OAKMONT, Pa – The Oakmont 8th has conjured up some serious conversation at this week’s U.S. Open, with some pros whining about its severe length – 288 yards with the tee pushed back.
After a number of amateurs were hitting 5-iron into the hole, then measuring at 252 yards, during the 2003 U.S. Amateur, the USGA had a new tee built 36 yards back. There is a huge bunker, called “Sahara,” situated about 220 yards from the tee to the front left of the green, which, unlike most of those on the course, is relatively flat with little undulation.
Most of the pros are hitting 3-woods and 5-woods. Tiger Woods said he’s hit some 3-irons there with the tee up. Woods, who’s been short of the green using some 3-woods, joked that using a driver on a par 3 “is against my religion.” Some players who are not as long as Woods and the other big hitters, however, are hitting drivers to get there.
No. 17, at 313 yards the shortest par 4 on the course, is only 25 yards longer than No. 8.
The following is a sampling of comments from the players about No. 8:
Jerry Kelly: “It’s not the longest par 3 in U.S. Open history. It’s the shortest par 4 in U.S. Open history.”
Woods: “It’s what? A 900-yard par 3?”
Geoff Ogilvy: “We don’t have driver or 3-wood par 3s. Everyone has been talking about that hole for quite a while. If it blows into the wind, no one is going to get there in one.”
Arron Oberholser: “Why does the USGA even have par? Why not just have 18 holes out here with distances? Lowest score wins. Forget about par. The USGA doesn’t play by the rules anyway.”
Phil Mickelson: “You don’t know what to call it. It’s probably a par 31/2, so the USGA is going to round up or down. Well, we know what way that is going to go.”
Sergio Garcia: “If you make 4, you’re not really losing a lot of ground. There’s not going to be many 2s there. Hopefully, you make your 3 and run to the next tee. Get out of there as quickly as possible.”