Defending US Open champion Wyndham Clark says that this week's greens at Pinehurst No.2 "already are borderline" ahead of what is set to be a stern test of golf at the USA's 124th national open.
Clark won his maiden Major title at LACC last year, where he pipped Rory McIlroy by a single stroke. He won his third PGA Tour title at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier this year and moved up to a career-high of 3rd in the world.
The American, now ranked 4th in the OWGR, spoke to media on-site at Pinehurst on Monday afternoon, where his views on the greens will see some fans rejoice in what points to an entertaining week where the world's best will be tested to the extreme.
"The greens are extremely fast and penal. You hit it on the green, the hole is not done. I was just amazed how fast the greens are. Yeah, I mean, they are extremely fast. If they get any firmer and faster, the greens, I mean, they'd be borderline. They already are borderline," Clark said on Pinehurst's famously undulating putting surfaces, before admitting that sometimes it's better to miss a green in the right spot than hit it in the wrong position.
"But yeah, as far as practicing, I mean, the biggest thing is where you leave yourself on the greens," he continued.
"Today I went with my caddie and we just were really charting to certain pins, like we'd rather be here than there. Sometimes that almost could mean, not that you're trying to miss a green, but you're erring towards the easier up and down.
"You have to play a lot of break on these greens. When we're hitting lag putts and short putts, you have a 10-footer downhill, down-grain. Normally you're not more than four or five inches outside the cup on most greens.
"Here you're maybe playing 10 to 12 inches just so that you're not getting below the hole and having it run away. It's really a lot of practice. That's what we're going to focus on a lot. We did today, and these next few days, to get ready."
The greens at Pinehurst No.2 are Champion Ultradwarf Bermudagrass, meaning that grain will come into play. Into the grain is around 12 on the stimp, Clark estimates, while admitting that they are frightening quick down-grain, to the extent that he witnessed players de-greening putts in his practice round.
"Yeah, I mean, the grain, I don't know if it affects maybe the break of the putts as much on these greens because they are cut so tight that the green is not grabbing it," he said.
"It's more the speed. When it looks really shiny and it's down-grain, let's say the grains are a 13, I think down-grain they're 15 or 16. They're like significantly faster.
"And then into the grain, it's not affecting it that much. It goes from a 13 on the stimp to maybe only a 12 in my mind. So every putt is fast. I find myself hitting uphill putts six feet by, six, seven feet by. Common theme in our group.
"I mean, multiple guys putts off the green. Multiple guys hit putts, they're like, oh, my gosh. It's definitely the defense right now is the greens."
And on his own game, Clark doesn't sound overly optimistic on becoming the third man to successfully defend a US Open title after two consecutive missed cuts at the PGA Championship and Memorial Tournament. He also missed the cut at The Masters, too.
"I haven't been playing my best golf. It's been kind of a tough stretch these last few weeks. Really I'm trying to gain some momentum for the rest of the season. I know that maybe sounds like low expectations for the week, but honestly I'd love to just gain some momentum," he said.
"I'd really like to hit some good shots, have some really good up and downs, make some key putts throughout the week, and play four solid rounds. That's really what I'd love to do."
Martin Kaymer strolled to victory here ten years ago, winning by eight strokes at nine-under-par. He was just one of three men under par for the week, with runners-up Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton at one-under.
Whether this week's winning score will be in the single-digits-under-par is yet to be seen, but hot and dry weather at the US Open is predicted for the week - pointing to challenging and firm conditions.
