"Inverness is not doing itself any favors. The club is trying to land the real U.S. Open, but the scores this week are a slap in the face to such a bid."
/Jim Achenbach isn't too wild about the low scoring at the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic U.S. Senior Open, but considering last week's weather, the rain and the extra time the old geezers have been spending in the gym, the vulnerability of Inverness was inevitable.
There are too many birdies. The Senior Open has been turned into a no-sweat golf competition.
There is no mental strain. There is no strategic examination. It’s like the championship was given a lobotomy.
Hit a green, make a birdie. Hit another green, make another birdie.
The back nine was supposed to be killer nine. Everybody said so. All Browne did Saturday was shoot 29.
U.S. Open? Give me a break. This is the U.S. Easy.
Sure, the weather gods have conspired against high scores. The greens are soft. The golf balls are spinning. The birdie putts are short and shorter.
Given these conditions, the U.S. Golf Association might be expected to use a difficult course setup. But, no, Saturday’s setup was benign. It was pain-free. It was short. What players encountered was a tranquilized golf course.