US Open: Post Tournament Report Card

Brooks Koepka – A+

On a final day that failed to get out of second gear, Koepka’s coronation as a major champion was a small mercy. Much, perhaps too much, is made of his prodigious length off the tee. Yesterday, however, he showed that he is the whole package: a big-hitter, with a laser-like iron game, a razor-sharp short game, a good putting stroke and a measured demeanour, even under the greatest pressure. This won’t be his last major.   

Claude Harmon III – A

Fun fact: CH3 used to be one of bunkered’s tuition panellists. Now, he’s coaching major winners. One of the good guys, it’s fantastic to see him getting the credit he deserves.

Rickie Fowler – B

Spurned a great opportunity to land his first major. The conditions on the final day were tailor-made for him: windy, fast-running, tucked-away pins that reward aggressive play. Once again, though, he failed to deliver when it matters most. The chagrin of his coach, Butch Harmon, was evident in his commentary on Sky Sports. Why he struggles to turn contending into closing is a mystery that is becoming a habit. And habits are hard to kick. As for the ‘no negatives’ stuff? Nah, not buying that.

Justin Thomas – B

His final round was as awful as his third round was brilliant. I find Thomas exasperatingly streaky. When he’s hot, he’s molten. When he’s not, he makes a Siberian winter look positively tropical. An opportunity missed.

Erin Hills – B

The players loved it and, credit where it’s due, the USGA set it up in such a way as to reward aggressive play. That said, it looked terrible on TV, with most of the holes almost indistinguishable from one another. Plus, the sheer size of it made for some unnecessarily long rounds (more on that below). Put it this way: it’s no Oakmont. Still, I have a feeling it’ll get another shot at the championship, unlike Chambers Bay…

The 117th US Open – C

You know that way when you’re trying to connect to the WiFi but the signal keeps dropping? That was this year’s US Open. Frustratingly beige.

The pace of play – F

Look, I get it. It’s a major championship on a huge piece of land with a bunch of guys who’ve never been in this position before trying to secure a career-defining win – it’s not exactly going to be your typical ‘Dawn Patrol’ half-jog around the course. Even so, the pace of some players – Brian Harman and Hideki Matsuyama, in particular – was diabolically bad. My solution? One bad time = warning. Second bad time = DQ. Forget fines or shot penalties. Disqualify them. See how fast they move when they stand to lose world ranking points, cheques and trophies.

‘The Big 3’ – F

What ‘Big 3’?!

Johnny Miller – F

Anyone else find Miller’s obsession with telling people how great he was/is slightly creepy in a ‘Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction’ kind of way? His attempts to play down Justin Thomas’ 63 were straight out of the “my dad is bigger than your dad” playbook. Try being gracious without an asterisk next time, Johnny. You might just like it.

Steve Elkington – Z

The Australian’s ‘observations’ about Rory McIlroy were just pathetic. The chronic prattling of an irrelevant has-been. McIlroy’s ‘bored’ and ‘a money guy’? Delete your account, Elk.

The ‘Get In The Hole!’ crowd – Z-

Cretins. Each and every knuckle-dragging one of them.