The US Open is set to be a stern test of golf's finest, with the Shinnecock Hills course presenting a brutal challenge. This year's edition promises to be the toughest of the year, adhering to the USGA's philosophy of setting up courses with brutal rough, lightning-fast greens, and narrowing fairways, where par is often the desired winning score. Shinnecock Hills, in particular, has a reputation to uphold, having hosted the US Open five times before, with only three players - Retief Goosen, Phil Mickelson, and Raymond Floyd - managing to beat par. This year's field includes 88 American players and 68 non-Americans, and while the players are well-prepared for the course's challenges, they must also navigate the notoriously abrasive New York sports fans. The galleries at Shinnecock Hills have a history of rowdiness, and past US Opens in New York have seen players subjected to verbal abuse and even threatening behavior. The 1986 US Open saw Greg Norman reach his breaking point, inviting a heckler to meet him in the car park, while the 2002 US Open at Bethpage Black witnessed Sergio Garcia being verbally abused and even threatened by spectators. The course itself is no pushover, with Rory McIlroy noting that the fairways are more generous than in 2018, but the first cut of rough is five inches long, and missing the fairway by even a yard can lead to trouble. The greens, while not necessarily faster than in previous years, are firm and can be used to set up challenging hole locations. The US Open at Shinnecock Hills has a rich history, with past champions like Floyd, Corey Pavin, Goosen, and Brooks Koepka all having to navigate the course's challenges. This year's edition is sure to be a thrilling test of golf's finest, with the course and the galleries both presenting unique and demanding challenges.
