Crowds continue to grow at U.S. Open as fans make their way in from across the country
You could tell Tuesday afternoon, the second day of the U.S. Open practice rounds, the crowd at Oakmont Country Club was getting bigger.
With the increase in crowds, that means there were more lines for things like the concession stand, and just more people making their way through security, around the course and other public areas.
Advertisement
Despite that, fans praised the work of the security and staff.
'They're ready for it! They're ready for it,' said Rick Peluso of McCandless. 'Whoever's in charge, kudos to them, because they've done it well.'
As more golf fans descend on Oakmont, Channel 11 is starting to see more and more people from outside the Pittsburgh area. Channel 11's Andrew Havranek spoke with one family visiting from Venice, Florida, which is a little south of Tampa.
Chasie and Rick Haupt drove 17 hours with their twin daughters — Zoe and Pippa — who both play golf — up to Oakmont for the U.S. Open, and to visit family they have in the Pittsburgh area. It's not their first professional golf tournament. The family said they went to Scotland for the British Open last year.
Advertisement
Havranek asked them what it means to them to have this family time, and asked the twins what they've liked the most so far.
'It is a gorgeous golf course. It's great to be able to show them what's out there and what you can do if you really work at it someday,' Rick Haupt said.
'What's been sort of the most exciting for you this week?' Havranek asked the twins.
'Just watching them play and see how they do their strategies and stuff,' Pippa Haupt said.
'Yeah, I really like them hitting out of the rough and not making it!' Zoe Haupt added.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
A frustrated McIlroy smashes a US Open tee marker but makes it to the weekend anyway
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — First Rory McIlroy flung an iron down the 12th fairway. Then he used driver to demolish a tee marker on 17. He might not win the sportsmanship award at the U.S. Open, but he will get to play on the weekend. McIlroy overcame two rounds of disappointment by draining a 5-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole Friday to finish at 6-over par and guarantee himself a tee time at Oakmont this weekend. Advertisement Other than the approach shot he hit on 18 to save the week, or the 20-foot birdie he made on 15 after teeing off into the first cut, very little of his first 36 holes was pretty. McIlroy's weekend was still in limbo when he walked to the tee on the drivable par-4 17th hole, then blocked the shot into a greenside bunker. He used his left arm to smash the club down and shatter the nearby tee marker. He made par there. A few hours earlier on the par-5 12th — another decent birdie chance — McIlroy catapulted his iron down the fairway after pulling his second shot into the left rough. He made par there, too. The birdie at the end capped a round of 2-over 72. It did not mask the issues McIlroy has been facing since his driver was deemed non-conforming before the PGA Championship, sending him on a mad search for a reliable replacement. Advertisement In two rounds this week, McIlroy has hit 15 of 28 fairways, a stat that doesn't include all drivers but is indicative of where his tee game has gone since he won the Masters two months ago to complete the career Grand Slam. At Oakmont, with its ankle-high rough, two missed fairways over McIlroy's first three holes led to a pair of double-bogeys and forced him to play catch-up for the rest of the round — not to climb into contention, but simply to make the weekend. Next comes the search for motivation — something McIlroy conceded has been hard to find since his landmark victory at Augusta National. On the line this week is his string of six straight top-10 finishes at the U.S. Open, including a pair of runner-ups the last two years. He will start the third round nine shots off the lead. ___ AP golf: Eddie Pells, The Associated Press
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Brtual Jordan Spieth Shot at U.S. Open Going Viral
Jordan Spieth didn't win Friday at the U.S. Open, but he might've won the internet. While Oakmont's punishing rough claimed more than a few victims during the second round, Spieth's misadventure on the par-4 second hole stood out, not for its brilliance, but for its comic timing. After missing the fairway and finding his ball buried in thick grass, the three-time major champ hacked at it and advanced it just a few feet. Advertisement What came next? A full-on, stylized club twirl—like he'd just stuck it to a foot at Augusta. The moment, instantly clipped and shared across social media, struck a chord. 'Twirls it after hitting it 2.7 inches,' one fan joked on X. Another added: 'Most relatable dude on tour. Duff it five feet in the U.S. Open and twirls the club like a boss.' The post, originally from NUCLR Golf, quickly went viral. It wasn't a meltdown or a tantrum. It was a wink to the golf gods. And Spieth, who's had his fair share of wild rides on major stages, clearly knew it. He ultimately escaped with a bogey, finding the green on his third and two-putting to minimize the damage. But the moment reminded fans why they love Spieth—not just for his talent, but for his unfiltered reactions and grounded personality. The same guy who once berated his caddie in frustration at Chambers Bay now delivers gallows humor from deep in the Oakmont jungle. Advertisement Ahead of the tournament, Spieth told reporters, 'This course is built to be like this… If you don't hit the right shot, you're in big trouble. It's pure golf—no funny business about it.' Funny business or not, Oakmont proved it still has teeth. And Spieth reminded everyone that sometimes, the only response to a humiliating miss on one of the world's toughest courses is to lean into the absurdity—with flair. Because if you're going down, you might as well twirl on your way out. Related: Golfer Makes History With Hole-in-One at Oakmont Brtual Jordan Spieth Shot at U.S. Open Going Viral first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 13, 2025
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Victor Perez Drains Hole-in-One at U.S. Open Then Steals the Show
Victor Perez made U.S. Open history on Friday, and he made it look fun. He just pulled off the kind of moment that keeps golf's legend alive, and he did it on one of the tournament's toughest stages. The Frenchman sank a hole-in-one on the par-3 sixth during the second round of the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, making history and energizing a landscape usually defined by grit and restraint. Advertisement In a sport often defined by polite applause and reserved nods, Perez broke the mold with an exuberant celebration that spread across social media like wildfire. He struck a 7-iron from 192 yards, the ball bouncing three times and then dropping directly in the cup. The golfer raised his arms, skated toward his caddie James Erkenbeck, and shared an exuberant chest bump—a celebration not often seen on major championship turf. "ACE ALERT," the U.S. Open's official X account posted alongside the clip, noting both the "great shot" and "even better celebration." Perez's ace adds his name to the short and prestigious list of players who have made holes-in-one on golf's biggest stage. It was only the second hole-in-one ever recorded in a U.S. Open at Oakmont—the last came back in 1983 when Scott Simpson aced the 16th hole. Advertisement Ranked 99th in the world and playing in his sixth U.S. Open, Perez's ace wasn't an echo. It was a declaration. It pulled him back into contention at 1-over-par for the tournament, after an earlier triple-bogey on the par-5 12th had threatened to derail his round. With a single swing and a celebration worthy of a World Cup goal, he delivered one of the most unforgettable moments of the tournament so far. Whether or not he contends for the title, Perez's hole-in-one will be one of the highlights fans remember long after the final putt drops. It will also be a career highlight for him. This ace wasn't just a statistical footnote—it was a matter of timing and tone. With only 54 total holes‑in‑one in U.S. Open history, it's an elite club, and Perez just secured his spot. Whether Perez goes on to contend seems secondary now. For a moment, he shattered Oakmont's 'Beastly' aura and reminded everyone why golf can still move us. Victor Perez Drains Hole-in-One at U.S. Open Then Steals the Show first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 13, 2025
