Will the US Open be remembered for Brooks Koepka or Erin Hills?

IF, many years from now, you ask a golf aficionado what name their memory conjures from the US Open of 2017, it might not be that of the victor. Brooks Koepka, a burly 28-year-old from Florida, earned his first major title on June 19th after triumphing in America’s oldest championship. But the lingering protagonist could well be Erin Hills—that is, the course in the wetlands of Wisconsin on which Mr Koepka returned his trophy-winning scorecard of 16 under par, four better than his nearest challenger and the joint-best tally in the competition’s history. Younger fans of the future, while perusing the honours board, might spot Mr Koepka’s score-to-par and assume that he had played four rounds of god-like golf, up there with the best of Jack Nicklaus or the late Arnold Palmer. Some greyer heads in the clubhouse would disagree, grumbling about an easy course. Who would be right?

The youngsters could point out that the US Open has generally been...Continue reading