Tiger Woods has warned that this year’s US Open at Pinehurst could turn into a grueling “war of attrition” as the course’s fast greens may prove to be the ultimate challenge for golfers.
Woods, a 15-time major champion, placed third in the 1999 US Open and finished runner-up in 2005 at the North Carolina venue. Now, he’s preparing for another tough contest as the course’s notorious greens could lead to what Woods described as “ping-pong” games, where players struggle to keep the ball on the putting surfaces.
Pinehurst underwent significant restoration in 2014, removing the typical rough and narrow fairways. Instead, the course features sandy ‘native areas’ and elevated ‘turtleback’ greens, designed to test every aspect of a player’s game.
With US Open defending champion Wyndham Clark expressing concerns that the greens were already “borderline,” Woods echoed the challenge, stating:
“This golf course is going to test every single aspect of your game.”
Woods emphasized the mental discipline required to tackle Pinehurst’s severe greens, adding:
“We’ve putted off a lot of greens. It depends on how severe the USGA wants to make this, but I foresee just like in ’05, some guys playing ping-pong back and forth.” He also mentioned that Donald Ross, the original architect, likely didn’t design the course with the idea that it would play at such high speeds, noting, “I don’t think he intended it to be running at 13 on the stimpmeter.”
Woods concluded by highlighting the excitement surrounding the course’s challenges, stating that the US Open at Pinehurst could become a true test of skill and patience.
“It’s going to be a great war of attrition this week. It’s going to be a lot of fun for all of us”
He said, anticipating that the fast greens might push players to their limits by the final day.
