Golf Challenge at Oakmont
OAKMONT, Pa. — Amid cheers and silence, Sam Burns and Adam Scott found themselves isolated in a challenging round of golf. The stands near the 16th hole were sparse, emphasizing their solitary struggle. Burns started the day in the lead and maintained it through the first ten holes before a dramatic shift. He went from two-under par at the 11th tee to four-over at the 17th, marked by two double-bogeys and two bogeys, leaving him two difficult holes to finish.
Final Round Struggles
After a strong week of golf, Burns faltered with a back-nine score of 40, finishing the round with a 78. Scott, poised to secure his second major victory, was one-over par with five holes remaining. However, he hit his fairway wood into a bunker and expressed his frustration succinctly: “You gotta be kidding me, Adam.” This resulted in a series of bogeys and a final score of 79.
Marginalized Finish
As J.J. Spaun celebrated a remarkable win with a 64-foot putt, Scott and Burns found themselves a couple of hundred yards behind on the 18th hole, holding umbrellas as if they were mere spectators rather than competitors. Their position felt more like an unwelcome continuation of a difficult course experience.
Tough Course Conditions
Scott and Burns, as the last pairing of the final round, faced a significant challenge. While 64 golfers teed off before them, only 2 failed to record better scores. Both golfers experienced a disappointing downfall, with Burns’ tee shot on the 11th landing in rough conditions, despite a promising start. On the 12th, his shot caused a water eruption, which typified the day’s misfortunes.
Unplayable Situations
Burns hit his tee shot into a water hazard on the 15th hole—a rare occurrence at Oakmont. Despite his complaints about the conditions, the USGA officials deemed the shot playable. Following their ruling, Burns struggled to maintain control, ultimately leading to a double bogey that diminished his hopes of victory.
Reflections on Performance
Both players recognized the difficulty of the course conditions. Scott remarked about the challenges posed by the wet fairways, noting how even a small deviation could lead to significant consequences. Meanwhile, Burns acknowledged his struggle, admitting, “I didn’t have my best stuff, and clearly it showed.”
A Personal Moment
After finalizing his scorecard, Burns was presented with a more comforting trophy: his one-year-old son, Bear. In a light-hearted moment, Burns pointed out the USGA flags above, and in a humorous twist, Bear seemingly voiced his displeasure at the earlier ruling. Whether he truly spoke those words or not, the moment provided a bright spot in a challenging day for Burns.
