In the streak category other than Brooks Koepka, two photos from the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinekook show players finishing 8-over and 16-over, respectively. The first one is Zach Johnson and the second one is Phil Mickelson.
Eight years later, we still think about both moments, Johnson’s infamous line about “losing the golf course” and Mickelson’s hitting a moving ball. Of course, Mickelson has other reasons in mind as well.
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As for Johnson, his words came to mind during Matt Fitzpatrick’s press conference Monday at Shinekook. The wind was already blowing so hard there that players had strategically skipped practice rounds. Fresh off a runner-up finish in Canada, Fitzpatrick would have been hoping for a calmer, easier start to the week. But he practiced it anyway.
That said, the 2022 U.S. Open champion said he hopes to stay as dry as possible. Coincidentally, that was the case in 2018, when he tied for 12th place with Russell Knox and Zach Johnson. The more difficult it is, the more he likes his chances.
“I think the biggest thing for me is I don’t particularly like playing birdiefests,” Fitzpatrick said. “I don’t think there’s anything more fun than having to do that. For example, on the 11th hole today, the wind was coming in from the left and I ended up chipping a 5-iron there. If it wasn’t for the wind, I might have hit a 9-iron or something.”
Fitzpatrick was quick to point out that he felt the same way in 2018. Obviously, not everyone else felt that way.
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“For me, when it’s windy or the ball is hard, I feel like it’s a test of my control of the ball,” he said. “If it’s solid — I said it here last time, obviously there was a massive — what’s the right word — oh, they lost the golf course, they lost the golf course meltdown.
“I couldn’t believe they lost. I don’t think they lost the golf course here at all. I think it was difficult for me. The strength of this golf course is the greens and the difficulty of the greens.”
While it’s unlikely the USGA will let conditions get out of hand again this year (Fitzpatrick said he was disappointed to see grounds staff watering the greens on Monday), it will still be windy and as tough a test as ever. Some rain is expected on Thursday, but wind and sunshine are expected for the rest of the week.
Refresh yourself, say the British.
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“For me, I think this golf course, when it’s really tough like that, you enjoy the challenge because you have to do your homework and you have to hit good shots. I think that’s what a good golf tournament should be about.”
