What PGA Tour players are saying about the bunkers at Oakmont ahead of the US Open starting

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It’s US Open week at Oakmont Country Club and the players set to tee it up are in for quite the change compared to when it last hosted the event in 2016.

The powers that be have made some huge renovations to the golf course since then and it remains to be seen whether it will be a tougher or easier test than previously.

Dustin Johnson was the winner at four under par last time Oakmont played host while in 2007, Angel Cabrera managed to win with a score of five over.

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With players like Scottie Scheffler already claiming Oakmont to be super tough and the rough looking brutal, we could be in for a rollercoaster ride.

Indeed, one of the big changes has been to the layout and design of the bunkers around Oakmont and speaking on those changes, former player Smylie Kaufman has revealed what players are saying about those changes.

How the new bunkers at Oakmont have gone down with PGA Tour players

Finding fairways is going to be absolutely key for any player wanting to do well around Oakmont this week and it goes without saying that those who hit the rough and find bunkers will struggle.

Indeed, with all the bunkers being redone for this particular US Open, Smylie Kaufman has explained that players are already noticing the changes.

“Not too much different. I think the big key is that the slopes that are currently the steep slopes on the front side of all these bunkers, especially the fairway bunkers, talking to some players they feel like they are a little bit steeper,” Kaufman revealed.

“The interesting part is will the bunkers be super flat this week or have a bit of curvature on them, where they might settle more towards the middle and the players have a chance to get out. But every bunker was rebuilt on the property, which is an extraordinary amount of time and effort. This agronomy team has been put through the wringer, especially knowing it’s not easy to grow out five inch rough and keep the playing surfaces playing as good as they have.

“I thought it was interesting that at the US amateur the last time they had it there, players were hitting it down the ninth because that first tee shot really is very difficult to hit that fairway. You have out of bounds right and right from the get go you have to hit a shot and all these young dudes were just bombing it down nine. But that has been taken out.

“I don’t know what they added over there, I would have to go and see it. But that is one change that has been made.”

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Can anyone stop Scottie Scheffler at the US Open?

With a new course layout and finding fairways clearly being the key to winning around Oakmont, it does beg the question of if anyone will stop world number one, Scottie Scheffler.

Scheffler has hit what looks like peak form at just the right time and if he plays as he has done at The Memorial and the PGA, he will take some stopping.

Scheffler’s accuracy off the tee and his brilliance from the fairways in terms of finding the putting surface make him a clear favourite to win.

Of course, others will fancy their chances but if anyone is going to seize the moment on what is basically a new track, then the current best player in the world is the man for the job.