US Open players criticise 'no warm-up' ruling after weather delay
By Keith Jackson
Last Updated: 17/06/16 12:32pm
Players were critical of the USGA's decision to forbid players from warming up on the range before play resumed after the first of three suspensions in play on day one of the US Open.
Approaching storms caused an initial suspension just over two and a half hours after the start, and play resumed after a 79-minute delay with players told to head straight back to the course.
US Open leaderboard
The field were allowed to warm-up following a lengthier second weather hold-up of almost two and a half hours, and more severe weather hit the Oakmont Country Club shortly before 8pm (BST) and forced the players back to the clubhouse for a third time.
Torrential rain saturated the course and left officials with no option but to abandon play for the day with half the field yet to tee off, but many of the early starters were angered that they were not allowed to warm up after the first delay.
Masters champion Danny Willett said: "We sat in a cabin for an hour and 10 minutes behind the seventh tee without being given a chance to hit any balls or do anything. You're in a US Open, they don't give you a chance to even hit a few balls.
"Even the second time out, 1:47 and we were told to go back out again at 2:10. Never hitting any balls. You can appreciate they're trying to get as many holes in as possible, but sometimes you just have to call it a day and come back."
Matt Fitzpatrick added: "They made it a little bit easier having us warm up a second time around. But certainly the first time, waiting for an hour and then having a three-iron into the wind from 218 yards is not the ideal start you want back. So it's difficult. You've got to focus hard and do as well as you can."
Shane Lowry said: "It was a shame. I mean, we were out in cover beside the seventh tee and there weren't many seats available. We were standing there for well over an hour and it wasn't ideal, but I went back out there and felt okay.
"I normally don't need to warm up that much, which is good for me, but imagine some of the older guys might have been feeling it. That was fine. That's what the USGA had to do to get as much golf as they could in today."
Defending champion Jordan Spieth added: "It's a challenge not being able to warm up too, going out there and trying to hit tee shots at the US Open, but it is what it is."
But Lee Westwood, who was one of a handful of players under par for the day, was happy that the delay allowed him to watch England's 2-1 victory over Wales at Euro 2016.
"We managed to watch the second half of the England game in the first delay which was good and then nearly all of the Northern Ireland game and then the Germany v Poland game just now," Westwood said.
