Everyone understands that the U.S. Open is typically the toughest test on the golf calendar, as the USGA goes to great lengths (literally) to make that an annual thing.
And when Oakmont Country Club rolls around on the rotation of host courses for America's national championship, the challenges are even more magnified, even for the best players on the planet. I mean, there's obviously a reason that in the nine previous instances Oakmont has hosted the U.S. Open, nobody has ever finished lower than 5-under.
Now, we could sit here all day and discuss the difficulties this golf course presents, whether it be the sloping fairways that can ruin even the most perfect drive, the absurdly fast greens that could run between 14 and 15 on the Stimpmeter, or the five-inch rough that can swallow golf balls faster than Joey Chestnut can take down a hot dog.
Instead, though, we'll simply focus on one particular thing at Oakmont that has infuriated a plethora of players over the years and will undoubtedly do so again this week, that being the terrifyingly long par-3 eighth hole.
While listed on the scorecard at 289 yards, it played 300 yards during the final round in 2007, thus officially making it the longest par-3 in U.S. Open history. And on Sunday in 2016, it played 299 yards. It's not yet known (at least to us) if the USGA will set a new record this week, but, I'm sorry, even 299 or 300 is just ridiculous.
And Collin Morikawa agrees, using that exact same word when playing the eighth during a practice round after essentially being forced to hit a driver off the tee.
Collin Morikawa takes driver at the π©ππ« ππ‘π«ππ 8th π€―#USOpen pic.twitter.com/Ve9byesL6Y
β DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 9, 2025
Morikawa certainly isn't the longest hitter on the PGA Tour, currently ranking 157th in driving distance at 292.6 yards. But still, when the fourth-ranked player in the world has to take out the big stick on a par-3, that's a problem.
Will every single player in the U.S. Open field have to hit driver here? Of course not, especially on the days when it plays a little shorter. But even if the eighth plays shorter than the scorecard listing, perhaps something like 280, is that really entertaining to anyone?
I'll admit to loving seeing the best players in the world get humbled and look human. But this takes things to an unnecessary and borderline unfair level. Yes, players hit the ball further than ever these days. But a par-3 that measures the same distance as the average drive on the PGA Tour (currently 300.9 yards)? Come on.
Even the great Jack Nicklaus, who won the first of his 18 major championships at Oakmont back at the 1962 U.S. Open by beating Arnold Palmer in a playoff, called the eighth hole "crazy," saying it's "very difficult thing to have a hole where youβre standing back, hitting a wood at a par-3."
Viktor Hovland recently offered up criticism as well, saying "as soon as you start to take head covers off on par-3s, I just think it gets a little silly." Justin Thomas doesn't seem to be the biggest fan either. The list goes on and on.
To be fair (and blatantly obvious), every single player has to play the same hole. And the par-4 17th at Oakmont only measures 312 yards, so everyone will have a chance to get a stroke back down the stretch. But still, you get the point.