US Open at Shinnecock Hills Braces for Windy, Challenging Conditions

The 126th US Open golf championship is set to begin at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York, with officials preparing for exceptionally difficult wind conditions that have prompted significant course management adjustments. The final practice day on Wednesday revealed the extent of the challenge ahead, as strong winds buffeted the USGA flags on the clubhouse behind the 18th green.

USGA competition director John Bodenhamer described the wind situation as "problematic," stating that it will affect this championship more than most others. Wind speeds of approximately 20 miles per hour are expected on Thursday, with gusts potentially double that intensity. The course is positioned between Great Peconic Bay to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, making strong winds a recurring characteristic of the venue. In response, the USGA has implemented cautious preparations, reducing green speeds from the planned 11-12 on the Stimpmeter to approximately 10.5, while maintaining softer fairway conditions to prevent the course from becoming unplayable.

Previous tournaments at Shinnecock Hills have demonstrated the venue's severity when wind and heat converge. During the 2004 US Open, conditions became so extreme on the final day that no player broke par and 28 competitors failed to shoot below 80 in a single round. In 2018, treacherously fast greens and controversial pin placements on Saturday prevented the final 44 players from matching par, with Phil Mickelson famously striking a moving ball on the 13th green to prevent it from rolling back into the rough.

World's top two-ranked golfers Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are both competing, with the tournament beginning Thursday at 6:35 a.m., 10 minutes earlier than standard to allow maintenance crews to soak greens before afternoon rounds. Scheffler seeks to complete a career Grand Slam, needing only the US Open among major championships. Adam Scott, playing in his 100th consecutive major, and Justin Rose, who have both competed at Shinnecock in recent years, praised the course preparations. Rose stated the course is "as enjoyable as I've seen it," while acknowledging the USGA's commitment to making it "hard but fair."

Bodenhamer emphasized the USGA's philosophy: "We could brutalize this place if we wanted to. That's not what we're about. We really want it to be fair, and we want it to be what Shinnecock Hills has always been. It will be tough enough." Wind conditions are forecast to ease somewhat on Friday and Sunday but intensify from a different direction on Saturday, presenting variable challenges throughout the tournament.