Oakmont's 301-yard par three - a gimmick or psychological masterstroke?

This week's 125th US Open will characteristic nan longest par-three spread successful awesome title history astatine 301 yards.

It has been called "ridiculous" by Collin Morikawa, who deed a driver disconnected nan tee successful practice, and "silly" by Viktor Hovland, but will nan eighth astatine Oakmont Country Club successful Pennsylvania beryllium to beryllium a gimmick aliases psychological masterstroke?

John Bodenhamer, main championships serviceman astatine nan United States Golf Association (USGA), wants players to "get each nine dirty, each 15 of them - 14 successful their container and nan 1 betwixt nan ears" astatine a people which "prides itself connected being America's sternest trial of golf".

The eighth was nan first 300-yard par 3 erstwhile Angel Cabrera triumphed astatine Oakmont successful 2007. The Argentine holed a 20ft putt for a 2 successful nan last information and was nan only 1 of nan starring contenders to make birdie.

It has been a talking constituent for much than 70 years.

At nan 1953 US Open nan eighth played 253 yards, longer than nan mean thrust by a PGA Tour subordinate that year.

While nan distances person increased, nan mean magnitude of thrust for a PGA Tour subordinate is still shorter, astatine 300.9 yards, than nan par 3 will play successful 2025.

In 2016 it played 299 yards successful nan 4th round, 4 yards longer than nan par-four 17th successful information three.

Par is conscionable a number but, arsenic 2006 US Open champion Geoff Ogilvy pointed out, "the psychology of par is amazing".

"If it's a par 5 and you're coming successful pinch a fairway metallic [with your 2nd shot], you're reasoning there's a chance you tin make three," he said.

"But if it's a par three, you dream you don't make 4 aliases five.

"No-one likes to get a wood retired connected a par three. There's a spot of ego involved. But sometimes you person to."

The eighth is down connected nan scorecard arsenic a 289-yard hole, but tweaks to nan tee container and pin position will widen it to a grounds distance.

"I haven't played it since they lengthened it to beryllium a short par five," quipped Jack Nicklaus, who won nan first of his grounds 18 fields astatine Oakmont successful 1962, while erstwhile circuit pro Paul Goydos erstwhile mischievously claimed nan spread could big a longest thrust and nearest-the-pin competition.

Australian Min Woo Lee posted a image of nan spread yardage astatine 289 yards and par people of 3 connected X pinch a video of him hitting his tee changeable and a connection reading: "Hey @USGA personification put a 3 alternatively of a four."

Morikawa, victor of The Open successful 2021, featured successful a video connected a believe time asking: "Am I nan only 1 hitting driver? I mean, this conscionable seems ridiculous."

Last year's Open and US PGA Championship victor Xander Schauffele changeable back: "It's nan cleanable club. You don't look very comfortable."

European Ryder Cup subordinate Viktor Hovland said: "As soon arsenic you commencement to return caput covers disconnected connected par threes, it gets a small silly."

Not that world number 1 Scottie Scheffler is getting caught up successful nan hype. "Whether it's a 3 wood aliases driver from that backmost tee, fundamentally I'm conscionable going to effort to get nan shot connected nan greenish and two-putt," he said.

Number 3 classed Schauffele said: "You conscionable fig retired really champion to make a people connected it. You mightiness wounded a fewer egos if you spot guys pulling driver aliases agelong clubs."

Ludvig Aberg is likewise unfazed. "I've ne'er had thing against a agelong par three. I conjecture I'm different," he said.

Two-time US PGA victor Justin Thomas said aft a scouting travel to Oakmont a mates of weeks ago: "That's not my favourite hole. I couldn't show you a par 3 complete 250 yards that's good, architecturally."

Architecturally, nan spread has been tweaked for 2025 by renowned people designer and renovator Gil Hanse.

He has extended nan 'Sahara' bunker that dominates nan near broadside of nan hole, adding a conception that juts retired into nan eyeline immoderate 80 yards short of a greenish which is regarded arsenic among nan flattest connected nan course.

Hanse has besides removed bunkers from nan backmost correct of nan green. In their spot is immoderate of Oakmont's notoriously heavy rough, which, astatine 5 inches heavy and hugging nan separator of nan putting surface, will beryllium arguably tougher to flight from.

The eighth classed arsenic nan eighth hardest spread connected nan people successful 2016, yielding only 24 birdies and players taking an mean of 3.30 shots.

In 2007 it classed arsenic nan 4th hardest pinch only 1 successful 4 tee shots uncovering nan green.

It was nan only spread that Johnny Miller bogeyed during what is regarded arsenic 1 of nan finest rounds of play played erstwhile he won nan 1973 title.

The American changeable 9 birdies arsenic he posted nan first 63 successful awesome title history, but took 3 putts from 30 feet aft uncovering nan greenish pinch a four-wood tee changeable connected what was past a 244-yard hole.

Unsurprisingly, Oakmont's number 8 will clasp nan apical 3 spots - and six of nan apical 10 - astatine nan extremity of this week.

Joint 3rd and 5th connected nan database will beryllium nan seventh and 11th holes astatine nan Los Angeles Country Club, which measured 299 and 297 yards respectively successful information 2 of nan 2023 US Open.

These 3 holes will stock 13 of nan apical 15 spots successful nan list, pinch only nan 3rd spread astatine Merion (266 yards successful information 4 successful 2013) and nan 2nd astatine Shinnecock Hills (264 yards successful information 4 successful 2018) disrupting their dominance.

The longest par 3 played astatine The Open was nan 16th astatine Carnoustie successful 2018 astatine 248 yards, while nan US PGA Championship group up nan 14th astatine Valhalla to play 254 yards successful 2024. This year's Masters astatine Augusta National featured a 4th spread that was 240 yards.

The shortest par 3 astatine a awesome was nan 15th astatine LA Country Club, which played only 81 yards successful information 3 successful 2023.