Golf world calls out 'unfair' detail amid historic Adam Scott bid at US Open

Yahoo

7 hours ago

Adam Scott has been left frustrated in his bid to create more history at the US Open after wild weather forced a lengthy delay in the final round. Scott started the day one shot behind leader Sam Burns and that's how things stayed when heavy rain saw play suspended and the pair head back into the clubhouse at Oakmont with the rest of the field, having played just seven holes.
Scott - aiming to win his second career major 12 years after his famous Masters triumph - got off to a rollercoaster start with a bogey at the first. He followed that up with another dropped shot at the third but came so close to recording an eagle at the fourth when his putt from the fringe teased the cup. Scott had to settle for a tap-in birdie instead, but the Aussie dropped another shot at the sixth to be at two-under for the tournament with 11 holes to play.
Burns was playing alongside the Aussie in the final group and also made a pair of bogeys in his opening seven holes, dropping shots at the second and fifth. However, the American kept his one-stroke advantage over Scott intact before the weather gods intervened. After a lengthy delay, play finally got underway, with officials hopeful they'll have enough time to complete the tournament in Pittsburgh on Sunday (Monday AEST).
"Here we go squeegees, here we go!"The driving range has reopened for players to warm back up.We are aiming for a 5:40 p.m. ET resumption of play. pic.twitter.com/w38Or2P3UV
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 15, 2025
Scott went into the final round having already entered the US Open history books and he's chasing more records at Oakmont. The former World No.1 is only the third player ever to start with three US Open rounds of 70 or better at the tournament's most demanding layout, having fired himself into second with his stunning three-under-par 67 in the third round.
At 44, Scott is also bidding to become the oldest winner of the US Open since Hale Irwin in 1990. And victory would also place the Queenslander in the history books for the longest wait by a player between their first and second major titles, following his unforgettable triumph at the 2013 Masters in Augusta.
Scott is contesting an incredible 96th consecutive major tournament but faces a nervous wait to see if he can claim his second major after heavy rain wreaked havoc on the already difficult Oakmont course in the final round. Tellingly, Burns and Scott remain the only two players under par for the tournament, with many fans turning off after describing the brutally demanding course layout as 'unfair'.
In the opening two rounds when the course was dry, the mercilessly undulating greens were lightning fast and punished anything that wasn't near-perfect. Coupled with the thickness of the notorious Oakmont rough and some of the treacherous pin placements, it wasn't conducive to good scoring.
The softer conditions are likely to make things slightly easier in the final round but the rain and wind brings its own challenges. And the fact World No.2 Rory McIlroy shot a brilliant final round 67 and still finished on plus-seven says it all about the course. World No.1 Scottie Scheffler has only fared slightly better and was plus-five with seven holes to go when play finally did resume after the weather delay. Ryder Cup teammates Viktor Hovland and Tyrell Hatton and were the closest challengers to Burns and Scott upon the resumption, sitting three shots off the lead at plus-one.
@PGATOUR I played golf all my life I love watching golf but the way Oakmont has set up I think it's unfair it's ridiculous. So I'm done watching it I'll watch a movie it's not exciting anymore..
— William Brooks (@William86459046) June 15, 2025
Ridiculous difficulty factor at Oakmont. Hope the PGA is happy Made all the pros look like amateurs Good strategy to take LIV golf tour down. Really poor decision making at the PGA.
— AJMojo++$$$ (@leaffanextreme) June 15, 2025
Does anyone feel that Oakmont is setup so difficult that it is no fun to watch? From the 5 to 6 inch high grass in the rough, to the ridiculous entertainment park style green elevations and difficulty in architecture, winning there is not entirely a matter of skill. If your ball…
— Paul A. Mancuso (@pmancuso) June 15, 2025
Witnessed alot of players with similar experiences firsthand on Friday. Oakmont when dry and Pins are tucked is brutal to almost unfair. BTW on somewhat related note go watch Schefflers round 2 range session. Highly entertaining
— Matt Curren (@mattcurren1) June 15, 2025
with AAP