U.S. Open hole by hole: Players will face mental test with club selection on No. 7 at Oakmont
From the pristine fairways and lightning-fast greens to the punishing bunkers and club-twisting rough, Oakmont Country Club is one of the toughest tests for even the world’s best golfers, who will descend upon Western Pennsylvania for the 125th U.S. Open from June 12-15.
TribLive is producing a hole-by-hole look at what makes Oakmont Country Club one of the most popular and anticipated stops for the USGA.
Hole 7 breakdown
Length: 485 yards, Par 4
Handicap: 5
2016 U.S. Open stroke average: 4.33
Description
The seventh hole at Oakmont runs parallel to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, but speeding cars and semis will be the least concern for the pros when they step up to the elevated tee box.
Another narrow fairway awaits, and a well-placed bunker on the right of the landing zone that creeps toward the fairway will lead most to play along the left side, which does offer a shorter approach. It will take a 295-yard tee shot to carry the bunker, but many players will be tempted.
USGA officials said they will adjust the tee positioning to force players into different strategies.
Four more bunkers surround the green, which brings about another test. The green has three levels and a high degree of sloping in the front and back. Distance control on the approach will be key to getting close to the various pin locations.
In the 2016 U.S. Open, there were 36 birdies, as well as 136 bogeys and 18 double bogeys.
Memorable moment from U.S. Open
En route to claiming the 1983 U.S. Open championship, Larry Nelson drilled a 25-foot putt to make birdie on the seventh hole, leading to a 65 in the third round. It was his third straight birdie and he went on to make seven birdies in 11 holes.
How the locals play it
Colton Lusk, a senior at Peters Township, won the WPIAL Class 3A championship last fall at Oakmont Country Club. He had seven (yes, seven) birdies to post a round of 4-under-par 67 and won the tournament by five strokes. By taking advantage of the par 5s and staying in the fairways, Lusk tamed one of the world’s toughest courses (though, admittedly, the rough wasn’t playing at U.S. Open conditions). The Siena-bound golfer had played just one practice round at Oakmont and shot 66.
“If the longer hitters can get it over the bunker that spits out into the fairway, they will try for that because it will leave them a wedge in. There’s a bunker in front of the green, so it will force you to either take on the bunker or play it safe and go to the middle (of the green). I don’t think it will be a hole there will be lots of birdies on. That’s one you take 4 and move on.”
Around the U.S. Open
Spotlight
Justin Thomas
A two-time major champion, Justin Thomas is looking for better luck at the U.S. Open after missing the cut the past two years.
The 32-year-old American won the PGA Championship in 2022 at Southern Hills Country Club and also claimed victory at the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.
Thomas, who is fifth in the Official World Golf Ranking, has won 16 times on the PGA Tour and was named the PGA Tour Player of the Year in 2017.
His best finish in the U.S. Open was eighth in 2020 at Winged Foot. He also finished ninth in 2017 at Erin Hills.
In 2016, he tied for 32nd at Oakmont after shooting 8-over-par.
Thomas won the 2012 Haskins Award as the nation’s top collegiate golfer while at Alabama and led the Crimson Tide to the 2013 national championship. He later helped Team USA to the Walker Cup title.
He also was a member of the winning U.S. Presidents Cup teams in 2017, ’19, ’22 and ’24, and played in the Ryder Cup in 2018, ’21 and ’23.
By the numbers
21.5: Millions of dollars spread among the finishers of the 2024 U.S. Open, the highest purse in golf’s major championship history
2014: Last year there was a start-to-finish winner with no ties at the U.S. Open, Martin Kaymer
558: Yardage for the longest par 4 in U.S. Open history, the 16th at The Los Angeles Country Club, in 2023
Did you know?
Oakmont Country Club was the first golf course to be recognized as a National Historic Landmark.
Officially recognized in 1987, the course is regarded as a pioneer in golf architecture. The application’s summary says “Oakmont’s combination of age, innovation, tradition, integrity and continued challenge is rivaled by few American courses.”
U.S. Open history
Here’s a look at the players who have captured the most U.S. Open championships:
1t. Willie Anderson, 4
1t. Bobby Jones, 4
1t. Ben Hogan, 4
1t. Jack Nicklaus, 4
2t. Hale Irwin, 3
2t. Tiger Woods, 3
*17 tied with 2
If you missed it
No. 1: U.S. Open hole by hole: No. 1 at Oakmont among world’s toughest opening tests
No. 2: U.S. Open hole by hole: Sloping green among challenges on No. 2 at Oakmont
No. 3: U.S. Open hole by hole: Church Pews a landmark hazard on No. 3 at Oakmont Country Club
No. 4: U.S. Open hole by hole: Birdie opportunity within reach on No. 4 at Oakmont
No. 5: U.S. Open hole by hole: Aggressive play can be rewarded on No. 5 at Oakmont
No. 6: U.S. Open hole by hole: Danger lurks on, around No. 6 green at Oakmont
Bill Hartlep is the TribLive sports editor. A Pittsburgh native and Point Park graduate, he joined the Trib in 2004, covering high school sports. He held various editing roles before assuming his current position in 2019. He can be reached at bhartlep@triblive.com.
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