What does it take to win at Pinehurst No.2?
The third Hole at Pinehurst Resort & C.C. (Course No. 2) in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C. on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023. (Copyright USGA/John Mummert)
Just like that, we’re two majors down in 2024 and only have two left. The reality is that if you blink in early spring then you’ll likely miss the year’s biggest golf events.
With Xander Schauffele having won the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in mid-May during a week that produced some of the most extraordinary images we could have predicted, all eyes will now be on Pinehurst No. 2 for the playing of the 124th edition of the US Open.
Below, we’ll look at Pinehurst’s history and what it takes to win on a course that is the jewel of North Carolina.
The US Open returns to Pinehurst No. 2
The US Open returns to Pinehurst No. 2 after a ten-year break. This is one of the most revered courses not only on the US Open rota but also in world golf which is why it is consistently voted in the top 100 courses on the planet by top100golfcourses.com.
It’s worth saying that these guides to the world's best courses are subjective and often bring out strong emotions in golfers who don’t agree. The reality is that we don’t all see things the same way, and any guide is ultimately based on someone else’s opinion. While that is true, it also doesn’t mean they are without careful consideration.
Whether it’s Lonely Planet’s guide to the best holiday destination, the Michelin Guide to the best restaurants, or even the guide casinoalpha.ie has painstakingly produced to find the best online casinos in Ireland, the truth is that a great deal of thought and comparison goes into the end results.
In this case, while there might be concerns about Pinehurst No. 2’s devilish inverted saucer-type greens which divide opinion but have wooed the authors, what isn't in doubt is that this course stirs the heart.
Yes, Pinehurst holds an eternal place in the history of the US Open and is a call to arms to seize opportunities when they present themselves.
Where legends once walked
Payne Stewart’s moving bronze statue immortalizing his putt to win the 1999 US Open at Pinehurst No. 2 is perhaps the best reminder of this and how quickly life can also change.
Tragically, Stewart passed away in a plane accident aged 42 just four months after lifting the US Open trophy in June 1999 following a loss of cabin pressure.
Instead of mourning, however, Stewart's heroics on that early summer day in June 1999 are celebrated at Pinehurst.
Looking back, it was Stewart's display of nerveless putting during his final round when the American made three clutch putts on 16, 17, and 18 to stay one stroke ahead of Phil Mickelson that helped him tame some of the most unforgiving greens in the world.
Twenty-five years on from Stewart's putting masterclass and the key to unlocking Pinehurst No. 2 endures: bringing this brute in North Carolina to its knees will come down to what the players do when they have the flat stick in hand.
This is why the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Jordan Speith, and Wyndham Clark who lead the putting stats on tour in 2024 as cbssports.com show here - are the favorites to go all the way at Pinehurst.
Each golfer is averaging 1.6 putts a hole this season making them the ones to watch during the US Open.
Of course, watching the class of 2024 via for glory will be Stewart as he rests on the 18th green, overlooking the place where time stood still as he rolled home a 15-footer to win the US Open a quarter of a century ago.
