Player Quotes

"I felt this was the first Open course I played that tested every area of the player's game, from the driver all the way to the short game.  I think Pinehurst is the greatest setup for a U.S. Open.  The golf course is one of the best we play, one of the best in the world."

"What I love about playing at Pinehurst is the USGA sets it up where it's shaved around the greens, and gives us a chance to let our short game come out, as opposed to just the thick, heavy rough where they have to chop it out."

                                                                                                                    -Phil Mickelson

"I think Pinehurst No. 2 has always been my favorite golf course, from a design standpoint, in the United States.  I just always marvel at how good a test it has been over the years.  It's a very special golf course."

                                                                                                                    -Jack Nicklaus

"We do not face anything like it, even in the British Open, except for maybe a couple of holes at St. Andrews.  You've got to fly the ball in the air and land it in a specific spot, and it better stick."

"At Pinehurst, you can putt off the green 50 yards and not feel like you hit a bad putt.  Pinehurst is so different than any other U.S. Open because it so much more relies on the short game than pure ball striking...it's a wonderful course."

                                                                                                                    -Tiger Woods

"Make no mistake, Pinehurst was a fair test of golf.  But even in the perfect conditions we had, it was tough.  Very tough!  A brilliant championship golf course at its most demanding, you could say."

                                                                                                                     -Ernie Els

"This golf course epitomizes what the USGA wants - a course that challenges every aspect of a player's game, including the mental component."

                                                                                                                   -Olin Browne

"Pars are prisoners out here - they're worth their weight in gold."

                                                                                                                   -Lee Westwood

"In the 10 opens that I've played, it's probably the best course because it leaves no room for error.  It's the ultimate place for an open, but it takes about six years to recover mentally from playing there."

                                                                                                                    -Stewart Cink

"I think the two Opens they've had here have been great.  It's definitely a patience test, and that's what they want."

                                                                                                                    -Davis Love III

"The USGA and everyone should be happy about the play for four straight days."  Calling the conditions "as consistent as I've seen them play in any U.S. Open I've played."

                                                                                                                   -Lee Janzen