Oakmont Bites Back: A U.S. Open Carnage and the Fallen Stars

I was out there on the course, walking with some of these players, and let me tell you, Oakmont lived up to its legendary reputation, and then some. It wasn't just tough; it was relentless.

From the moment the first tee shots were struck on Thursday, it was clear that this wouldn't be a birdie-fest. The USGA, as they always do, set up Oakmont to be the ultimate examination, and the course responded with a vengeance. The fairways, deceptively wide in some places, were bordered by thick, gnarly rough that swallowed golf balls whole. If you weren't in the short grass, you were simply trying to escape, not advance. And that's if you could even find your ball in the first place!

Then there were the greens. Oh, those Oakmont greens! Fast, firm, and with more slope than a ski jump, they were a mental game in themselves. I saw putts from what looked like relatively flat lies take off like they were shot out of a cannon, often ending up well off the putting surface. Distance control with irons was paramount, and even a slightly misjudged approach could lead to a quick double bogey. Players were visibly frustrated, and I heard more than a few choice words uttered under breath, and sometimes not so under breath, from even the most stoic professionals. Rory McIlroy, for example, had a couple of moments of pure exasperation out there, a clear sign of just how much this course gets into your head.

The numbers don't lie. The scoring average for the first two days hovered around 74.6, a clear indicator of the challenge. Only a handful of players managed to stay under par through 36 holes, with Sam Burns's incredible 65 on Friday being a truly remarkable round, standing head and shoulders above the rest. Most players were simply trying to survive, and for many, that proved to be an impossible task.

And that brings us to the shocking list of top players who, despite their immense talent and major championship pedigrees, simply couldn't tame the beast that is Oakmont this week. The cut line settled at a generous +7, but even that wasn't enough for some of the game's biggest names.

Here are some of the notable players who won't be playing this weekend:

• Bryson DeChambeau: The defending U.S. Open champion and a pre-tournament favorite. Bryson had a decent start on Thursday but completely unraveled on Friday, especially on his back nine. The "Mad Scientist" couldn't solve the Oakmont riddle this time, finishing at a disappointing +10. His aggressive style, usually a strength, proved to be his undoing on this precise layout.
• Phil Mickelson: This one stings for Phil, and for all his fans. Lefty, in what could very well be his final U.S. Open appearance, was right on the cut line for much of Friday. But two late double bogeys, including a brutal finish, saw him miss by one shot at +8. A truly heartbreaking end for a six-time runner-up in this championship. You could feel the emotion coming off him as he walked off the 18th green.
• Justin Thomas: JT has been fighting to find his major championship form, and Oakmont didn't make it any easier. Back-to-back rounds of 76 meant he finished at +12, well outside the cut. I saw him out there, and he just seemed to be battling himself as much as the course.
• Ludvig Åberg: The young Swede has been so impressive in his short major career, but Oakmont proved to be a different test. After a solid opening round, he struggled on Friday, missing the cut at +8. This course demands experience and patience, and sometimes youthful exuberance gets tested here.
• Wyndham Clark: The 2023 U.S. Open champion also couldn't find his footing, finishing at +8. He looked like he might sneak in, but a bogey on his final hole sealed his fate. It just goes to show how quickly things can change on a course like this.
• Patrick Cantlay: Another consistent player who just couldn't get it done this week, also finishing at +8. He needed a par on his last hole to make the cut, and a trip into a bunker led to a costly bogey.
• Tommy Fleetwood: Often a strong performer in majors, Fleetwood finished at +9. He found trouble early in his second round and couldn't recover, proving that even the most skillful ball-strikers can be humbled by Oakmont.
• Dustin Johnson: The 2016 U.S. Open champion at Oakmont, DJ couldn't rekindle that magic. He finished at +10, well off the pace. It just wasn't his week to find those signature massive drives in the fairways.
• Shane Lowry: The 2019 Open Champion and a tough competitor, Lowry struggled immensely, finishing at a shocking +17. He had a brutal start to his second round and never recovered.

It just goes to show you, no matter how good you are, Oakmont demands your absolute best, every single shot. It exposes every weakness and rewards only the most precise and mentally tough. The first two days were a pure demonstration of the "U.S. Open test," and for a lot of these players, it was a test they simply couldn't pass. It's going to be fascinating to see how the weekend unfolds with such a high cut line and a leaderboard that's still very much in flux. You just know Oakmont has more tricks up its sleeve.

This is Golf as You've Always Imagined!

Daniel is a Top 100 Golf Coach, The #1 Golf Instructor in PA, PXG Staff Pro, World Long Drive Coach and the Head of Golf Instruction at IMAGEN Golf the area's leading golf instruction and advisory firm, host of the IMAGEN Golf podcast and Best-Selling Author of "Unleash The Golfer Within".

For more information visit www.ImagenGolf.com or call 215-595-6299 Reach out to Daniel directly at:Daniel@ImagenGolf.com

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