Interesting course. Not sure I’d like to play it. Not a huge fan of links. I think the lack of clear borders for the greens - in addition to the lack of trees, would make it really tough to get a sense of distance. The game is going to go to whoever can hit the fairways, and then make the iron shots in. Awfully penalizing rough - which is to be expected in a US Open. But that first one Tiger hit off the side of a hill had me thinking of Ed Norton giving Ralph Kramden golf lessons - “What am I, a mountain goat?!”
A lot of the announcing seemed like an ad for the course and Trent Jones. How many times can they say “Spring silver and summer gold” or whatever bullshit. Liked when the commentator said 17 was supposedly inspired by 17 at Pebble, and asked Norman if he saw the resemblance. Norman said something like “Not at all.” 
Some of the greens almost impress me as overly “tricky.” I think there was one hole where Day and Fowler were in the same collection spot off the green. Day chipped high and long with a wedge, and the ball rolled back. Fowler used a mid-iron and pitched some 90 degrees from the hole and his ball rolled around like a funnel. Neight enfded up within 10 feet. That didn’t seem right.
Didn’t listen to a any interviews after, but would imagine the players were griping about the way the greens rolled. Weird, they were fast but bumpy. And some of the breaks impressed me as extreme. More like Goofy Golf than the real thing. But that’s just my preference. It is okay to have a green or 2 where they buried the elephant, but every one?
Kinda mind boggling the way they can change the course up. Can only imagine what the directors are thinking. “Today we’ll play the par 4 as a 5, we’ll add 100 yds to this par 3, make that par 4 driveable…” And that is BEFORE they even talk about pin placements on those massive and undulating greens. Sure are a lot of places they could put pins that would be nigh unplayable.
Was painful seeing Villegas take 4 to get out of the trap AFTER taking an unplayable…
Tiger said the usual about short term pain for long term gain, but not sure what woiuld explain for missing a wide fairway with an iron off the tee. And his swing changes don’t explain his poor putting. Will really be a shock to me if somehow or another everything starts clicking for him.
I’d be VERY happy if DJ and Stenson stayed at the top. Would like to see DJ get a major after pissing 2 away a couple years back. Hope his play this year is a sign he got his personal life in order.
Not sure Norman is a great commentator, but I’m not a big Miller fan, so no big loss. Fox seemed kinda frenetic in their edits, switching all over the place. And that stupid camera following the players off the first tee? The announcer kept saying “This is our trailer cam (or whatever they called it.) So-and-so looks calm heading off.” To me just aboout every golfer they showed looked like he was thinking “What the fuck is THAT?!” 
Anyone know how many players make the cut? If this plays true to form, scores aren’t going to get a heck of a lot lower, so anyone at or below par who can stay there ought to be in the mix. Course would be a BEAST in any wind.
Yeah, I’ll be watching me some. Nice to have so much of it in the evening for us midwesterners.
