Phil Mickelson cannot resist jabs at USGA in pursuit of elusive US Open title | Ewan Murray


The American leads calls for fairness to prevail at Shinnecock Hills after the debacle that was the 2004 tournament

The world’s best golfers fear being lulled into a false sense of security. Those who have visited Shinnecock Hills for reconnaissance work on a venue that will stage the US Open from Thursday have encountered wide fairways and generally soft conditions. What’s the catch?

The overwhelming sense is that such generosity will not continue. First, Brooks Koepka won the US Open on 16 under par last year, a tally contrary to the tournament’s status as the toughest in golf. It was also 12 shots better to par than the previous year. And second, Shinnecock Hills specifically. The historic and illustrious American course was subjected to understandable ridicule when the US Open played out there in extraordinary circumstances 14 years ago.

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