Robert Lee looks ahead to US Open and discusses Shinnecock's test
Tuesday 12 June 2018 18:54, UK
Robert Lee discusses the challenges facing the players at Shinnecock Hills this week and casts his eye over some of the contenders for US Open victory.
I think we're in for a fantastic week here on Long Island. If there is any wind on this golf course then it's going to be a very severe test, with 10-mile-an-hour winds all that's needed to make a difference.
The forecast is great for all four days and the players aren't going to take this course apart, because if the weather stays dry then it's going to get faster and will make it extra tricky.
They've made changes to the golf course and made the fairways wider, but I absolutely get why because the greens are so complex. Every green is saying to a player "get off me!" and doesn't seem to want a ball to be on them.
I walked out on to the seventh hole, which caused so many problems the last time the tournament was here in 2004, and it's the only hole I've ever seen where I can't figure out a way to play the hole.
The green is fiendish with roll-offs everywhere, so it's hard to see if you missed the green how you're going to get up and down.
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Anybody who struggles to chip and putt will have no chance around here, because you just can't get it on enough greens. Even the great ball-strikers like Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy are going to have to make sure their short game is razor-sharp.
DJ comes in as world No 1 after his victory at Memphis, where his eagle-two at the last was amazing and will give him a huge injection of confidence heading into this week.
You can't just smash it everywhere around here as it just won't work, but I think this is really going to be a challenge that McIlroy is going to relish.
McIlroy's standards are so high that when he says he's not far away, he could be just one tiny swing though away from playing some great golf. He will be here thinking he has every chance of winning.
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Shinnecock is a bit linksy which I think will appeal to the British and Irish interest in the field, especially Justin Rose who, in my mind, is the guy to beat. If you can beat Rose this week, then chances are you are going to win.
Tiger Woods is playing well and could be a factor if he strings it together, while Phil Mickelson heads into this week knowing half of his six second-place finishes at the event have come on Long Island.
Mickelson has been in the top 10 for fairways hit in his last two appearances here, which isn't what he normally does, so will available to plot his way around the golf course with the wider fairways. If he went one better and completed the Grand Slam here then it would be an incredible feat.
Watch the US Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports US Open. Live coverage begins with the On the Range show on Wednesday from 8pm.
