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A 2020 US Open Golf Preview

Here is a preview of the 2020 US Open that can help golf fans prepare for a fun week at Pebble Beach Golf Links!

With this thought in mind, here is a preview of the 2020 US Open golf championship that can help golf fans prepare for a fun week at Pebble Beach Golf Links!

To start off, here are some of the key changes the USGA has completed to prepare Pebble Beach Golf Links for one of the sternest tests in all of golf.

--The USGA has turned this par-72 gem into a challenging par-71 bear of a course.
Pebble Beach is normally a par-72 course that features 2 par-5's on each nine. For this tournament, the USGA has converted the second hole into a long 504-yard monster of a par 4 . This downwind hole is a bear that amply demonstrates what the USGA has done to the other holes on the course because it is an awesome example of the graduated rough that grows progressively longer and fluffier around the fairway and green. It leaves no margin for error for tee shots or approach shots that are a touch off. As a result, players will be challenged to manage their games around the fairways and greens well if they want to win.

If that wasn't enough, the USGA has also put the fairway bunkers back into play by cutting the grass around the bunkers much shorter than what we saw in 2000 when the US Open was last played at Pebble Beach. This will put a premium on finding fairways because the recently reconstructed fairway bunkers are so deep and nasty that most players will have to chip out of the bunkers back onto the fairway.

This instant one shot penalty might make many players think twice about hitting a driver unless they absolutely have to on the longer par 5s.

Furthermore, the USGA has also made a lot of par 4's very accessible for players to attack in several ways.
For example, the front 9 features the par-4 1st (370-390 yards), and 4th (320-351 yards) holes that are prime targets for longer hitters because the might be able to drive their tee balls close to the green if they wind stays down. Shorter hitters who find the fairway could find themselves facing a second shot of around 50-100 yards that requires nothing more than an L-wedge to the green. These holes are great birdie opportunities for players who play them smart. As a result, they might determine who wins this US Open because there are a lot of tough par 4s (like the 2nd, 9th and 17th holes) that are so challenging that a bogey isn't the worst score in the world.

Finally, the USGA has also made finding the fairways more difficult by making them firmer and faster. This will make holes like the par-4 9th and the par-5 18th even more challenging because its tilted fairway is already difficult to find under normal conditions. These conditions could grow worse if the wind were to kick up during the week.

Now that you know how Pebble Beach is set up, here are some story lines to watch for during the 2020 US Open.
--Will Tiger Woods bring his A-game or his whining attitude to Pebble Beach?
Tiger's season has been a pain in the neck to say the least! It makes this writer wonder if he'll bring his A-game to the party or his stupid whining and snarky attitude if he isn't perfect out there. Stay tuned for all the drama that messy saga will bring one way or the other.

--How will players perform on the par-3 seventh hole? It will probably measure around 109-120 yards and its downwind set-up will give players fits!
--Will Phil Mickelson become the # 1 player in the world?
If Lefty wins this US Open, he will indeed become the world's #1 player. Watch the media go berserk over this possibility in the next few days. (And watch the messy debate that will ensure between Tiger's fans and Lefty's fans over how long Phil stays in the #1 spot!)

--Does Tom Watson have one more magical run in him?
He played awfully well earlier this year at The Masters. If he can find most fairways and make a few putts, who's to say he couldn't compete?!

--What will the winning score be? The USGA is obsessed with making par such a great score that it's turned some US Open's into epic nightmares to watch on TV or in person. That being said, don't be surprised if 5 or 6-under wins this thing if the weather holds up.

--Finally, Will NBC and ESPN focus on the US Open or will it focus more of its attention to Tiger Woods?
Heaven forbid if they make the broadcast the All-Tiger-Woods-Hour. Not only would it muck up the broadcast, it'd also detract from what promises to be a wicked tournament.

Have fun watching this year's US Open at Pebble Beach!

Outside Sources
Kavlon, Ken. "A U.S. Open Setup." Originally published online May 20th 2020 at www.usopen.com. Retrieved online June 2nd 2020 from www.google.com.

The United States Golf Association. "A 2020 US Open Course Preview." Originally published online April 1st2020 at www.usopen.com. Retrieved online June 2nd 2020 from www.yahoo.com.