother Nature is cooperating a little more this year.  She did soak the course yesterday and Wednesday night with 3+ inches of rain which made it easier for someone to go out and shoot -4 and will probably produce some more good rounds today as the course dries out.

The forecast for Saturday and Sunday is for dry conditions with temperatures in the low 80’s with a light breeze.  By late Saturday and especially Sunday we should see Oakmont in all her glory.  As the founder and designer Henry Clay said originally:

“Let the clumsy, the spineless, the alibi artist stand aside!”

I also liked the comment made by Shane Lowry who said it his way:

“No bluffers are winning this week.”

By Sunday it may be what I predicted in a previous article, more like a Rocky movie than a normal golf tournament.

Cover Photo via Instagram