U.S. Open, Oakmont the Big Winner

“Oakmont is one of the hardest golf courses in the world. It requires a player to hit so many different shots.” Paul Gow

Trouble at Oakmont

It’s a sentiment every golfer in the field will have after the first round, including those at the top of the leaderboard. Watching the broadcast, I can see what these elite golfers have to deal with. The course looks great, well prepared for the battle. In spite of some grumbles, Oakmont without doubt, is the winner.

A Challenge at Last

Finally, elite golfers, Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, Sam Burns, Brooks Koepka, in fact the entire field were all challenged on Oakmont. In the four Majors, the Players and the signature events, the courses on which the events are held must all be prepared to offer a similar challenge as Oakmont.

Here’s Why

Viewer Numbers are Down

Viewer numbers for the PGA Tour are falling. I used to watch the PGA Tour almost every tournament weekend, no matter what the event. Admittedly, Tiger Woods was a big drawcard from the time he turned professional. He got me so drawn in, due to his winning ways, that I started watching as many professional tournaments as possible, in person at the course and those broadcast on linear television.

For me this is no longer the case, I will watch the Majors, the Players and some signature events. If it is an ordinary PGA event, I prefer to watch the ladies on the LPGA tour. The LPGA is still in one piece and considered to be the premier tour, where week after week the absolute best possible field is assembled to compete.

Courses are Torn to Shred

Watching golfers demolish a golf course is no fun, when scores reach 20 to 30 under by an under-strength field with no stars. An opinion is sometimes expressed, the Masters is the weakest of the Majors, because of the lifetime exemptions former winners of the green jacket are entitled to compete in, each year.

This year the Masters was enthralling. Yes, the drama of a playoff between Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose added to the excitement. But the course had been Tiger proofed, with more changes added in later years to keep Augusta National truly competitive against the elite golfers. Secondary rough, run off areas to challenge the short game, fast contoured greens, ‘risk and reward’ offering the chance to drive a green to then eagle or birdie a hole, or be punished if you miss. Wide fairways and trees still allow for the power hitters off the tee if you balance risk and reward.

Liv Golf

The split between Liv and the PGA has not helped with viewer numbers. The split has created fatigue for fans, wondering if the two will come to some arrangement to attract viewers back in numbers to support one or both tours.

The Stars

Scottie Scheffler the number one ranked player in the world has re-energized the golfing world. Winning seven tournaments plus the Olympic gold medal in 2024 spells star power. Excellent viewing numbers showed an upward trend in 2025. Any sport needs its stars to capture the interest of fans and non-fans alike. For so long Tiger Woods has been the great attractor, to the public and the sponsors, even to the uninterested who have come to know his name. New stars like Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau, and others are necessary to attract audiences to help fill the role of game-changer, Tiger Woods.

Oakmont Country Club

Oh, what joy it is to watch the best golfers on the planet struggle on Oakmont. Something had to be a catalyst for positive change. Dumbing down the technology of the golf ball is not the answer. All it does is upset hackers like me, to not have access to a ball, that I can hit and see fly longer. We hackers need all the help we can get. So what if the elites of our sport can hit the ball twenty miles, it won’t be me or millions of others, but I like to dream like the vast numbers who support the golf ball industry. I like watching the power hitters, and Bryson DeChambeau can smash that ball. On Oakmont it didn’t matter how long the ball flew, what mattered was keeping it in the narrow fairway and be calm enough to deal with adversity when trouble inevitably came your way. As scientific and powerful as DeChambeau is, distance off the tee didn’t help him, he missed the cut. On this occasion his short game wasn’t good enough.

Oakmont is the answer to manage the power hitters and reward the calmness and skills of JJ Spaun, Sam Burns and Adam Scott. Other courses have to adapt if they want to host a Major, Oakmont and Augusta National have done just that. For lessor ranked events, the course need not be so penal.

What score will win the U.S. Open 2025 on Oakmont?

6-under should win it but I will stick my neck out and say it will not be more than 8-under.