What one very experienced caddie was saying about the Pinehurst course after practice round on Monday

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As Thursday’s first round of the U.S. Open nears, much of the talk has centred around just how hard Pinehurst No.2 is going to play this week.

During the U.S. Open’s previous visits to the North Carolina course, only one player has finished with a 72-hole score lower than one under, coming during Martin Kaymer’s remarkable 2014 victory when the German finished on nine under.

Tiger Woods finished near the top of the leaderboard in his two previous visits to Pinehurst, but even the greatest player ever couldn’t quite believe how hard the course was playing in 1999.

One talking point has centred around the greens, with slopes, grain and rapid surfaces set to challenge the world’s best.

Furthermore, run-off areas will lead to some interesting approach shots played from in and around the greens. Woods was spotted using his four-iron in and around the greens on Monday.

Experienced caddie on Pinehurst’s difficulty level

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Riggs, from Barstool Sports, has shared a conversation he held with an “accomplished” caddie who had experienced the 2024 set-up firsthand, and here’s what he had to say.

“Spoke to an extremely accomplished caddie today,” he wrote on X. “Asked him, “what do you think so far: playing easy, medium, or hard?”

The caddie replied: “Really, really hard.”

After the recent low-scoring events at Valhalla and the Wells Fargo Championship, a completely different prospect is in store this week.

Pinehurst No.2 should take the U.S. Open back to its brutal best

By U.S. Open standards, the LACC test was relatively straightforward. Wyndham Clark’s ten-under victory was one of the lower-scoring events we’ve witnessed in recent years.

The 2023 competition certainly lacked the fierce nature of Shinnecock Hills in 2018 and Winged Foot in 2020.

If a player finishes on level par through 72 holes of U.S. Open golf, they should stand a chance of winning, and that’s where the scoring should be this year.

Of course, the form of Scottie Scheffler could see a lower winning tally emerge, but it feels doubtful that Kaymer’s 2014 record will be broken.