|
 The fabled Pinehurst No. 2 course, designed by Donald Ross and
restored to his initial specifications by the architectural team of
Ben Crenshaw and Bill Coore, will have wide fairways and no rough
whatsoever for the June 12-15 championship.
While the renowned turtleback greens remain largely unchanged and
will once again challenge the short games of the world's best
players, McDowell has fears that the par-70 layout will favor the
power hitters.
"Pinehurst is an iron-shot golf course, a second-shot golf course,"
Northern Irishman McDowell told Reuters while preparing for the
second of the year's four major championships.
"In 2005 the set-up there was a little much, shall we say?" he
smiled, referring to the most recent U.S. Open held at Pinehurst
where the rough was up and only nine players out of 156 broke par in
the opening round.
"It didn't need to be punishing tee shots as much as it was (in
2005). You want to let guys have a go at these pin positions from
out of position (after the first shot).
"I am just worried that this year's U.S. Open, with no rough, is
going to give the bombers a little too much space, that's my only
concern."
MASTERPIECE DESIGN
McDowell finished up in a tie for 80th at the 2005 U.S. Open after
closing with an 11-over 81 but, overall, he has happy memories of
Pinehurst No. 2 which is widely regarded as Donald Ross's
masterpiece design.
"It's all about iron shots and I love that you get an opportunity to
go at it," said the 34-year-old from Portrush, who clinched his only
major title in tough, breezy conditions at the 2010 U.S. Open held
at Pebble Beach.
"At Pinehurst next month, it's going to be about placing it in the
right sides of the fairways, get the right yardages, etc, etc. I am
really looking forward to seeing it."
Opened as an 18-hole layout in 1907, the North Carolina course was
fine-tuned by Scotland-born Ross several times until 1946.
Unquestionably, its unusual inverted-saucer greens have become its
best known feature.
[to top of second column] |
"It will be a unique type of challenge next month, and a unique type
of short game is going to be required around there because of the
greens," said world number 15 McDowell, a nine-times winner on the
European Tour.
"I enjoyed Pinehurst in '05, though the set-up then was brutal.
Without the rough, it's going to be much, much better."
Pinehurst No. 2 staged its first U.S. Open in 1999, when the late
Payne Stewart triumphed by a shot over fellow American Phil
Mickelson after holing a 15-foot par putt on the final hole.
New Zealand's Michael Campbell clinched the 2005 edition, holding
off a final-round charge by Tiger Woods to land his only major title
by two strokes.
Next month, the par-70 layout will hold its third U.S. Open before
hosting the U.S. Women's Open for the first time the following week.
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Gene Cherry)
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
