Southampton (United States) (AFP) – While top-ranked Scottie Scheffler chases a career Grand Slam at this week’s US Open, European golfers can achieve an unprecedented treble if one of them wins the title at Shinnecock. The year’s third major tournament begins Thursday over the windy 7,440-yard (6,800-meter) Long Island layout, where lightning-fast greens and thick rough add to the challenge.
“A lot of it just comes down to execution, but I think patience is a large part of it as well,” said Scheffler. Much of the focus is upon the American, who could become only the seventh player to complete the career Slam with a victory on Sunday, which is his 30th birthday. “Would it be a dream to win the US Open? Of course,” Scheffler said. “But at the end of the day, the Grand Slam has never been a motivating factor for me. I always just wanted to be the best version of myself and that got me this far.”
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Golfers from the United Kingdom have won the first two majors of the year, second-ranked Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland defending his Masters crown in April after completing his career Slam last year and England’s Aaron Rai taking last month’s PGA Championship. It’s a feat not seen in the four-major era since the Masters began in 1934, and another European victory would match the continent’s best run of three majors in a year since 2014, when McIlroy won the PGA and British Open after Germany’s Martin Kaymer captured the US Open.
“A historic start to the major season for golfers from that part of the world, and I would say this is more a UK/European style of test than certainly the first two majors,” McIlroy said. “So it certainly wouldn’t surprise me to see a few players from Europe and the UK in contention on Sunday.”
Scheffler was stunned UK players had not won the first two majors before now. “It has never happened before?” Scheffler said. “That’s a bit surprising with the amount of talent that has come out of the UK. I think golf is becoming increasingly a global game.” Scheffler said Shinnecock being a links-style course near the water and its breezes make it a prime spot for Europeans who know their links golf.
“If you grew up on a links course out towards the coast, yeah, I think there would be some value there, just based on this type of wind,” Scheffler said. “If you’re hitting the ball in the right spots, you can play this golf course. The minute you start hitting the ball offline, you’re like, man, how do I even finish this hole?”
Scheffler, a two-time Masters champion, won last year’s British Open and PGA Championship to give himself a first chance to finish the career Slam at Shinnecock. Scheffler would join Tiger Woods, McIlroy, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, and Gene Sarazen as the only players to complete the career Grand Slam. South Africa’s Player is the only one to have completed the career Slam by winning a US Open.
– Patience needed – Scheffler’s only win this year came in the California desert in January, but he reeled off three runner-up efforts in a row including the Masters. “I feel like I’ve been close most of the year. I just haven’t been as sharp as I needed,” Scheffler said. “Margins are so small in this game, to be winning a lot of tournaments you’ve got to just be really sharp.”
McIlroy is wary of Shinnecock luring players into mistakes. “This course demands so much patience and it can lure you into doing things you shouldn’t do,” he said. “If everything is going the way everyone wants it in terms of weather, setup, it’s the best championship test in the country.”
© 2024 AFP
