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The U.S. Open returns to legendary Oakmont Country Club in Pittsburgh in two weeks, and players are already preparing for chaos. Oakmont, known for its iconic church pew bunkers, has played host to the event nine times prior and is considered one of the world’s toughest courses, and this year appears no different.
In the weeks leading up to the U.S. Open, players and golf media members have shared rumors about the course growing out its rough to extreme lengths. Those rumors grew even louder on Monday when Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott struggled through a 9-hole practice round.
I have no idea how the players are even going to play their ball from this rough at Oakmont. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/f6doWH7zsS
— Bryan Rhodes (@OldTownRhodes) May 31, 2025
Eamon Lynch of Golf Channel reports that Scott shot a 3-over despite hitting every fairway on the front side, while McIlroy made triple bogey at the second hole and then bogeyed the 280-yard par 3, 8th hole after hitting a 3 wood.
Lynch also shared that a club member told McIlroy that Johnny Miller also bogeyed the 8th hole when he shot his historic 63 to win the 1973 U.S. Open. But McIlroy quickly replied, “That’s great. Did he make a 7 on No. 2 as well?”
McIlroy also told Lynch that he hit three good shots on the second hole despite the triple bogey. Although, the math would then imply that he hit four bad shots as well.
Extreme rough isn’t anything new at Oakmont. Angel Cabrera shot a 5-over, 285 when he won the 2007 U.S. Open. While third-round leader Aaron Baddeley shot a final, round 10-over, 80 playing alongside Tiger Woods to finish outside the top 10.
But the rough likely won’t be as long next week as it is now. U.S. Open hosts often grow out the rough in the weeks prior to the event, only to trim it back to a reasonable length come tournament time. Which isn’t to say that it won’t play tough, just that what we see now might not be exactly what we see when the tournament begins.