OAKMONT, Pa. — If you’re a fan of golf and revel in watching the best players in the world suffer like you do while playing the maddening sport, tune into the 125th U.S. Open, which begins Thursday at Oakmont.
There will be pain.
Shane Lowry, who finished runner-up in the 2016 U.S. Open, the last time it was played at Oakmont, walked off the course after a nine-hole practice round Tuesday and looked knackered.
“It is exhausting,’’ Lowry said. “I’m not going to do much else today. Just a lot of rest.’’
Lowry, after playing the Memorial two weeks ago, had planned a reconnaissance trip to Oakmont on his way to play the Canadian Open last week.
But after having a conversation with Rory McIlroy, who’d made an earlier visit to the course and was beaten up by it, Lowry decided to skip it.
McIlroy said he shot an 81.
“It felt impossible,’’ McIlroy said. “I birdied the last two holes for 81. It felt pretty good. It didn’t feel like I played that bad.’’
“After talking to Rory, I was happy I didn’t come,’’ Lowry said.
Gil Hanse, perhaps the most sought-after golf course designer, reworked Oakmont to prepare it for this U.S. Open. He said over breakfast Wednesday morning that he was given one edict from the club membership.
“Make sure you don’t leave the course any easier than it was before you’re finished with your work,’’ Hanse said. “This might be the only club membership I’ve worked for that wanted its course more difficult than it was before I did any work on it.’’
This is Oakmont’s record 10th U.S. Open.
Dustin Johnson’s winning score in 2016 was 4-under par. In 2007, Angel Cabrera won at 5-over. Ernie Els won at 5-under in 1994, Larry Nelson won at 4-under in 1983, Johnny Miller won at 5-under in 1973 and Jack Nicklaus won at 1-under in 1963.
The course is wet from a lot of rain in recent weeks, and thunderstorms are in the forecast Friday to Sunday. Even in the wet conditions, Hanse predicted a winning score 1- or 2-under. Without more rain, he believes the winning score will be 1- or 2-over.
“You’re aware of what a golf tournament here is going to be like,’’ former U.S. Open winner Jon Rahm said. “It’s going to be a challenge. A lot of unfortunate things are going to happen. It’s hard fairways to hit, bad lies, difficult bunkers, difficult greens. It’s going to be a nice test, a difficult test. And I think one of the truest representations of what a U.S. Open is all about.
“It’s just a tough course. If it doesn’t rain, most likely over par will win again. It’s something that none of us, I would say, are used to, but it’s a challenge you need to embrace. If there’s any part of your game that will be tested on a week like this, it will be your mental game, that’s for sure.’’
Rahm was asked if he’d like to be a member at Oakmont if he lived nearby.
“I would say yes just because you’d be able to say you’re a member at Oakmont and play it whenever you want,’’ he said. “Would I play here every day? No. I actually met with a member at a function [Monday] and I was asking him, ‘Do you play Oakmont every single day?’
“I feel like, when they set it up hard — like if they have a superintendent’s revenge here — I don’t know what the average score must be. I think 90 percent of the field doesn’t finish. It could be absolutely impossible.’’
The rough is high and juicy. The fairways are narrow. And the greens are rock hard. Other than that …
The par-3 eighth hole will be pushed to some 300 yards.
Collin Morikawa, in a practice round earlier in the week, mistook it for a short par-4.
“Yeah, I completely forgot that that was the long par-3, and I honestly asked my caddie and everyone in the group, ‘Do you go for this par-4 or do you lay up?’ ’’ Morikawa said. “I’ll probably hit driver or 3-wood and hopefully hit the green. Just hit and hope, honestly. It’s a hole I’ll take four pars right now and walk away.’’
That probably goes for all 18 of the holes at Oakmont this week.