Matt Fitzpatrick wants shinnecock hills to stay dry and firm, not turn into a birdie-fest. The former U.S. Open winner said that setup is closer to the challenge he expects at this week’s championship, after heavy rain, widening fairways and fast-changing green speeds shaped the start of play.
Fitzpatrick’s Shinnecock Hills view
“I don't particularly like playing birdie-fests; I don't think it's as enjoyable,” Fitzpatrick said during U.S. Open week at Shinnecock Hills. He also pushed back on the idea that the course had been lost last time the event was there, saying, “There was a big meltdown here last time, [people saying] 'They've lost the golf course', but I don't think they lost the golf course at all.”
His preferred setup was even clearer when he talked about the surface conditions. “Today, the greens are really soft... For me personally, I want it to get as dry and firm as possible, as U.S Opens do, and just see where that takes us.”
Shinnecock Hills in 2018
The last U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills came in 2018, when Brooks Koepka won and the venue again drew attention for its extreme setup. Balls rolled off the super-fast greens, and Phil Mickelson picked up a two-stroke penalty after hitting his ball while it was still moving.
That history sits behind this week’s setup. The U.S. Open has been held four times at Shinnecock Hills in the modern era, and the winning scores there finished one-under, level, four-under and one-over.
Wind, rain, and scoring
Conditions have not been static. Wind gusts over 40km/h and plenty of sun have been affecting the pace of the putting surfaces, while heavy rain in the early hours of Monday gave the course some assistance. Organisers have also widened the fairways for this U.S. Open.
That leaves Fitzpatrick looking for something closer to a true championship test than a soft scoring week. He won his first and only major at Brookline four years ago, and has finished higher than 12th only once in 11 U.S. Open appearances. The more the course dries out, the more his preferred version of Shinnecock Hills comes into view.
