The U.S. Open has been hijacked.
The 2016 Valspar Classic was tougher than this.
There’s nothing short of pure craziness transpiring up there in Wisconsin after two rounds of the 117th U.S. Open.
Erin Hills is now in the record books as the easiest venue in U.S. Open history.
You have 42 players under par after two trips around this golf course stuck out there in the middle of some Wisconsin farmlands.
FORTY-TWO!
And here’s where the insanity sets in — for the first time in the history of the Official World Golf Rankings, the top three players in the world have missed the 36-hole cut in a major championship.
You read that right.
Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day have all been dismissed after two rounds.
Not only did they miss the cut, they totally embarrassed themselves.
Dustin Johnson, ranked No. 1 and defending champion was the medalist among these underachievers. He shot 75-73 — four-over.
No. 2 Rory McIlroy packed his bags after shooting 78-71. You could see that coming, he’s been inactive, recovery from his ongoing rib problem.
Jason Day was just plain lousy. How else can you describe rounds of 79-75?
So who’s left up there at Erin Hills?
When you look at the top 18, there’s not a major champion among them. That means there’s a great chance there will be another first time major winner come Sunday. It’s worked out that way in the past six majors.
When the good folks from ‘Skonsin looked at that big leader-board late Friday they saw Paul Casey, Brian Harman, Brooks Koepka and Tommy Fleetwood at the top. They are all seven-under and those who don’t follow the European Tour are probably wondering about Fleetwood with that long hair and scraggy beard. Gotta be related somehow to rockstar Mick Fleetwood of the old Fleetwood Mac fame.
Nope, just Tommy, recent winner of the BMW PGA at Wentworth — Europe’s version of The Players.
What happened to Rickie Fowler? The kid who looked virtually flawless on Thursday, suffered a three-hole putter spasm that left him with a 73. He’s at six-under with Jamie Lovemark and J.B. Holmes.
Rickie’s the only guy near the top who couldn’t break par on Friday.
You look at the scores, all the people under par and wonder where the USGA went wrong? Has it come to this? Is the U.S. Open destined to be the second coming of the PGA?
Heaven help Mike Davis, don’t look now but there’s even an amateur right there among the leaders.
An amateur?
Guy’s name is Cameron Champ, great name for a golfer. He shot 70-69 and beat the best player in the world by nine shots, beat the second-best player in the world by 10 shots and the third-best player in the world by 15 shots. When has that EVER happened.
Pure insanity is what it is.
Who saw this coming?
Somewhere back at his home in North Palm Beach, Jack Nicklaus is probably wondering why there weren’t U.S. Open venues like this Erin Hills place when he was in his prime?
He would have won eight opens and 22 majors.
But it’s play on for another 36-holes at Erin Hills.
Welcome to the Valspar Classic.
Wait, no, this U.S. Open isn’t that tough.
