The USGA is in the news again, but this time it's positive. Well, depending on how you feel about rough at U.S. Opens.
After several players complained about how tall the fescue was in certain parts of Erin Hills, the USGA decided to take weed whackers to it on Tuesday. They said they were not doing it as a response to players but because of weather as the rain could create areas that are literally unplayable because of thickness.
The crew is mowing down areas of fescue roughs that were knocked down by heavy rains. "It would be unplayable," @USGA's Darin Brevard said pic.twitter.com/5TtEQOaM5e
— Golfdom (@Golfdom) June 13, 2017
I'm not sure I believe that's the only reason they were doing it. After consecutive U.S. Opens with controversy, Adam Scott noted that the USGA needs to have a good showing this time around.
This is a good start. Or is it? Winner of the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional, Rory McIlroy, disagreed with the decision to cut the rough.
"Really? We have 60 yards from left line to right line," said McIlroy. "You've got 156 of the best players in the world here, if we can't hit it within that avenue, you might as well pack your bags and go home.
"These are the widest fairways we've ever played in a U.S. Open. Even the first and second cut is another 10 yards on top of that. So if you've got 50 or 60 yards to hit into and you're complaining about the fescue that's wider than that, I don't think that's an issue."
If it was before, it's definitely not now!
Guess the USGA decided to be nice this week and cut down some of the rough 🤔 pic.twitter.com/RPHunJyKx1
— Peter Uihlein (@PeterUihlein) June 13, 2017
They've listened to the complaints and chopping down the rough on the 4th. Make room in the compost bin #USOpen pic.twitter.com/XLwPaNsifp
— Iain Carter (@iaincartergolf) June 13, 2017
"I get that it's thick and whatever, but it's a hazard," continued McIlroy. "If you put red lines just right along that people wouldn't complain, it's a hazard, and ... it's a U.S. Open, it's supposed to be a tough test. And if guys can't put it into play within a 50-yard zone I don't think they've got much to complain about."
McIlroy is probably right about that. But now they'll have nothing to complain about as the USGA has already made this year's event easier, and the tournament hasn't even teed off yet.
Seriously, they're not F'ing around with this fescue mow down pic.twitter.com/bwNvsAKTQz
— Joel Beall (@JoelMBeall) June 13, 2017