OAKMONT, Pa. -- Brutality. That's what the U.S. Open is for the best golfers in the world. No one has trouble sleeping regardless of how stressed out they might get. Players and caddies are all mentally and physically drained.
Taking that all into consideration, maybe Mother Nature saw how brutal Oakmont Country Club was going to play and decided to step in. For that reason, I'm going to grade guys only on the holes they've played so far.
Grade: n/a
World ranking: No. 1
Score: n/a
Did not start due to weather.
Grade: C+
World ranking: No. 2
Score: +1 through 11
That frustration started creeping in again, but this time it was due to Mother Nature. Playing only 11 holes Thursday while starting three separate times will give even the most patient golfer a short fuse. Two bogeys and one birdie have him in a position that's just fine. So far.
Grade: D
World ranking: No. 3
Score: +4 through 13
Remember when people said, "Yeah, but if the course is wet, Rory destroys it"? Thirteen holes down and McIlroy has hit only half the fairways and seven of 13 greens. Five bogeys with only one birdie are just not acceptable from a guy who owns as many majors as he does.
Grade: A
World ranking: No. 4
Score: -2 through 14
I know he has three bogeys, but it's the U.S. Open, you're supposed to make a few. What's impressive about what Bubba has done is that he's hit only six of 11 fairways so far. Collecting five birdies through 14 holes is impressive on this track.
Grade: D
World ranking: No. 5
Score: +6 through 12
Normally it's a bad omen when you see a player doing serious work with their coach the day before a major. I should have recognized that subtle red flag. Five bogeys and a double-bogey through 12 holes and Fowler might be the happiest guy in the top 10 in the world, since Mother Nature gave him a standing eight count.
Grade: n/a
World ranking: No. 6
Score: n/a
Did not start due to weather.
Grade: n/a
World ranking: No. 7
Score: n/a
Did not start due to weather.
Grade: n/a
World ranking: No. 8
Score: n/a
Did not start due to weather.
Grade: D
World ranking: No. 9
Score: +4 through 12
Willett is getting a bad grade now, but I hope he takes it as learning experience. Three starts between winning the Masters and playing in the U.S. Open are not enough to prepare to get back in major shape. Sometimes the best lessons are the hard ones.
Grade: n/a
World ranking: No. 10
Score: n/a
Did not start due to weather.
Mother Nature
Grade: F
You might think you did everyone a favor by changing the aspect of how the hardest course in America plays. In reality, all you did was create an excuse for people who won't like the winner -- and of course the poor caddies who will slosh 36 holes of misery carrying a 35-pound golf bag Friday (in sarcastic, snarky voice). Thanks. Yeah, thanks a lot.
USGA
Grade: F
Your job is to protect the integrity of the game (remember that anchor ban thing). Golfers who are pulled off the course for 1 hour and 19 minutes (for the first delay) and not given a chance to warm up again before resuming play are at an unfair disadvantage to the rest of the competitors who have yet to tee off. That's not protecting the field. That's trying to protect your backside by getting in as much golf as possible. Integrity is worth more than that.
Scottie Scheffler
Grade: A+
World (amateur) ranking: No. 18
Score: 1 under 69
The lowest score ever shot by an amateur at Oakmont during the U.S. Open? Unbelievable! Apparently he'll be the poster child of how weather delays shouldn't affect golfers in the least.