The Best Quotes From PGA Pros On Chambers Bay
By Ross Kelly
The 2015 US Open will likely be remembered for three things (and maybe not in this order): Jordan Spieth winning, Dustin Johnson choking, and the bevy of criticism leveled on Chambers Bay. The PGA pros didn't hold back in letting the world know how they felt about the course and we've collected the best of those quotes:
Billy Horschel (+4, Tied for 25th)
If the above video didn't express his displeasure enough, Horschel added verbal criticism of the course:
"I think a lot of the players, and I'm one of them, have lost some respect for the USGA and this championship this year for the greens. And not only the greens. One of the biggest issues I have is for the fans ... the viewing is awful ... when you're not able to get up close and watch championship-caliber players play a golf course, it's disappointing.
It's just a very disappointing week to be here"
Ian Poulter (+11, Tied for 54th)
"If this was a regular PGA tour event lots of players would have withdrawn and gone home on Wednesday, but players won't do that for a major. They were simply the worst most disgraceful surface I have ever seen on any tour in all the years I have played."
Henrik Stenson (+5, Tied for 27th)
"It’s borderline laughable at some of the greens and some of the pin positions, when we're actually almost better off plugged in a bunker than being on the top of a ridge...And it's pretty much like putting on broccoli.”
Rory McIlroy (E, Tied for 9th) - on hearing Stenson's quote about the 'broccoli-greens'
"I don't think they're as green as broccoli, I think they're more like cauliflower"
Sergio Garcia (+3, Tied for 18th), an apparent basketball connoisseur:
"To me, it’s like playing the NBA Finals on a court that’s got holes and slopes and no backboard and things like that"
Louie Oosthazien (-4, Tied for 2nd), who would go on and tie a US Open record with a back-nine 29:
“There’s no grass on (the putting greens) so it’s just dead. There’s a few holes where it doesn’t look really, really good.’’
Jordan Spieth (-5, Winner)
"This is the dumbest hole I’ve ever played in my life"
Gary Player - For someone who has probably seen more golf courses than any other pro; Hall of Famer Gary Player has a very unique perspective. The man, who's nicknamed the International Ambassador of Golf, absolutely blasted the course and its designers:
- "The worst golf course I might’ve ever seen in the 63 years as a professional golfer"
- "This has been the most unpleasant golf tournament I’ve seen in my life."
- "The man who designed this golf course had to have had one leg shorter than the other. It’s hard to believe you see a man miss the green by one yard and the ball ends up 50 yards down in the rough."
- "There have never been so many people that missed the cut that are so happy to go home."
Dustin Johnson (-4, Tied for 2nd) - We all would have loved to hear from DJ after his final round but he apparently skipped the trophy ceremony.
Ross Kelly is an Associated Producer for CBS Local Sports. He is from Louisiana and is a fan of all sports, but not of any teams (except LSU). He can be reached at ross.kelly@cbs.com.
