Adam Scott slams USGA for US Open controversies

Adam Scott feels it is high time the United States Golf Association (USGA) had a rethink about the way the US Open is staged.

Scott will join the best players in the world next week for the year’s second major at Erin Hills in what is traditionally one of the toughest events of the year.

The USGA have made no secret of the fact they like to set up their courses to ensure that nobody runs away with the title and it is not uncommon to see a score over par winning the event.

However, they took things too far at Chambers Bay in 2015 when the greens were not fit for purpose and the overall course made a mockery of the sport at times.

Add to that the furore over their appalling handling of the Dustin Johnson rules fiasco last year which meant nobody actually knew his score as he completed his round.

US great Phil Mickelson has been less than complimentary about the way the USGA is performing and now Scott has waded into the argument, saying they should consider ending the current obsession of trying to make the tournament so tough for the players.

“The ball is in their court; they control it all,” he said. “Hopefully they get it right this time, just from a playability standpoint.

“Let’s just have something that’s a challenge and interesting, not just playing brutal.

“Maybe it’s time to do away with the even-par target, just thinking about the bigger picture of the game of golf.

“If their major pinnacle event requires courses to be the way they are, it doesn’t set a good example for every other bit of golf that they try to promote. Maybe we should get the numbers out of our heads and try a new strategy.”

Tagged Adam Scott, US Open, USGA