Viktor Hovland does NOT sound like he's looking forward to Oakmont's behemoth 290-yard par-3
Short par 4s are soooo 2024. 2025 is all about the long par 3. From the 223-yard 17th at Quail Hollow to the 290-yard 8th at Oakmont, the site of next week's 2025 U.S. Open, it seems like par 3s everywhere are experiencing a sudden growth spurt. The masochists among us are gleefully pulling out their drivers, but not everyone is convinced by the new trend. That includes Viktor Hovland, who was asked about Oakmont’s aforementioned behemoth on Tuesday, and delivered this excellent sound bite. Check it out.
Hovland makes a very good point. Often, long par 3s aren’t as compelling as short ones because they become one-dimensional. You have to launch one to a conservative landing zone and two-putt for par. There’s less room for creative shot-making, and although they ask more from the player physically, they provide very little mental challenge. Point, shoot, pray, repeat. Of course, the 2023 FedEx Cup champ put it more eloquently, capping his answer with this zinger.
Some will say long par 3s are simply a response to golf’s ongoing arms race. Others will argue, at least in the case of Oakmont’s 8th, that the U.S. Open should be Golf’s Greatest Test. We’re with Hovland though. When par 3s start pushing three bills, they aren’t tough, innovative or even all that interesting. They are, quite simply, silly.
