Despite two days of hot, dry time after the fall of more than six inches on the course of Merion, more rain was scheduled for the Thursday opening round. When the soil is so heavy, it is not uncommon for the mud to stick to balls hit in the channel, making it more difficult to control the next kick.Graeme McDowell, the winner of 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach, says the randomness to get a ball of mud could shake the competitive balance.
"It is an element of luck about how your ball locations in the channel, made it plant in the upslope, made it plant in the slope, you are a low ball hitter or a high ball hitter, how much mud your ball goes to pick up», said McDowell.
"If it's a long shot he literally can cost you strokes. It is therefore unfair.
Champion US Open three times Tiger Woods was less concerned.
"I think that there is an element of chance every time you win a golf tournament," said Woods.
"The good news is that most of these holes we will have balls of potential mud on we are going to have the short irons. You can get the ball on (the green) a little easier with a short iron. »
On the PGA Tour, concerns over the balls of mud are treated using a lift, clean and place rule in muddy conditions.
However, the US Golf Association, a strong supporter of the basic principles of the game, has always insisted on strict adherence to the rule of play the ball as it lies. Although it allows relief for blocked shots.
Steve Stricker, playing in his 18th US Open, said he believed used by professional golf balls, these days were more prone to mud.
"We are more likely to get a ball of mud today we were just now in my career," said Stricker.It seems that (it takes) less mud to affect the ball.
"The balls were less turn... so it does not take much mud to really affect this ball."
McDowell of Northern Ireland said that he thought that certain conditions called to lift, clean and place.
"I get the fact that the Committee of masters and the USGA and the R & A, they dislike and not to give the golf ball in hand, club length, lift, clean and place, because you can use this rule to your advantage, you can change your angle," he said.
"But I think that mud balls are a problem. I think they are unfair. I think that golf is designed to be played from a closely mown fairway. If you hit it in this channel you deserve a great line and an excellent opportunity to attack the Green surface. »
David Graham, the first Australian to win a US Open with his triumph of 1981 at Merion, scoffed at this idea.
"It's golf. It is just the luck of the draw. You get a good lie, you get a bad lie, you see two guys drive 275, 300 meters, we end up in a divot, it has received a perfect lie.
"So it's the rub of the Green and it may be one of the facets of golf that make it if intriguing must be able to play and adapt to this kind of thing. ''
Lee Trevino, who won the Open by the United States, 1971 in Masters in a playoff with Jack Nicklaus, said there were ways to stave off the dreaded mud ball.
"I had an advantage in the mud. I hit a low ball, "said Trevino. "Very rarely my ball never picked up mud because I went so low that it itself cleaned before it stopped rolling," he said, drawing laughter from journalists.
«You think it's funny, but it's true. «» And you have to adapt your game to that. "
Stricker conceded that players will just have to deal with the mud, before adding: "It could decide who the champion is here this week, unfortunately."
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