Really excited about this week’s US Open, my 22nd appearance in this historic tournament.
We got to Pinehurst on Sunday, which was perfect. Obviously other guys might prefer to play a tournament the week before a major. I’ve done that myself plenty of times and, to be honest, you just have to go with what feels right for you at the time, whatever helps you get mentally ready for a major.
This year I wanted to come in when there weren’t many people around and I could wear shorts and just be more casual. You can get a really good look at the golf course coming in this early. I played 18 on Sunday and liked it so much I went straight out and played a few more holes! It was so quiet out there and we were able to get a lot of good prep work done.
Having played the US Open here in 1999 and 2005, I have to say I really love what Crenshaw and Coore have done with the subsequent restoration. You’ve got more options on this golf course now, especially with the shots into and around the greens. You’re going to have to use your imagination and play a real variety of shots, which is more of a British Open type quality rather than a typical US Open. I like that. I also think this is the look of the golf course that was originally here before everything got so manicured. All in all, I think we’re in for a great championship.
Make no mistake, though, this is an extremely tough golf course – I’d say one of the toughest on the US Open rotation. As with any major championship, there will be pins that you realistically can’t go at, so you have to expect stretches of holes where it will be tough giving yourself really good birdie chances. You’ll hear players talking a lot about ‘being patient’ – trust me, it’s an essential virtue in the US Open and again that’s fine with me.
Anyway, this tournament has long been one of the highlights of the year for me. It’s a while since I won my two titles, but I’ve been in the mix a bunch of times since then and I always like my chances of having a strong week.
Remember you can follow me on Twitter now @TheBig_Easy.
