The U.S. Open-Where'e the rough

[wilt the stilt]

McIlroy is playing great but where is the punishment for hitting the ball into the rough. I like it when the pros are punished for hitting it in rough. You should lose 1/2 to 1 stroke for putting it in the rough just like hitting a pot bunker in the British open. The pros whined about the U.S open being to tough and what do we get- no punishment. Just like they whine when the sand is to "fluffy". McIlroy hit 3 out of nine fairways on the front 9 and was 2 under. not right.

[Kingofalldems]

1. The rough went dormant during a heat wave recently

[Awsi Dooger]

2. I agree, but you don't play to 9 fairways in 9 holes

Two are par 3s. Every round they track how many fairways you've hit out of 14, not 18. When they quoted that 3 of 9 stat it was after 12 holes, not 9. #10 is a par 3 also.

McIlroy was in the first cut several times yesterday. That was a USGA decision several years ago, to institute a graduated first cut instead of immediately penal. And it's been so popular they won't switch back.

I agree the rough should be more lush. The weather leading up to the event prevented it. A few minutes ago they showed highlights from 1997 at this course and it was startling how thick the rough was, and an overall greener appearance.

My beef has always been pros who can miss the fairway by 15 yards or more and be bailed out by trampled conditions, or thin areas, or an adjacent fairway. Tiger has benefited more than anyone in modern history. There's no way he would have won his most recent major, the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines, if the rough maintained severity 10 yards or more off the fairway.

[ProfessorGAC]

3. Sorry, I Don't Get That Comment At The End

So Tiger was the only one in contention who hit the ball into trampled rough? Really?

He won because everyone else only hit in the rough closer to the fairway? That's hard to believe.

My guess is that you're using selective logic. His closest competitors very likely gained the same advantages over the course of the event.
GAC