MAMARONECK, N.Y. – There were no complaints from a trio of players who left Winged Foot after missing the U.S. Open cut.
They were actually quite complimentary on social media Saturday despite collecting the lion’s share of 1,383 bogeys, 179 doubles and 19 others. Most failed to capitalize when the famed West Course was vulnerable in the opening round and struggled mightily with the wind and the rough and the pins and the greens in the second round.
Eddie Pepperell checked out with a 14-over total of 154, but was ready to go again.
“Upon reflection, and despite playing like a right doughnut, I would do it all again at Winged Foot,” the 29-year-old Englishman tweeted. “It’s simply an awesome golf course. Can’t think of a course that tests you in so many ways. Thanks @USGA for humbling me at the same time as invigorating me.”
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The cut was 6-over, three strokes lower than it was in 2006 when the U.S. Open was last played at Winged Foot.
Receptive greens and welcoming pins in Round 1 accounted for the difference.
Phil Mickelson did not look comfortable for one minute at Winged Foot, not even on the driving range. He again took a scenic route carding rounds of 79 and 74, and was up early on Saturday hawking a line of coffee released this week.
“After being beaten up and battered by Winged Foot, it’s nice to find out @ForWellness doesn’t just help my mind and body, it comforts my ego and soothes my hurt soul,” Mickelson tweeted along with a bed-head photo.
To kill time on his flight home, Max Homa solicited questions and was promptly asked what non-golf activity equates to playing Winged Foot.
“Playing Winged Foot is like going for a run,” he tweeted after is 14-over performance. “Ur optimistic to start, ur almost immediately pissed off, there’s a lot of heavy breathing, the views are great, ur wondering why u did this to urself, there’s some self-hate involved, finishing is euphoric, ur gunna do it again.”
Mike Dougherty covers golf for The Journal News/lohud.com. He can be reached at mdougher@lohud.com or on Twitter @hoopsmbd and @lohudgolf.
