OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — The U.S. Open is known as the toughest test in golf, and it usually lives up to its reputation.
Some years more than others.
Oakmont proved to be downright painful to Phil Mickelson. He injured his left wrist during long practice rounds chipping out of the rough. A lasting image of the U.S. Open is players in the rough with grass covering the tops of their shoes, and sometimes the cuffs on their pants. The rock-hard greens. The narrow fairways. Geoff Ogilvy once said the hardest part of the U.S. Open was going over par early in the round and wondering if you’ll ever get back to even.
An even tougher test is trying to narrow down the five toughest U.S. Opens held in its 121-year history.
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5. MYOPIA HUNT
Which year was the toughest U.S. Open at Myopia Hunt? All of them. The course north of Boston hosted the U.S. Open in four of the first 14 years until it was deemed to be too difficult. That alone is enough for Myopia Hunt to be considered on any list of “toughest” U.S. Opens. It went to 72 holes in 1898 when the U.S. Open first was held at Myopia Hunt, and Fred Herd won at 328. The next…
