We have arrived at the third U.S Open Championship to be staged at Pinehurst No. 2 in this century, so not surprisingly my mind has been wandering to the first two, in 2005 and 2014. Nine years apart, they couldn’t have been more different, despite being played on the same magnificent course. The same layout, but set up in two very different ways.
Back in 2005, what the United States Golf Association got wrong was actually what they thought they got right. While those in charge knew Donald Ross’ design called for wide fairways – the biggest challenge has always been the incredibly difficult “upturned saucer” putting surfaces – they grew rough and created
