In the nine previous U.S. Opens at Oakmont, only 23 players finished under par. Three of the past champions here had scores over par, and the lowest 72-hole scoring total for a winner at Oakmont was 5 under.
Thanks to ankle-high rough and lightning-fast greens, the most difficult test in golf is even more treacherous on a course with no water hazards and few trees.
"It's going to be a challenge," said LIV Golf League captain Jon Rahm, the 2021 U.S. Open winner. "A lot of unfortunate things are going to happen. It's hard fairways to hit, bad lies, difficult bunkers, difficult greens.