U.S. Open 2017: Pressure cooker cranked up on beleaguered USGA at Erin Hills
The biggest names in golf are gearing up for the second major of the year, but it is not just the players that will feel the unique, intense pressure cooker when the U.S. Open is contested at Erin Hills this week.
The build-up to any major should be one of excitement, anticipation and undoubted nerves at the prospect of earning golfing immortality.
And yet, as the circus rolls into Wisconsin, a dark cloud looms large over the U.S. Open – more specifically over the United States Golf Association (USGA).
It does not require a delve far into the history books to see why the governing body has quickly lost confidence among the field.
In 2015, Jordan Spieth followed up a sensational victory at The Masters with a second major title of that year, as Dustin Johnson snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
But Johnson's collapse has become a mere footnote as the Chambers Bay course came in for a damning critique.
The critics were out in force before a ball had even been struck in anger and the knives were at their sharpest when the tournament ended.
Chris Kirk said the USGA should be "ashamed" of the set-up, Colin Montgomerie described the greens as "extremely poor", while Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia were among the most vocal opponents of a course they deemed simply not up to scratch for a major tournament in which just eight players finished under par.
This is what it's all about ... #USOpen pic.twitter.com/3uhTrxDxRT
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 6, 2017
Twelve months later and the USGA was again thrust into the limelight.
Johnson was finally able to pull together his immense talent to end his wait for a major title, but it was the governing body that again hogged a huge share of an unwanted limelight at Oakmont.
During the final round, Johnson's ball moved on the fifth green and he was initially absolved of blame after checking on the interpretation of the rules with the referee for his match.
But farcical scenes followed.
Officials reviewed footage of the incident and told Johnson seven holes later that a punishment may be enforced and that he would be told after the completion of his round.
It led to a ludicrous scenario where the leader, the chasing pack and the millions watching worldwide did not know Johnson's score.
As it transpired, a one-stroke penalty was incurred - shortening Johnson's winning margin to three and no further controversy was sparked.
It was a damaging incident for the USGA, though, and the governing body was deservedly derided for the shoddy handling of what should have been an easily solvable situation.
Phil Mickelson, who is likely to skip the tournament he so desperately wants to win to complete a career Grand Slam to attend his daughter's high school graduation, has often been a vocal critic of the USGA.
When questioned after the Players Championship if the body will be forgiven if the tournament runs smoothly, he said: "I don't know if one thing right is going to fix that," before adding: "It's the U.S. Open. Guys are going to play no matter what."
Mickelson is right, of course, but the USGA will be under no illusions of the importance of ensuring similar debacles do not occur after the battering its reputation has taken over the past two tournaments.
The U.S. Open is notorious for its difficulty level and courses are designed to try and make level-par the winning score, but playing Erin Hills – which is only 11 years old – represents a big risk so soon after Chambers Bay, which had itself only been open eight years before hosting the tournament.
For the sake of its reputation, the USGA needs to ensure it is a risk worth taking.