Meehan: In the end, Chambers Bay looked the part

Bubba Watson called the U.S. Open greens at Pinehurst last year “unfriendly.” Zach Johnson said Merion was manipulated in 2013, adding to his disdain for the United States Golf Association.

Asked if he wanted to see the national championship return to Merion, Charley Hoffman said, “No. It had horrible logistics, the gallery was very restricted but I guess that’s what happens when an organization runs a golf tournament.”

Tiger Woods described the greens at Pebble Beach in 2010 as “awful.” In 2004 at Shinnecock Hills, where the final-round scoring average was 78.7, Jerry Kelly asked: “When are they (USGA) going to grow a head? I have no idea.”

Shinnecock Hills will host its fifth Open in 2018, followed by Pebble Beach in 2019. Merion has entertained five Opens and most anticipate a sixth in the near future.

The point is: A) Players are going to chirp at U.S. Opens, and B), the USGA makes the call, not the players, and the organization has indicated a reasonable possibility of a return engagement at Chambers Bay.

The first impression made by the scenic, links-style course last week at the 115th Open wasn’t good. Players sniped about the greens. Broccoli, cauliflower, dead, bouncy, uneven speeds, you name it, they said it.

The lasting impression of Chambers Bay was just the opposite. The course set-up – another source of player discontent – produced a compelling finish involving many of the world’s finest players.

Rory McIlroy entered the picture and just as quickly exited with a couple of late three-putts. Adam Scott shot a course-record 64 to post 3-under 277. Louis Oosthuizen jarred an approach on 14, shot 29 coming home and posted 4 under.

Branden Grace’s chances ended when he sprayed a ball closer to Puget Sound than the 16th fairway. Dustin Johnson, remarkable from tee to green all week, covered 601 yards in two swings but needed three putts from 12 feet on the 72nd hole.

(Side note: Media that played Chambers Bay the following day took cracks at Johnson’s slippery 12-foot eagle putt. One guy made it, but admitted if it didn’t go in it would have sailed well past the 4-footer Johnson faced for birdie. One foursome went 0 of 10 and all missed Johnson’s come-backer.)

Johnson’s putting woes left one man standing: Jordan Spieth. Funny how a major and a course often whittles the field down to one of the best. Spieth nearly went from winner to runner-up when he doubled 17 but he bounced back with a closing birdie.

Spieth neither overpowered the course, which many suggested was the key, nor brought it to its knees with a 5-under winning score. Chambers Bay demanded a winner with skill, a short memory, nerve and a flare for the dramatic. Spieth has deep reserves of all four.

Rory, you have a genuine rival for No. 1 for the next decade or so.

Chambers Bay, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., has faults, all of which can be addressed. Some of the severe undulations on the greens might need to be softened. USGA executive director Mike Davis told the Seattle Times the fescue greens, which were invaded by poa, were an issue but “getting smooth greens, that will happen.”

As for the majority of player complaints, 2006 champion Geoff Ogilvy said it best: “Logistically it seems to have its problems but as far as the holes and the golf it asks you to play, I think I told someone earlier in the week whoever wins is going to be a quality player. You have to move the ball both ways, you have to use your brain, which is a rare thing in modern golf and something we’re not very good at. … There’s a lot of talk about the greens, but forever great putters have putted well on bad greens.”

The fan experience needs to be much better. The USGA chose safety first with ropes everywhere, but spectators who didn’t park in the grandstands were left with few quality viewing options. Some of Chambers Bay’s hills and berms need to be reconfigured to enhance sightlines.

The last course as young as 8-year-old Chambers Bay to host the Open was Hazeltine in 1970. The Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed course was skewered. “What does it lack?” asked Dave Hills. “Eighty acres of corn and a few cows.”

Hazeltine was revamped and has now hosted two Opens, two PGA Championships, a Senior Open, two U.S. women’s Opens and a U.S. Amateur. Next year’s Ryder Cup will be staged at the Chaska, Minnesota, course.

When the Open returned to Hazeltine in 1991, Jack Nicklaus said: “We might have played a better course than we thought we did. I think it was unfairly criticized to some degree, because we didn’t play well. Was some of it justified? Probably so, because they wouldn’t have changed it.”

Sounds like pretty good advice for the USGA and Chambers Bay.