USGA’s Chief Championships Officer, John Bodenhamer, is hopeful that Los Angeles Country Club will be “spicier” over the next few days after he came in for criticism following the record low scoring in the opening round of the 123rd US Open .
The US Open is renowned for playing fast and firm, and challenging the very best players in the game with a very tough examination. However, Thursday’s scoring average of 71.38 was the lowest in the tournament’s history, which led many to question whether the course was simply too easy.
Bodenhamer was grilled by the Golf Channel’s Paul McGinley and Brandel Chamblee after round one – which saw Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele both post 62s – came to a close. “When the best players in the world have optimal scoring conditions like we had this morning…we knew scores were going to be good, we didn’t know how good,” Bodenhamer admitted, adding that “I tip my cap to Rickie and Xander.”
In planning for a typically tough US Open test, Bodenhamer and his USGA team have not been helped by Mother Nature, specifically a ‘marine layer’ than has largely prevented the sun from breaking through to dry the course out.
“We came in with a plan, we need some help from Mother Nature tomorrow [Friday], he said. “We could show up tomorrow and we don’t get that misty conditions, and hopefully it’ll burn off a little bit sooner than it did.”
With the US Open weather forecast currently looking like it won’t change a great deal, Bodenhamer won’t be able to rely solely on what happens with the clouds and the sun to make conditions more difficult. However, that doesn’t mean we’ll see a repeat of Thursday’s low scoring, although there are no intentions for the USGA to make the North Course “stupid hard.”
“I’ll tell you what we won’t do, and I feel very strongly about this – we’re not going to force anything,” he added. “We could do things that would make it stupid hard. We’re going to go longer tomorrow. That was by design, and we’ll see what happens.
“We do know from our Walker Cup experience that Los Angeles Country Club dries down quickly. Tomorrow, as planned, we will play the golf course longer. You saw a few tees up today. That was by plan.
“Tomorrow you’ll see some things we had planned for Friday anyway and if we get the conditions we’re hoping for, I think you’ll see a little a little different, a little spicier golf course.”
When asked by McGinely whether he…
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