Scheffler scouts Shinnecock Hills ahead of US Open Grand Slam bid
World number one Scottie Scheffler has completed a scouting trip to Shinnecock Hills as he prepares his bid to secure the career Grand Slam at the US Open later this month.
The American currently holds two Masters titles, alongside the PGA Championship and Open Championship crowns he claimed last year.
Victory in New York from 18-21 June would make him only the seventh golfer in history to win all four major championships.
Ahead of his attempt to win a third consecutive Memorial Tournament this week, the world’s top-ranked player made a brief stop in Southampton to assess the challenging layout.
Testing conditions in New York
This marked his first visit to the historic venue, which last hosted the prestigious tournament in 2018.
“It was kind of what I expected. I had heard some rumors about how difficult the greens were.”
Speaking at a Muirfield Village news conference, the two-time Green Jacket winner noted that while the fairways were surprisingly wide, the green complexes present the greatest challenge.
“Once you start missing fairways out there, you have no chance. But the fairways are generous enough to where it provides you some opportunity.”
He enters the upcoming major as a heavy favourite, having secured top-10 finishes in four of his past five US Open appearances.
Learning from past controversies
During the 2018 championship, the United States Golf Association faced heavy criticism after the greens became excessively fast and burnt out.
The setup was so severe that Phil Mickelson infamously hit a moving ball out of frustration on the 13th green.
Brooks Koepka eventually triumphed that year with a winning score of one-over par amidst the chaotic conditions.
Rory McIlroy, who recently completed his own career Grand Slam, also played the New York course on Monday.
The Northern Irishman agreed that the fairways are generous but warned competitors of a severely penal five-inch rough.
“If you miss the fairway even by a yard, you’re going to be penalized. So if you miss the fairway, I feel like you deserve a bad lie.”
The four-time major winner observed that the greens were currently rolling at a manageable 11.2 on the stimpmeter and hopes officials maintain that speed for the tournament.