Wrote today about the USGA's punitive setup at Oakmont for the U.S. Open. Didn't even mention that one of the caddies walking the course on Tuesday, Bill Henaghan, broke his ankle trying to get out of a bunker.
My column received typical push-back from people who want to see the pros play under the most difficult circumstances possible.
Call me crazy, but I like eagles. I like risk-reward shots. I like players attacking holes, knowing that a great shot will yield an eagle or birdie and a bad shot may result in bogey or worse.
Hitting shots out of deep rough doesn't help determine the best golfer - it brings even more luck into play. If you can't see a ball and swing hard at it, you don't know where it will end up whether you're Jordan Spieth or the world's worst golfer.
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My stupid pick for a winner this week: Rory McIlroy. He's relaxed and has been passed of late by Jason Day and Jordan Spieth. Oakmont is a beast, and McIlroy is the rare player in this field who can shorten the course with his driver. Rain on Thursday and Friday should make the fairways more receptive to long drivers.
McIlroy usually doesn't putt like Spieth and Day but he can get hot and run away with any tournament.
My favorites for the week: McIlroy, Rickie Fowler (who was my pick to win The Masters and bombed) and Day. My longer-shot favorite: Brooks Koepka.
