Who could have foreseen the winning score in the U.S. Open on the longest course in Open history reaching 16-under par? One of Erin Hills’ three architects, Ron Whitten, Golf Channel’s Frank Nobilo said.
“Two weeks ago, just before I came up here, I spoke to one of the course designers, Ron Whitten," Nobilo said on Golf Channel's Live From the U.S. Open show Sunday night, "and I said, ‘can you give me an estimation on what might the winning score be here?’ He said, ‘if the wind blows, four under. If it doesn’t blow, 16 under.' Remember, that was with no rain.
“I literally scoffed at the 16 under, because I said that would tie a record. Ron Whitten, one of the designers, was absolutely right.”
The wind did not blow for three rounds, and though it was up on Sunday morning, it was less of a factor in the afternoon, and Brooks Koepka finished 16-under par and won by four.
Whitten is Golf Digest's architecture editor, who along with Dr. Michael Hurdzan and Dana Fry are credited with the Erin Hills Design.
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