darpar
And all because the USGA can't figure out how to run their tournament these days, because they're hellbent on preserving an image that this is the most difficult test in all of golf. Except they don't know the difference between difficult and stupid.
I don't find Phil without fault. It was probably his worst moment in his otherwise heralded career. What Phil did was predicated with how negligent the USGA was with setting up the course on Saturday. Again... Fowler needed 19 strokes less on Sunday than was required of him on Saturday.
That, in itself, was always gonna be the big headline going into Monday morning. Except Phil decided to make it about him Saturday afternoon and assumed the bad guy role and took a lot of the criticism off the USGA.
Brooks is a worthy champion. But that doesn't mean there weren't issues with the course setup over the weekend. As much as I detest what Phil did, ultimately the blame falls on the USGA. For the fourth consecutive US Open - they've figured out how to screw it up royally.
The R&A - you don't see them shaving greens and tricking up their layouts for their Open Championship. You don't see nearly as much controversy. Whether +5 wins or -8 wins - they don't care.
And quite frankly - nobody else cares either. Stenson shot a final round 63 at Royal Troon two years ago in the British Open and I've yet to hear anyone assert that he was an undeserving winner.